To:  Me

From:  Recently Unemployed Me

Re:  Being Unemployed

Okay, so you lost your job.  It isn’t the first time, and while it may be comforting to think it will be the last, you never know.  You dug yourself into this hole, and you are going to be the one to dig yourself out of it.  Remember these things:

• It is not the end of the world.  Yes, it is easy for me to tell you this from where I am sitting, but you have a plan and it is time to execute it

• You have been here before.  Remember the mistakes you made last time and do not repeat them.

• Always be pessimistic in your planning: hope for the best, but assume the worst.

• You are not alone: you have friends and family that want to help.  Let them.  This is not the time to retreat into a cave and shut everyone out.

• Smile.  Have fun.  Enjoy life.

• To survive, you will have to sacrifice and you will have to suffer.  Deal with it.  When you are back on your feet you will appreciate the things you had to do without even more.

• The only truly bad job is having none at all.  Try something new.

• Do the things you said you would do “if you had the time.”  You now have the time.

• You will get angry, you will get frustrated, and you will get upset.  Don’t bottle it up.  Get it out of your system and move on.

• Above all else, do not fall into despair.  Have faith in yourself and keep moving forward.

Good luck.