Navigating the Dance with Wolves: Thriving After Unemployment

I was born on October 9th, 1973, while my city (Murcia, South East of Spain) was flooding due to torrential rains; Pink Floyd's album "Dark Side of the Moon" was playing on radios around the world; William Goldman was publishing the novel "The Princess Bride," and the Yom Kippur Arab-Israeli war had just erupted. All of this means that I recently turned 50, just like all those events.

50 YEARS!

Some time ago, when I was in my early forties, I made a list of 50 things I wanted to do before turning 50. I was quite ambitious, and I don't think I've even achieved a fifth of those dreams. But that's okay. What matters is, besides celebrating what I've accomplished, having dreams, goals, and objectives to fulfill. This is always important, and I would say it's crucial when unemployment suddenly throws you into the wolves' den. When you find yourself alone in the forest at dusk and in the presence of wild animals, you have two choices: dance with them like Kevin Costner or run away.

Of course, I recommend the first option, although I understand those who choose the second. I don't like to judge anyone in the face of fear or distress.

Unemployment was not on my list of fifty dreams, obviously. However, looking back and seeing how my life is now, I believe I've learned to dance with the wolves. They still command a lot of respect from me, even though I've never thought they were as bad as they're often portrayed, but I no longer fear them.

How did I do it? What helped me dance with the wolves? I'll share my experience with you in case it might be of some help if you find yourself in a similar situation.

1. ?Talking about it: expressing how I feel with the people around me (my partner, daughters, parents, siblings, friends, acquaintances, my therapist, etc.) and, significantly, having compassionate conversations with myself. It's not about talking to yourself on the street but maintaining a healthy inner dialogue and writing down my thoughts about the situation and the future. One trick that brought me immense relief was writing letters to certain people I knew I wouldn't send, but they helped me unload a great burden.
2. ?Taking better care of myself. Juggling ten or twelve hours of work a day with a healthy diet and regular exercise is a pipe dream. I remember the frustration of not being able to find the time to exercise or cook properly. You start feeling worse physically and mentally, caught in an endless loop with no apparent escape. Now, I go to the gym almost daily and pay close attention to what I buy, cook, and eat.
3. Learning something new. I've always regretted not speaking French fluently, a language I began studying ages ago, back in college. Now, I've enrolled in the Official School of Languages and feel highly motivated to finally achieve it. The feeling of being a student and sharing classes with people from 14 to over 60 is very enriching. In addition to French, I take courses on other topics that interest me, keeping me up to date with new trends and improving my skills. This is something I've done all my life. I still love studying and learning just like when I was a child, and now I have more time and focus to devote to it.
4. Engaging in activities I enjoy. I've joined ballroom dancing classes with some friends. For now, they're not teaching us Kevin Costner's dance, but we're learning salsa and tango, and I'm starting to grasp the basics. It's a wonderful way to spend time with my partner and the other friendly couples who have joined us. I also balance this with outdoor walks, reading, watching movies, TV series, and, of course, writing.

Certainly, I continue to search for a job every day. As you probably know, finding employment requires a great deal of effort and dedication.

Fortunately, at this point, time is not a constraint for me.

#unemployment #unemployedat50 #tipsforunemployed

#PersonalGrowth #LifeExperience