In this current economy, many of us are losing our jobs.

If it is the first time, finding a new job can be difficult, depressing, fraught with uncertainty.

Suddenly we find ourselves isolated mentally and physically. We have lost a huge part of our lives as well as our working companions. There is a common tendency to create our identities around the job we are doing.

In our new circumstance, we often feel “less than” as we look around us when we are out and about. We see all those people who have jobs and are working. We find that we must come from a different place as we begin to perceive that those who still have jobs are better than we are.

We have a tendency to spend our first days in denial, thinking the company will hire you back quickly, a thought more preferable than actually coming to terms with the fact that you were fired or laid off and have to find new employment.

It is important to take action as quickly as possible.

Checking up to see if you are eligible for Unemployment Benefits is an excellent way to start. You know you will be gaining some kind of income. EDD also has job vacancies posted.

Looking to see how much you spend and on what you are spending your money will give you an immediate sense of where you can trim your budget.

What is essential? What can you let go? No doubt unless you find employment quickly, you must prepare for material changes in your lifestyle.

Old Way and New Way

We used to pick up any of our major newspapers, particularly on a Wednesday or Sunday, and it was filled with job opportunities.

Nowadays, internet lists the places to go. All you need to do is sign up, submit a resume and wait for a positive response. That appears to make life easier. But some sites expect you to pay for the job opportunities offered. With a dwindling budget, any expense must be carefully considered.

Was the job that you were doing really the job that you wanted to be doing? Start thinking about what you really want do. With your enthusiasm, you can create opportunities you would otherwise have missed.

A friend who was a teacher in a high school was pretty sure he was going to be laid off. He started to think proactively about what to do if that happened. He placed a small ad in a local newspaper offering tutoring lessons. Within a short period, he had more students than he thought possible. As a result, he quit his high school position and is now a tutor with a huge number of students. His income has increased dramatically.

Most importantly, his self-esteem and self-confidence have risen sharply. He can see his students’ progress on a one-on-one basis, and he has the satisfaction of knowing that he is making a difference in people’s lives.

Another friend has a thriving home based manufacturing company she has been running for the past 15 years.

Rebounding Heroically

After she was laid off from the television industry, she found a product niche no one else had discovered. She is now known throughout the television industry for her unique product and has been financially successful.

I’m sure you have heard that when one door closes, another opens.

Being laid off or fired could be offering you the opportunity to pursue your interests in a way that will help you turn a hobby or interest into a full time business. Small businesses are the backbone of the American economy. Eighty-five percent of all businesses are small-owner operated.

One of my friends had a small contracting business. He lost most of his work due to the downturn in the building industry. His real love was rebuilding old classic clunkers. I suggested he spend his time refurbishing clunkers while waiting for his contracting business to pick up. Six months later, he has quit his contracting business and nspends his whole time buying and renovating old cars. He is making more money than before, has hired three people to help him. He is happier than I ever have seen him.

Thinking about the causes of your current situation is OK for a short time and quite normal, but to dwell on it becomes foolish, depressing and very soul destroying.

Focus on what you need to do to be successful.

Going to work every day is habit and necessity.

Letting go of our old working habit patterns and getting used to new ideas and new patterns can be daunting. But our bodies and minds are adaptable.

With a positive attitude, you can do anything, accept that changes are definite stepping stones to a more successful you.

Keep your job ideas realistic in terms of your education and training. Perhaps going back to school for further education.. Retraining in a new industry. Updating your skills in your current industry. Networking, job fairs, newspapers, internet, and so on and so on.

In any event, the human spirit is amazing in the face of any adversity. Let us bear in mind that even successful and rich people have had their set backs, but through their attitudes, and mind sets were and are able to turn their negative situations around to strong positives.

Keep focused on your new desire for your success.

Take small steps every day.

Ask yourself, “What must I do today to contribute to my success, happiness and prosperity?”

Keep an open mind.

Be willing to look at realistic opportunities as they present themselves.

I wish you success.

A clinical hypnotherapist, handwriting analyst and certified master hypnotist, Nicholas Pollak may be contacted at nickpollak@hypnotherapy4you.net