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Lost Your Job? Good for you!
Losing your job is a shock no matter how it happens. Fired,
laid off, downsized-it's all spelled 'unemployed'. But once
the shock of a job loss wears off, you might discover there
can be real benefits to being unemployed By looking for the
positive aspects of your situation, you can start to achieve
the life you've always dreamed of.
The first benefit of being jobless is that it gives a person
time to re-evaluate life. Where am I going in my career
path? Is this where I want to be? How does this mesh with
other areas of my life? In what areas do I need to create
more balance? Take some quiet time to reflect on where you
are now, and start to carve out a path that leads to your
ideal life. Put in writing the answers to these questions so
you can look back on them in the future and track how you
are progressing towards your goals.
Another benefit is that being jobless forces you to reassess
your job skills. Do you have the skills and experience to do
the type of work you really want? If not, what will it take
to get that level of skills and experience? What skills do
you already posses that you'd like to build and improve
upon? Once you have a list, get busy honing those skills to
get where you want to be. There are many resources for
additional training and support, something for every budget.
It doesn't hurt to ask about sources of training available
in your area. A call to your local Job Service office can
put you on the right track. And of course, read. At the
library, a bookstore or on the Internet- there is a
never-ending list of resources available in print. Somewhere
there will be an information source to learn the skills you
need.
The biggest benefit of unemployment may be the doors of
opportunity that will open when you are free to make
changes. Now is your chance to go after that dream job. Or
maybe you've always wanted to own a business. Depending on
the type of business, how much you have to invest of your
own funds and the credit you qualify for, there is a world
of options available to you as a new business start up. If
you desire a high level of support, purchasing an existing
business or franchise may be an option to look at. But be
careful! Often owning a small business means trading in a
boss for the equivalent of a job (since you still have to
show up at the work place every day), only with longer
hours, lower pay and a host of other expenses and headaches
you didn't have before. Since youll be working long hours,
make sure you love what you do.
Maybe the thought has crossed your mind more than once that
it would be nice not to rush off to work every morning. In
that case, a home based business might be good for you.
Statistics show that 50% of households in the U.S. have some
sort of business operating out of the home. The tax
advantages of owning a home business are often touted as a
reason to get in the game. But there are more important
benefits than saving dollars on taxes, such as flexible
scheduling. Hours saved not commuting or being stuck in an
office can be spent with family or pursuing other interests
instead. There are no nights, weekends or holidays to work
unless you choose to.
Having the freedom to choose your own paycheck is another
benefit of any business you own, though perhaps more so with
a home business due to the lower overhead of working from
home. There is no storefront to maintain, few, if any,
employees and forget the headaches that come with managing
people. These are but a few of the benefits of working from
home. Some types of home business even allow a person to
earn recurring income, so that you can continue earning
money whether you are working or not.
Maybe your job has not ended yet, but will soon. All better
for you! By utilizing this time now to get going on your
next income venture, you will be well on your way when the
current stream of income stops. In today's economic climate,
even if your job seems secure, having the extra 'insurance'
of other income doesnt look too bad, either.
So, if you are newly unemployed, or about to be, try seeing
this change as a source of inspiration, an opportunity to
change your life for the better. Go after that dream job, or
pursue one of the many other options available to you. What
have you got to lose? Remember, fortune rewards the bold, so
step out there and go for it! In a few months time, you may
be heard to tell someone, "Lost your job? Good for you!"
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