Unemployed? - Change the Focus!

This article is addressed to all those people who are currently unemployed; I understand the situation, the uncertainty, the fear, the doubts, the guilt, the responsibilities to fulfill and that of... the obligations to pay; I dare to touch on this subject because I once experienced it and my wish with this text is to add value to this situation and help change the approach to it.

I invite you to carefully analyze these 12 tips to change the approach to your current situation:

Accept your Reality: Yes, just like that, accept it, you no longer have a job. No more regrets or self-pity, no more complaints, no more negativity or room for low spirits; focus on the solution, not the problem!
Focus on the Positive: "Change your way of thinking to change your way of living" Do the following exercise: Focus your gaze on the positive things you have: your family, your health, your experience, your talents, your ideas...etc; and not on the negative. Sometimes we direct our gaze toward the bad and ignore the good things we have, which are usually more.
Create a War Budget: Adjust your budget to reality, explain to your family about this "temporary" situation and how you need their help to get through it together (they will understand and become more united). Identify and eliminate "phantom" expenses which are unnecessary; limit outings, "treats", check which services you pay for and rarely use, lower your standard of living a little (don't worry, you will survive), group your debts and do not incur more. Focus your family budget.
Manage your time: What can I say, no getting up late!!! No wasting time on things that don't produce anything, remember that these are not paid vacations, it's not time to spend hours on Facebook or Instagram, every minute counts to look for new opportunities. Focus every second on your goal and don't let anything distract you from it.
Looking for a job is a job: Just as it sounds, if your goal is to look for and find a job, focus on persisting, insisting, resisting and never giving up; take advantage of every minute of the day to work towards that goal, whether it's looking for a job online, talking to friends, visiting companies or employment agencies, improving your resume, taking courses, training yourself, looking for alternatives...etc. Although most jobs are applied for online, it doesn't hurt to knock on doors; you can find employers who value attitude more than qualifications. More visits, more actions, more chances of finding a job.
Check what you have in your hand: They say that crises bring out the best in each one of us. Focus your sight on checking "what you have in your hand"; I mean capabilities, ideas, skills, talents, creativity, tools. Is there something you know how to do that you can put into production and that will generate extra income for you? It may be a good option while you find a steady job, or who knows, it may be the start of a business and the step towards independence...
Make decisions with reason: Although these are not easy times, do not make hasty decisions, do not make investments or businesses without stopping to evaluate the pros and cons; stay calm, do not act with your heart, focus your decisions through your reason. A bad decision can have great and serious consequences.
Be humble: Difficult but not impossible, did you think it could never happen to you? If you don't find the job of your dreams, don't you work? If they don't pay you what you ask for, don't you accept? If it's not close to your home, it's not worth it? Well, it's your decision, but sometimes you have to start over or wait a long time to start in the same place. Change your focus by looking for a balance between your reality, your talents and your needs. I'm not saying that you should let yourself be exploited by an employer, but that you should evaluate each opportunity that is presented to you with humility and gratitude. I know people who have been out of work for years because of their pride and arrogance.
Self-Examine: If there was no staff cut, there was harassment at work, or there was no justified cause, ask yourself what you did wrong to lose your job. In this, I ask you to be objective and honest with yourself. If you did something wrong, accept it and take the corrective actions you need to take. Focus on learning from your mistakes; it is the best way to grow personally and professionally.
Reinvent yourself: Focus on being better every day, on growing as a person, on trying harder, on being a better father (mother), husband (wife), son (daughter), professional; on being the best version of yourself!
Forgive and Forget: Sometimes there are things that we don't like, we've been offended, we've been treated badly, we weren't treated fairly at our previous job...etc. But the owner of the offense will always be the one who throws it and not the one who receives it. Forget and forgive, don't carry grudges or bitterness, they will only hurt you and divert you from your objective. Focus on yourself and not on the past, which you won't be able to change. Free yourself from those burdens and move towards your goals. Love your family and no matter how difficult the situation is, remember that it's NOT their fault.
Have a plan B: Always have it on hand, as long as you are employed there will be a chance of being fired. Focus on a plan B, a scenario where even though you become unemployed you can survive in another way. (see point 6).

I hope these tips are useful to you and that you can change the focus of your current situation and beyond that, that you can achieve your goal of finding an income through a job, an idea or a business, do not give up

Hold on to your convictions, there is nothing better than that.

In my personal case, I can only say that my greatest guarantee of success is not about who I am, what I do, what I know or what I have, it is about my trust being in God and if I have Him, I have everything.

Thank you for your attention.

Julian Esteban Jimenez

07.08.2024