You're unemployed. You've been laid off, let go, fired. Now what?
Your self-esteem just took a bruising. When you don't have a job and an income, you will likely have negative feelings. They can be feelings of stress, fear, anger, rage as well as shame, feeling overwhelmed, confusion, anxiety, and many others.
Self-esteem is essential to maintain when you're out of a job.
Perhaps you saw it coming, or perhaps you felt you were ambushed or sucker-punched when you lost your job. These are weighty feelings and issues to deal with when you are vulnerable as you are when you're unemployed.
Self-esteem expert and author, Dr. Nathaniel Branden, defines self-esteem as the "experience of being competent to cope with the basic challenges of life and of being worthy of happiness." It includes a confidence in your ability to manage change and master challenges.
In order to have confidence in your ability to manage change, the first thing you must do is accept the reality of the situation you're in. The situation is what it is. Acceptance doesn't mean quitting or giving up. Acceptance is simply acknowledging reality. Reality is your starting point if you are to have the freedom to change things and make them better. You must manage the change you're undergoing from unemployment to your next job.
Part of managing the change is managing the negative feelings the situation has brought up in you. to keep them from paralyzing you into inaction. For example, fear. Fear is the anticipation of pain. The word "anticipation" implies a future event. To conquer the fear, it is necessary to be in "present moment time" instead of the future that isn't here yet, whether it's five minutes or five months away.
Focusing on your breath is an excellent way to bring yourself back to the present moment when you are experiencing fear or some other negative emotion. Some people call it meditation. But don't worry. If you think you can't meditate, just call it focused breathing. You can do it anywhere, any time, as long as you're breathing, that is.
If you choose to be seated, simply sit in a relaxed, upright position. You may sit on the floor, on a cushion, or if you sit in a chair have both feet flat on the floor. Focus on your breath. Take a deep breath slowly, and exhale slowly. Feel it as you breathe in and breathe out. Feel the sensation of your breath as it enters your nose and goes down into your lungs and as it goes out when you exhale. Do it for two or three minutes or longer if you can.
Fear loosens its grip on your mind and relaxation and calm come in. That opening is where you will find your freedom to change things and make your situation better. You will become a little more resourceful in managing change.
From a state of calm you tend to make better decisions and choices. You can find the strength to take the next action.
Practice this at least once a day.
Focusing on your breath is the fastest way to center yourself in present moment time and get in touch with your inborn sense of calm and peacefulness.
Good luck on your job search.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6571650
0 comments:
Post a Comment