09.10.08
Getting Over It
The nature of work in American life is changing dramatically and you must be prepared to address it.
For some folks that is harder than it is for others. So the best thing to do is break it down into manageable sections:
1) Mourn: You’ve been laid off, fired or you see it on the horizon. Don’t go into denial. Don’t pretend that you’ve got it all under control. That’s a croc. You’re hurt, you’re angry, you’re mad as hell and not sure you can take anymore. It’s okay to feel that way. What’s not okay is continuing to feel that way weeks, months, years after the experience. Learn to grieve and let go. Take the time to be angry at the “grownups.” Vent; fuss; call them idiots. Get it out of your system then vow to become the manager of Y.O.U. Inc. It’s time to be about the business of you.
2) Figure out what you want to do: Do you want to stay in your current industry, do something unrelated or start your own business? Be honest. If you don’t want to be your own boss, that’s cool. Now that you know you want someone else to worry about dollars and cents, taxes, insurance and the whole lot of it, figure out for whom you want to work and why, and how to get there and/or stay there.
3) Take the first step: Now that you’ve made a decision, figure out whether you need new or sharpened skills? Do the math and figure out how much you’re willing to spend on yourself to get the additional training. This is where the rubber meets the road and you figure out what you’re willing to do and which dreams can be realized as a result.
4) Brace for change: Any substantive job change alters everything else in your landscape. Are you the primary breadwinner in your household? Is that about to change and is your partner cool with that? Will you have to tighten the belt, taken on added household responsibilities? Can you cope with not being the alpha dog in the house? What are the mechanics of the new life you’re creating and can you, as Tim Gunn of “Project Runway” would say, make it work?
Don’t be frightened by the questions; learn to deal with them or get help to figure out how to do it. You can manage the change or let it manage you. What’s it gonna be?
