The first day of the rest of your life

Imagine getting up in the morning and not having a job to go to. With unemployment rates in the U.S. hovering at 9.5%, there are many people who have woken up, staring at a suddenly empty succession of days and scrambling to figure out what to do next.

I am one of these people, in theory at least. Last week, I was laid off from my corporate job that I held for over 13 years. I handed in my tools of the trade - laptop, PDA, corporate card and badge - and walked away from an environment that defined most of my day-to-day structure for well over a decade. In fact, most of my years here in Atlanta were spent working for this company. I did have some warning, but the reality of my approaching last day still brought up some strong emotions.

Although I think the layoff was a blessing in disguise, the fact is, there have been many moments of worry and anxiety. There are also the inevitable questions (and assumptions) from family and friends. Overall, I've received a lot of support and encouragement, but there are a few who think I'm taking a big risk by not pursuing another corporate job. For some, the idea that I'm focusing on my Reiki and life coaching business, as well as some freelance writing/social media-based ventures doesn't feel "solid" enough. I'm what you'd consider a solid employee. I tend to stay at jobs for a number of years, moving up along the way. In fact, other than the two months I was unemployed during my transition from New York to Atlanta, and the four and a half months I was on maternity leave, this is the first time in 24 years that I have been formally "without a job." I should be freaking out. And I'm not.

I see myself as building a new livelihood - and that takes a lot of hard work and responsibility, which means I'll be too busy to freak out. I was very heartened reading Chris Brogan's recent post, "Set a course" because I felt like it spoke to the journey I'm undertaking now. Very simply, he says "If you want better results in life, set a course." The underlying message here is that we have the responsibility for making the changes needed to ensure the outcome we desire in life. I often advise very much the same thing to my Reiki and coaching clients, and now I have the opportunity to make good on this message in my own life. I welcome that, because the experience will give me greater perspective on how to guide my clients through their own life transformation journey.

We can either shut down, or we can figure out how to make a situation work for our best interests. Taking charge and setting a course also means not being too rigid. As Brogan points out, it may be necessary to take other less desirable, but short-term actions (work a job temporarily, get certified in an area of practice, or make budgetary changes) in order to build the momentum for a longer-term plan. It can feel a bit disjointed having to detour or accommodate for a bit, but having a clear end-goal and timeline can ease that discomfort.

I know what some of you might be saying, something along the lines of "that's selling out!" It's not selling-out; it's survival for actualizing a life that conforms to your highest good. When we are living according to our highest good, everyone benefits because the energy we generate in all of our actions is focused and positive. We are living according to our purpose. I debated about whether or not to take a corporate job for another year until my daughter is in school, but I realized that I would lose too much traction. I can still find ways to use the knowledge management/taxonomist skill set I acquired during my years of corporate work for freelance or contract jobs if needed without compromising my wellness business.

Facing a job loss isn't an end to your life as you know it. Many of us fall into the jobs we have for one reason or another, and even if we end up liking them, how many of you feel like the work you do is connected to your higher potential?

If you lost your job today, what would you want the rest of your life to look like?

(Photo credit: jusnaw)
 

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