The first one is "Rebound: A Proven Plan for Starting Over After Job Loss."
Let me just say that the opening chapter of this book spoke to me. It's almost like the author peeked into my brain and stole my thoughts. And it made me realize something important: Job loss is very difficult on your psyche. I don't care who you are or what you do for a living, having it all disappear at the snap of a finger is a difficult roadblock to get past. It's been 10 months and I'm still struggling with my failure to bring home a steady paycheck. Granted, I'm harder on myself that the average person, but it's still feels like I'm not contributing to our household and that is tough to deal with. As Chapter 1 so effectively points out, a crisis in self-worth comes along with a layoff. This is something that can't be fully understood until it happens to you. Trust me. (The rest of the book is good too, I highly recommend it.)
The second book, "Accidental Genius: Using Writing to Generate Your Best Ideas, Insight, and Content" spoke to me in an entirely different way. It gave me hope that I can write my way to a better future. I need hope right now because I'm feeling especially discouraged. I continue to struggle with knowing that I did everything right in my career, and yet I still ended up here: Unemployed. Eventually, I'm going to refer to myself as self-employed, as I it has a much better ring to it, yes?
The Husband's favorite movie is "The Shawshank Redemption." We have a giant, official movie poster of it hanging in our upstairs hallway. The slogan on it says "Fear can hold you prisoner. Hope can set you free." I need to start living by those words. Maybe it's true that the only thing holding me back is me. I've been given this incredible opportunity, really. What I do with it is solely up to me. So, I guess that's where I am right now. I'm trying to figure out my next great move; my next step up on the career ladder. Because I'm only going up from here. I'm completely open to ideas, so if you have any, please send 'em my way.
As always, thanks for reading. It really does mean a lot to me and keeps me inspired to keep writing.
3 comments:
I can tell you from experience that there's nothing scarier than "self-employment." However, there's absolutely nothing better.
I own a business with R and I am a writer, so I am self-employed on two fronts in two very different industries.
It took me a long, long time to call myself a "writer." In fact, I think I had over 200 articles published before it started to flow off my tongue.
Today, I not only refer to myself as a writer, but as an entrepreneur (even though on most days I can't spell it), business owner and The Mayor. LoL! :-)
You can do it. Being your own boss is the hardest job, but also the best one in the world. After all, you can't outsource yourself to India! Or can you...? I suppose you could clone yourself and then outsource your clone... but I digress.
Self-employment isn't an easy road, that's why so few people do it. But at the end of the day, I think it's by far the most rewarding road. :-)
Kate...YOU DO CONTRIBUTE to your household...your children are young right now and they need you around more AND you are raising them, doing most of the work inside of the home (as you were even when you were working outside of the home full time). Give yourself, AND THEM, this time...you will ALL benefit from it.
And give yourself the time you need to grieve...you lost your job--it was taken away from you, something you worked hard at, for MANY years. Give yourself the time to grieve that loss and to think about what you really want to be doing. You will make an awesome Self-Employed person...you have the ideas and the will to follow through. I have MANY ideas, but not a lot of follow through... something I'm going to work on, but I also understand it's in God's timing. Pray...pray for guidance and wisdom and discernment...He cares about you and wants the best for you (as do many people in your life)!
Thank you for posting this, Kate. I'm going to try and get my hands on these books.
Post a Comment