Do's and Don'ts of Unemployment - Staying Positive

Whether you own your own business and can't find work, work for a business that is struggling or have been laid off, there are things you should and should not do--for your own health and sanity! When financial stress enters your life, there are good and bad ways to deal with it. One of the first things to remember is that people are important--things are not. You and your family should be your first concern. Sell all those things you have acquired over time as status symbols or pleasures. Let them go and focus your mental energies on yourself, your family and finding work. Jobs will come and go, but you and the people important to you must live on. It is important to keep things in perspective.

First, the don'ts:

· Do not sit around doing nothing, feeling sorry for yourself. This is not healthy.

· Do not associate yourself with "doom and gloomers." Negative talk can get inside your head and cause you to defeat yourself.

· Do not eat or drink your stress away.

· Do not lie in bed at night worrying. Worry accomplishes nothing.

· Do not become obsessed with watching the news.

· Don't plant yourself on the couch and become a permanent fixture.

All of the above will serve only to make you and the people around you miserable, cause depression and negatively impact your health--which you can't afford to put in jeopardy right now.

Now, the dos:

· File for unemployment, if you are eligible.

· Have a sit down with yourself or your family and review your finances. Make cuts where you can (be realistic) and concentrate on the core things of life--housing, food and water. If you establish an immediate financial plan, instead of trying to maintain a life beyond your current means, you will have more time to work toward resolving your work issues.

· Do something. This may be the perfect time to clean out the refrigerator, scrub the floors, clean out the closets, organize your office or do those C list things that you never had time to do before. Oil that squeaky door!

· Do surround yourself with positive people and people who can help you.

· Do maintain or start healthy eating habits. "An apple a day..."

· Do exercise, even if it is just walking. Exercise is good for both body and mind, because it creates all sorts of positive chemical releases in the body.

· Do maintain positive sleeping patterns. Use Melatonin to help your body move toward sleep, if necessary.

· Do turn off that television!

· Do seek out resources that can assist you during this time of uncertainty and financial stress. Check for local government and volunteer agencies to see if you qualify for any assistance for housing, food or energy. Check with local churches to see if there is any help available from their groups. If you need help, ask for it.

Speaking of doing something. Find a place to volunteer. (See Charity Guide in reference links.) By volunteering, you have something to do. You have people to talk and socialize with and you have less time to feel sorry for yourself. Volunteering helps others and can have another side affect that might be beneficial to you. By volunteering, you meet people and you hear things. People may tell you about jobs they know are coming available or a job they know would be right for you. You may over hear someone talking about some work they need done that is right up your alley. Having someone refer you or put in a good word will beat out your name on an application any day. It may be just the push you need to get back on track.

Most people today are too young to remember the Great Depression-a time when many families in this country were hungry and homeless. People were jumping out of windows and trading jewelry for potatoes. A time when raising pigeons wasn't a hobby, it was putting food on the table (squab). Don't be wasteful with food or resources and look for alternatives. People can survive adversity, if they look forward rather than back and don't wallow in self-pity. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and make the best of what you have. Survive. Every day has the potential to bring something new.

This author has seen some tough times and knows all too well that, when you are in the middle of them, they seem dire and you sometimes feel like giving up. It helps to remember that there are always others worse off than you.

If you need an inspirational story, read The Gift or Be Thankful For Today by Morgan Summerfield, here at Associated Content.