You Are A Writer, Whether You Know It Or Not

In the past few months, I've used this space to update my friends, family and connections of my job search after an unexpected job loss. One way I've done that is to create a parody version of myself as an "Unemployment Influencer."

As of this second there is positive news on the job search front, but it's a little tricky to give specifics right now as things move outside of my control.

So, I'm fusing two posts into one.

What started as parody pieces of "Unemployment for Dummies" is a guide to choosing to "embrace the unemployment life." What if you could CHOOSE to be unemployed? How would you? Is it THAT ridiculous? What would it be like to live jobless in a world that demands a job so you can underwrite all the other things you want to do with your life?

The idea was to force myself to look at my job search differently. Why not walk backward from the starting line instead of following the same find-a-job pathway others do? Besides, if I fail, I'm in no worse place than I was, but maybe I will learn something about myself and my approach to the job hunt.

You can do it too. Write about your job loss experience. If you have a job, write about processing something negative you can't control.

WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT, YOU ARE A WRITER . . . just like you are a human.?Are you a good writer? Well, what makes you a good human? It's likely most of the same attributes.

So this week's "Staying Unemployed" entry is a re-imagining of an iconic children's story for my use. Writing this allowed me to release emotional stress, shift perspective, engage my creative hormones, and hopefully foster hope and motivation for you. These are all beneficial for processing and moving forward from job loss. And if it worked for me, a similar exercise can work for you.

GOODNIGHT JOB

By Michael Wisecrack-Magan

In the bright, bustling office

there was a desk phone

with a lost ringtone

and a picture of

the team on a retreat alone.

There were three worn chairs

and co-workers who care

and two sad plants

and a pile of rants

and a dented stress ball

and a long conference call

and a comb

and a tie

and a stale piece of Lydia's pie

and a colleague trying not to cry as they told me "Goodbye."

Goodnight office

Goodnight job

Goodnight collared shirts

and the nine-to-five mob

Goodnight paid vacations

and the company perks

Goodnight date nights

and working late quirks.

Goodnight lunch buddy Stan

Goodnight gym pass

Goodnight team huddles

and meetings on Teams

Goodnight rants

Goodnight complex grants

and goodbye, blurry screen shares

Goodnight reports

Goodnight "kinda personal" retorts

Goodnight, weird stain on the office wall

and goodnight, conference call

Goodnight comb

and goodnight tie

Goodnight nobody

Goodnight Lydia's stale pie

and goodnight to the colleague trying not to cry.

Goodnight commute

Goodnight rush

Goodnight long meetings

Goodnight hush

Hello new dreams

Hello fresh start

Hello to the freedom and new joys in your heart

Hello new chances

Hello new ways

Hello to laughter and brighter days

In the quiet of the room, there is hope to resume

a new chapter, a new light, even as we say to a past job, "Goodnight."