Lost your job? Now it’s time to pivot. You can do this!
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Here’s some quick advice if you are facing job uncertainty for the first time. First of all, we’ve all been through a number of crises before and we know from experience… you have to power your way through to prosper. As long as you have a roof over your head and food on the table, you are doing ok.
The situation will probably get worse before it will get better in the USA… But it does not mean you are doomed even if you’ve lost one or two salaries in the house.
1. Money does not disappear. Money is a concept, it’s simply a token of exchange to make things easier than bartering. Money is just changing hands differently. So your opportunity rests in going where the money is now and offering them what they need.
2. You are more wealthy than you can imagine! Your time bank is now full and you have time to learn new skills, whether they are work skills or life skills. Don’t squander your life bank account playing video games or vegging out in front of the tv. That would be like going into your bank account and splurging on a $1,000 bottle of wine. It’s delicious and you enjoy the high for a few hours and then it’s gone. You won’t have the memory of it either because it put you into a hypnotic state.
3. The best things in life really are for free. Friends, family, and pets make life worth living, so enjoy and appreciate your loved ones. If you’ve lost your job, it’s time to switch those ‘business friends’ into true friends. Invite them to connect on Facebook and LinkedIn. You will be able to rely on them for giving you good references when you are ready for a new job, and if your former employer goes out of business.
Now, it’s time to find gratitude in your bartering skills, time bank, and loved ones. This will help you get out of the funk and anxiety that you are feeling and back into the amazing life that God gave you. If you know someone who is feeling down, you can share my thoughts with them.
Monique Littlejohn is a writer and sustainable living advocate living in Adelaide, Australia who traded money for time. Her family of 3 lives on her 4-day per week nonprofit salary in the Adelaide Hills.
