By Elizabeth Herman | Posted: March 14, 2018

Anyone who has lost a job knows the uncertainty and worry that follow, which can feel almost unbearable. The loss of a job is often accompanied by feelings and thoughts of failure, insecurity, and incompetence. Besides wondering how to provide for basic needs, anxiety about the next steps in your career make job loss even more difficult.

However, job loss, like all challenging situations, is an opportunity in disguise. You gain the chance to go inward, reevaluate your life’s direction, and create an exciting future.

No matter how much future potential job loss can bring, you cannot deny the anxiety that comes with it. Finding healthy ways to cope with unemployment stress is essential for moving forward positively.

Especially after getting fired, a regular meditation practice helps you handle fear and anxiety. Not only does it clear away emotional baggage, but it also cultivates inner strength and security. Regular meditation allows you to move forward with positivity and enthusiasm.

Please read the following tips for coping with job loss and moving forward into the future of your dreams:

Reflect

The silver lining of job loss is that it presses the pause button, providing free time and space to reflect rather than regret. Wondering where to start? First, start writing regular entries in a journal that you can fill with freewriting and uncensored thoughts. Then, consider these questions:

• What brought me to where I am now?
• How do I feel about where I am now?
• What aspects of my former job did I enjoy, and what did I not enjoy?
• Do I feel at peace with myself? If not, why?

Allow your journal to be a place of non-judgment. In the journal you are free to express your thoughts, feelings, and dreams.

Confide in Your Family and Close Friends

In times of loss, surround yourself with family and friends who offer love, support, and a listening ear.  Connecting and communicating with those who love you provides a sounding board that can remind you that you are not alone. Avoiding isolation forms the basis for coping with job loss in a healthy way.

Dream Up Your Future Possibilities

Once you start journaling and reflecting, allow yourself to dream limitlessly. Consider these questions:

• In an ideal world, what would I be doing in the next 1, 5, 10, and 15 years?
• What have I always wanted to do that I never pursued?
• Who do I want to be?

Dreaming up the future that you desire is a great way to move out of a pensive mood and into a spirit of possibility. Once you identify what you want your future to look like, consider next steps such as scheduling interviews, posting your resume on job portals, networking with resourceful people, learning new skills, and opening up your own business.

While your goals may seem too idealistic or grand to actually achieve, the only way to truly feel fulfilled is to consciously move in the direction of your dreams.

You don’t know your capacity and capabilities; you can achieve much more than your rational mind can imagine. Alignment of your ideas, focus and energy is all that you need. Regular meditation helps you harness your life force energy and increase your ability to achieve your full potential.

Focus On Activities You Enjoy

Sometimes, the pastimes that you pursue can be key to unlocking what the future has in store. Often, creative pursuits drift toward the sidelines when you focus on your career, causing you to lose touch with your creative side, the side that  truly makes you feel alive.

Use the time available after a job loss to reconnect with the activities you truly enjoy, whether that be playing an instrument, singing, making art, playing a sport,  gardening, or learning yoga and meditation to name just a few. And who knows? Following your passion may very well open up the doorway to your next big adventure.

Fill your time with activities that spark your joy and remember to enjoy life!

Remember: Everything Happens for a Reason

During a loss, the statement “Don’t worry - everything happens for a reason!” may be the last bit of advice you want to hear. However, as cliche as it sounds, it’s a truth you can’t avoid. If you don’t believe there’s a rationale behind every puzzling event, look back to another challenging time and notice what positivity came from it.

In life, seemingly difficult, confusing situations present themselves, often to teach a lesson. Sometimes, in times of loss, you need to remind yourself that everything happens for a reason and something much better is in store.

It is so important to stay cool in the head during challenging times. To do so, start your day with meditation! It keeps you calm and gives you the strength to face the inevitable challenges in life. So, while you are searching and interviewing for jobs, take the time to meditate and relax!

Written by Ravisha Kathuria and Elizabeth Herman based on inputs from Bharathy Harish, Sahaj Samadhi Meditation Teacher.