Under-employment, layoffs, and long-term unemployment are still the reality for millions. Whether you were fired for underperformance, your job is moving out-of-state, or if you had to resign due to health reasons, joblessness is a difficult pill to swallow. Not having an income might be the least of your problems. You might be in a place where you feel your purpose and identity have been snatched from you with one pink piece slip of paper or the latest “Sorry, you just weren’t what we were looking for.”
What comes next? Are you ready to take the bull by the horns, or are you ready to crawl into a hole? If your hole is feeling quite comfy, there are eight steps in How To Get Your Mojo Back from J.T. O’Donnell, LinkedIn Influencer, CEO, and Founder of the Human Workplace, that might help you on the road to getting your confidence back and believing in your skills and abilities again.
1- Write something – anything, it will help you sort out your thoughts.
2- Shift your focus and get involved in some other work-like activity for a short time. It might help you see your value in a whole new light
3- Get out of your head and stop trying to reinvent yourself; it’s probably not necessary unless you truly hate your job
4- Reflect on how far you’ve come; start from childhood, be creative, and tell your story in writing, in pictures or in any form that you enjoy
5- Get physical – four to six hours a week of activity has been shown to protect people from experiencing stress and developing depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, and overeating
6- Give back – volunteer your time to help someone else in need. (Bonus: employers love seeing that you found constructive ways to use your time while you were out of work, you may have even learned a new skill)
7- Read the signs, reflect on the words of your inner voice, and process all that advice and constructive criticism to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
8- Step outside of the box – realize that just because you are without a job doesn’t mean you aren’t just as skilled and knowledgeable as you were the day before you lost your job.
Do remember that finding a new job is a process, and there might be some hard times along the way. It is darkest before the dawn, and getting your confidence back just might be the edge you need to get you over the hump and on your way to a great new gig.
