Jobless or job-bless?

An opportunity to rediscover yourself

Last January I quit my job as I found another one. In February I started the new job, but unfortunately, it was not the place for me.

With this article I’d like to address to everyone currently unemployed by sharing my experience and how this time can be a great opportunity to rediscover yourself.

I felt the necessity to leave things I wasn’t using anymore, and the need to clear up my mind as well. So, I started from my outer space to go then deep inside my mind.

I began to clean the house by throwing away stuff I did no longer use: old receipts, papers, batteries, and I organised better the things I often use.

I started removing the “following button” to companies and people on social networks as I was not really interested in their content. I cancelled many unnecessary e-mails I merely read.

Once my environment was cleaned, I started meditating and reading again.

I’ve accepted new and unexpected adventures. Last Wednesday my boyfriend suddenly told me: “Let’s go to the zoo in Torino!”. Torino is around one and a half hour distant from Milan, and the Zoom Torino gave me such an unbelievable experience. Animals are not trapped in cages, but they all have their space and the people in charge who are really passionate about taking care of them and providing information to the visitors as well.

I came back home as happy as a child on Christmas day.

Eventually I began one of the activities I missed the most: reading.

Months ago I subscribed to different newsletters, and I was not able to find enough time to read all the articles I received via e-mail. Last week I started reading them, especially those of Sinem Günem, Mike Thompson, Tom Kuegler, Ayodeji Awosika, and I began to take notes on Jay Shetty’s podcast.

Reading helps to:

• find inspiration for your purpose(s)
• avoid to stuck in our own thoughts and trapped in your mind
• think broader, think about a new perspective
• keep motivated by people who are passionate about their life, job, mentality…and learn from them.

While you are unemployed, you can eventually manage to do all the “I wish I’d have more time to…” activities. I started doing yoga again, take care of my body, drink more water, sleep better, walk more…now that you have a lot of time, you can manage it how you want.

You can focus on your career path and understand what needs to be improved, where would you like to apply, which position you want to perform, which goal(s) you’d like to reach, what you can learn from your past working experience, and much more.

Take your time to do all the things you want to do by scheduling your day: even though you don’t have to get up early, you can set the alarm clock anyway. Indeed, time goes by whatever you do. If you train your brain to get up at 8 a.m. from Monday to Friday and rest on weekends, if you get a Mon-Fri job, you will only have to set the alarm clock in time, but you will be used to get up as soon as it rings (the Monday to Friday job is obviously just an example).

It is easy to feel discouraged, useless and lazy when you don’t have a job. Being jobless does not necessarily mean staying at home the whole day. It is a time where you can follow your passions, stay with people who can share their experience and support you. It is essential not to isolate yourself and see supportive people. Use this time to rest and prepare for a new beginning.

Don’t force yourself to read announcements and apply everyday: do it three times a week, for example, or settle it for specific days.

Let’s sum up what you can do (and I’m doing it now) while you are looking for a new working opportunity:

1. Reduce, clean, throw away (clean your house → throw away stuff you don’t use anymore, clean your mind → throw away unnecessary thoughts).

2. Be curious and accept new challenges and aventures.

3. Read, write, listen to podcasts, look for and find inspiration for your life and your goals.

4. Take care of yourself (yoga, walking, sleeping and drink enough…every sport/anything you like).

5. Do activities you didn’t manage to do before (examples: reading articles, listening to podcasts, take notes, writing, travelling…).

6. Questions yourself what you can do now, what you can do in future, visualize your goal(s).

7. Understand what you want to do and start the path to reach it (courses, applications…).

8. Set the alarm clock to get your brain used to sleep during those hours, so that you will be used to stand up when the alarm clock rings when you will work again.

9. Rest on weekends/when you feel you need it.

10. Surround yourself with supportive people.

I hope these advices will be helpful for someone, and anyone is welcome to share theirs, as well as their opinion. Thank you!