You’ve been laid off - Congratulations!

So, you have invested a lot of time and energy to excel in your job and now the company has handed you a lay off notification. What do you do?

Well, first of all, take a long breath in and out to relax your mind and body. It’s a lot to take in and so many thoughts are racing in your mind. How do I pay my bills? Where will I go to get a new job? How is the job market right now? Who can I go to for help? Should I change my career?

But STOP and think about this for a minute. You have probably been working long hours, without taking much time off, to get ahead and make more money. But, all that is for certain, is lots of time has passed and your life has not been more fulfilled by this work.

Stop looking at this as something that happened TO you and rather something that is happening FOR you. The Universe had handed you a great opportunity and you can use it to grow and learn.?

I had a friend that was very unexpectedly laid off after a successful sales career. She lamented about this issue and had to work with HR to make sure she got the severance pay she was entitled to. After some reflection, she realized that she always wanted to be a Yoga Master and started a training process to be certified in Kripali Yoga.?

Once certified she started her own Yoga Practice. Her life became so full of contentment by helping others to be more flexible, relaxed and healthy. ?Years later, she is learning new ways to help with the aging process so she can enhance the work with her clients. Her story isn’t uncommon as many people use this type of event to think and act outside of their comfort zone and reap the benefits of their courage.

?

Here are some steps to take and things to consider when this event, unexpected as it is, happens to you and how to devise a plan to your next phase in life.

Devise a plan to execute as quickly as possible

The first thought should be, how long can I take to figure out my next career step in life. Take time to figure out how long you have to figure things out. When you no longer have a job, you need to review your finances or consult with your financial advisor. Have you been putting money away in savings, have some 401K money you can tap into without penalties, or have retirement money that is OK to withdraw from without losing a financially secure future? Is there some stock that you can sell now and use to live off of for a period of time? Can you downsize and live with a friend or relative without damaging the relationship? Are you in a supportive relationship where your partner can take care of your basic living expenses?

Take time to review your financial situation and consult with your advisor so you can understand the amount of time you can allow yourself to figure out your next move.

If your job had been stressful, take some time to reflect, relax and recover

When you stop working, suddenly, many people realize that their life had been negatively affected by their job.? You have to take time to just sit on the couch and vegetate. ?Many people think you need to jump and react quickly to find your next career, but this much needed “rest” time is essential to refuel and reflect on your life. Start journaling and write about what you have done or enjoy doing that could possibly translate to a new business or new job. Really look at what interests you have and how your inherent personality could fit into another way to make money. Think about what you loved to do or dreamed of doing as a child or teenager because that can be an indicator of what you were meant to do.

Take this time to delve into your inner voice to figure out what the universe truly meant for you to do in life. Look at this as an opportunity to figure out how to have a better life career balance. Everything happens for a reason, and you should be excited by the possibilities.

Write down a list of what you enjoyed in your current job and what you hated

Take an inventory of what you actually liked about your current career/job and what made you super stressed. It is good to take the time to do this exercise in order to figure out and re-evaluate what kind of work would utilize your strengths in a successful way. ?Doing some much needed introspective is so important and now, you have the time to do it. ?Was there anything you could bring to another career that you would like to continue doing? For example, can you take on a customer support role or project management role instead of sales to lower your stress level as you figure out a totally new direction in life?

Take as much time as possible to look at your values and how you want to live in this life. And understand that you are unique in your talents and desires. Spend this time understanding yourself more and it will lead to a happier life despite this bump in the road.

Seek help from trusted colleagues, friends, or a Life Coach

No one can figure out their next professional move without help and don’t think that you can. Everyone, when dealing with this unexpected change, needs the support of friends that have no ulterior motive. Most of us don’t feel we have any talent or skill outside our professional comfort zone. But you do! Everything you have done, every accomplishment you have experienced, and every job you have had, brings knowledge and wisdom that can translate to another career. And, even though you may not see these positive traits or skills, your friends and trusted colleagues, can probably identify them immediately and may have even wished they had that inherent skill as their own. Take the selfish act of asking them about your skills and what they see are your strengths and don’t be against hearing what your weaknesses are.

The more support that you get in this step, the better your chances of finding your true calling and getting that dream job.

As a Transformation Coach, I use a unique profile questionnaire tool that is currently being introduced to the US after much success in Australia.? The Being Profile? is part of a full framework of tools to uncover a person’s unique Aspects of Being in order to improve their personal performance and how they are being in the world.

Having a better understanding of who you are and how you and others operate allows for a successful transformation into a life with intentions actualized. This is exactly the time to do this work to make improvements in areas that you may not have thought you had influence over. But you do!? To learn more set up a free Let's connect call.

Review four basic elements to figure out what you really want to do

Everyone has four basic human elements that you need to reflect on to figure out what you were meant to do. They are your interests, skills, values, and personality. Take each element and write down what you have either, discovered about yourself thru this time of reflection, or know to be true. Once you have figured out these elements you can get an idea or some sense of direction in where you want to go. And it is at this point when you start the job of finding a new job.

This is the moment when finding a job or starting a new business is now your sole purpose in life. While this is the most difficult part of the process and needs complete faith in yourself and the universe’s plan for you, it is also where you get out of the comfort zone “box” and have the most growth. Embrace this part of the journey, do daily affirmations in the present tense that state your objectives, and research your ideas so you can understand the possibilities of success. Use the power of attraction to state how you want your life to be, write it down, and you will be surprised at how positive thoughts turn to opportunities that you could never imagine happening.

Allow yourself to look at this event as a big opportunity. With that in mind, focus on taking the first step to move into a different life trajectory, one that is meant for you, and only you, and one where you will be more successful than you could ever imagine. And, if you need help, set up a call to explore the possibilities.