Tuesday, August 6, 2013

An Attitude of Gratitude Never Fails

Even though our circumstances were not in our favor we had the best of attitudes. While living day to day life we kept our attitudes in check. Never did we doubt that we wouldn't get a job that would put my husband back on his desired career path. Never did we doubt that we would be able to pay rent next month. Never did we worry if we would have to choose between full meals for our kids and paying a bill. Never did we miss a family event because we stressed about having enough gas money. We never disagreed about where our money should be spent. Never did we deprive ourselves of fun weekend entertainment. We didn't blame anyone for our misfortune. We always asked for any extra help we needed from friends and family and accepted graciously the help that was freely offered. We never lost sight of our goals and dreams. We were always grateful for the trial given to us and knew many great things would come from it if not now for sure in the future.

Okay, now that I have most of you have either rolling your eyes or thinking we are saints. I assure you most of the things listed above of our attitudes DID happen at least once. Just to be clear we both had many days of doubt, fear and great anxiety. 

My husband indisputably wins the award between the two of us for having the best day to day attitude about all circumstances we found ourselves in. During the time of unemployment when someone would ask him how he was doing he would say "great!" or "wonderful!" And at that moment he meant it. He often told those who were puzzled by his unusually positive attitude for someone that was in his position he would tell them that the best thing he could do is not dwell on it and bring anyone down with him, so he would say, 


"I AM TOO BLESSED TO STRESS".  

When I was having a rough day and placing the weight of the world on my shoulders he would advise me that "everything WILL be OK, things will work itself out."  It's going to be OK!? When I found myself doubting this I was able to keep positive through my faith in a loving Heavenly Father that would provide for is in His way and timing, my husbands positive attitude,  and the tremendous support from our family and friends.


Articles I relate to and highlight my favorite keys to success:


Job Loss and Unemployment Stress

Tips for Staying Positive During Your Job Search

Job Loss and Unemployment Stress
It’s normal to feel hurt, vulnerable, or angry after losing a job. The good news is that despite the stress of job loss and unemployment, there are many things you can do to take control of the situation and maintain your spirits. You can get through this tough time by taking care of yourself, reaching out to others, and taking the opportunity to rethink your career goals and rediscover what truly makes you happy.

Losing a job is stressful

Our jobs are much more than just the way we make a living. They influence how we see ourselves, as well as the way others see us. Our jobs give us structure, purpose, and meaning. That’s why job loss and unemployment is one of the most stressful things you can experience.
Beyond the loss of income, losing a job also comes with other major losses, some of which may be even more difficult to face:
  • Loss of your professional identity
  • Loss of self-esteem and self-confidence
  • Loss of your daily routine
  • Loss of purposeful activity
  • Loss of your work-based social network
  • Loss of your sense of security

Grief is normal after losing a job

Grief is a natural response to loss, and that includes the loss of a job. Losing your job takes forces you to make rapid changes. You may feel angry, hurt, panicked, rejected, and scared. What you need to know is that these emotions are normal. You have every right to be upset, so accept your feelings and go easy on yourself.
Also remember that many, if not most, successful people have experienced major failures in their careers. But they’ve turned those failures around by picking themselves up, learning from the experience, and trying again. When bad things happen to you—like experiencing unemployment—you can grow stronger and more resilient in the process of overcoming them.
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Coping with job loss and unemployment stress tip 1: Face your feelings

Fear, depression, and anxiety will make it harder to get back on the job market, so it’s important to actively deal with your feelings and find healthy ways to grieve. Acknowledging your feelings and challenging your negative thoughts will help you deal with the loss and move on.

Surviving the emotional roller coaster of unemployment and job loss

  • Write about your feelings. Express everything you feel about being laid off or unemployed, including things you wish you had said (or hadn’t said) to your former boss. This is especially cathartic if your layoff or termination was handled in an insensitive way.
  • Accept reality. While it’s important to acknowledge how difficult job loss and unemployment can be, it’s equally important to avoid wallowing. Rather than dwelling on your job loss—how unfair it is; how poorly it was handled; things you could have done to prevent it; how much better life would be if it hadn’t happened—try to accept the situation. The sooner you do, the sooner you can get on with the next phase in your life.
  • Don’t beat yourself up. It’s easy to start criticizing or blaming yourself when you’ve lost your job and are unemployed. But it’s important to avoid putting yourself down. You’ll need your self-confidence intact as you’re looking for a new job. Challenge every negative thought that goes through your head. If you start to think, “I’m a loser,” write down evidence to the contrary: “I lost my job because of the recession, not because I was bad at my job.”
  • Look for the silver lining. Losing a job is easier to accept if you can find the lesson in your loss. What can you learn from the experience? Maybe your job loss and unemployment has given you a chance to reflect on what you want out of life and rethink your career priorities. Maybe it’s made you stronger. If you look, you’re sure to find something of value.

Beware of pitfalls

  • Taking refuge in your “cave” may provide temporary comfort, but is little help if your time spent there is not constructive. Surrounding yourself with positive, supportive family and friends may better help your self-esteem.
  • Venting your anger and frustrations may only make you feel worse if you find yourself in the middle of a “pity party.” There are people who actually enjoy misery and the misfortune of others.
  • Drinking is at best a temporary relief, and for some people, can lead to a crippling addiction.

Article Source: http://www.caes.uga.edu/extension/cobb/fcs/documents/HACE-E-23-11.pdf
If you are thinking that unemployment and layoff numbers are improving here are a few articles that show what is really happening in the economy right now.





"Employers took 1,301 mass layoff actions in May involving 127,821 workers as measured by new
filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported today. (Data are seasonally adjusted.) Each mass layoff involved at least 50 workers from a
single employer. Mass layoff events increased by 102 from April, and the number of associated initial
claims increased by 10,972. In May, 276 mass layoff events occurred in the manufacturing sector
resulting in 33,527 initial claims."

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