On October 10th, out of the blue, I lost my job. I had transitioned from my job as a church secretary to a full-time job as a human resources specialist. It wasn't my ideal job, but it put food on the table and payed the mortgage. Now what? This has not been my year for jobs, that's for sure.
It happened the day before I was leaving for a camping trip to South Carolina. I went camping and had a great time. While hiking through the mountains of South Carolina, I was able to work through all the emotions of losing my job and the conclusion that I came to was "Thank You, Jesus!"
So, I feel good; I feel at peace; I'm ready for the next phase of my life, whatever that may be. If you've just lost your job, take a deep breath, cry, get angry, whine, feel sorry for yourself, and then, pick yourself up off the floor, straighten your shoulders, and look unemployment right in the face. It's not the end of the world; some days it just feels like it.
Here's my plan for prospering until my next job comes along. Notice, I said, "plan." If you don't have a plan, you're not going to get through a job loss, or any other economic crisis.
1. Review your budget; if you don't have a budget, now is a really good time to find out where your money is going every month.
2. Decide where you can cut back. Take a hard look; cable TV is a luxury, not a need.
3. Check to see if you are eligible for any benefits, like food stamps or unemployment. This will be a last resort for me.
4. Update your resume; this is not something that I've done and I wish that I had. My friend Amy says that your resume should always be up-to-date.
5. Keep on saving and keep on giving - how? I'm not sure, but I know that generally, we are more blessed than we realize and it doesn't just involve money.
6. Figure out if there are ways you can make some money until you find a full time job.
7. Christmas - losing your job right before the holidays doesn't mean that you have to cancel Christmas. There are a lot of ways to cut back and still give gifts.
