Have You Ever Been Fired?

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Or maybe you quit a job in the heat of the moment.

Recently a friend and I were talking about our experience with a company we both worked for and we were both let go.? We had very different roles in the company and were let go at different times for different reasons, but the experience left us both perplexed and angry.? Our self-confidence was shaken, and we both struggled to regain our footing.

Many of us have experienced disappointment and loss in our jobs.? Overtime, we tend to remember only the good things and forget what was really happening.?? We cling to the good old days, fantasizing about how great the job was, or the company was, and the reality is, it probably wasn’t as good as we remember.

Maybe we had a toxic boss or went through a merger with a company that was philosophically very different, or maybe our goals and priorities changed over time and were no longer aligned with the job.?

When our identity is based on external things like our job, title, or position on an org chart we can become stuck.? We construct barriers to finding our real joy and this causes anxiety, self-doubt and fear of failure.

Here are 5 thoughts on how to turn being fired into being ON fire for what possibilities the future holds.

?????? ?Accept your present situation and stop resisting.? Reality isn’t changed by complaining.? Reality can’t be wished away.? Reality just is what it is.? That doesn’t mean we have to passively accept it.? We can choose to do something different in response to our reality.? But the more time we spend resisting, the less time we have to spend on things that bring us joy.

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????? Let go and stop blaming.? For several years after I was let go from a job, I genuinely enjoyed I blamed everyone and everything in the company.? The reality was, the job was one I enjoyed, but because of a merger, my values were no longer aligned with the new company, and I really wasn’t happy.? Once I stopped blaming and accepted the decision made, new doors opened for me that led to greater opportunities than I ever imagined.? I spent several years living and working abroad.? I traveled the world.? I learned and grew in many ways.? Today, I am actually grateful for getting fired!

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????? Practice gratitude in everything.? Working in healthcare risk management can be difficult, draining, frustrating, and some days just plain sad.? I am grateful everyday for my wonderful coworkers, for the leadership of my bosses past and present, for the opportunity to give back to the patients and the community.? I am also grateful for the simple things like the sun on my face, the sound of birds singing in the distance, the time with family and friends.? My work makes that all possible – even on the most difficult days.

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??? Recognize everything is temporary.? Change is the only thing we can count on for sure!? This is what I struggle with the most when I am in a situation that I don’t want to be in.? Often, it feels like the pain will last forever.? The reality is tomorrow is always a new day.? Some days will feel like the perfect flow and others will not.? If we can stay in the present and accept our circumstances without resisting, we can feel the feelings that come up without fear or shame.?

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?? You are enough.? You are uniquely made to be just the person you are.? Mavis Karn put it this way, “You are already a completely whole, perfect person.”? Social media often tricks us into thinking we should be better, have more, are the only one with struggles.? The truth is people rarely post their struggles on social media.? Imagine if we only saw pictures of tear-stained faces, read stories of health or financial crises, and heard endless catchy phrases about our own self-doubt.? We would probably never scroll again!? But for every smiling face and story of great success, there is another story that we don’t see.? Embrace your wholeness.? Don’t compare yourself to anyone else.? We need you for the authenticity you bring every day!

Loosing your job when you least expect it and when it isn’t on your terms can shake you to the core.? Don’t be afraid to ask for help.? Use your friends and professional network to explore other opportunities.? Remain open to the limitless number of possibilities.? Be kind to yourself.? You are amazing and you got this!