Summary: When your life changes, what is the best way forward? Here’s a good idea.
What happens when the road you’re on says “Dead end.” It occurs when you have a job loss. That is also the same sign when downsizing is in your company’s best interest.
You can run but you can’t hide.
The roller coaster ride of life will continue. That is to say, whether you want to or not.
For example, if you are like me, you prefer consistency. I think most of us want to have a say in what, when, and where change should occur in life.
Even if you prefer adventure and change, being part of downsizing that you have no control over is never fun.
Stress goes up, and confidence goes down. The same happens with anger. It escalates, and trust goes the other way. When self-doubt hits the red button, that’s when self-acceptance takes a nosedive.
Choose to reinvent yourself or languish in fear.
Above all, here’s an idea when you are feeling shaky. You know, when you’re sitting staring into space thinking, “What do I do now?” If you lost your job by being part of the downsizing lottery, here is what to do.
My suggestion is to do something so different from whatever you do in your day.
Most importantly, do one thing.
Further, it will begin to get your mind into a new framework. Then you can hear your inner self say, “Oh, I never thought of it that way before.”
Firstly, let me give you an example. One of the things that I learned years ago was to deflect emotion. What does that mean? Instead of thinking about all the horrible reasons for the downsizing, put your mind elsewhere.
For instance, I love reading. Nonfiction is my favorite. Novels follow right behind. However, I don’t care for scientific or mathematical books.
I’m not too fond of anything about mechanics or weight lifting.
Learn the power of a pattern interrupt for success.
Here is what I did I do when I was part of downsizing many years ago. I loved my job as a family therapy supervisor at a large urban hospital. I wanted to stay there and keep getting promotions.
However, I received what I decided was an uninvited kick in the gut.
Therefore, while I wanted to sulk and complain, I took action.
Use whatever is available right in front of you.
This damn downsizing happened to me years ago, in the early days of the internet. Thus, I went into a bookstore. Not sure what I wanted. I just knew it had to be out of character and unique. After I looked at some book on downsizing that depressed me even more, I went to the magazine area.
Subsequently, I gravitated to Vogue and Oprah. Then I realized they were all too familiar to me. I needed to go in a whole new direction,
For instance, I began to thumb through Modern Mechanics and how to fix a car. After that, I latched onto a magazine about weight lifting. And what do you do if you want to gain a lot of muscle weight?
This was not what I cared about. Not at all!
Diversion can lead you to the right direction.
After that, magic happened.
No, I didn’t start to love the information about weight lifting. No, I didn’t become fascinated with how to fix a car.
What happened as I read was all of a sudden, I began to have other thoughts. Not about downsizing. Nor about work. Just about how to see the world from a new lens.
In other words, if you use this technique to stop thinking about your problems and give some room, create space in your mind for something new, new things will happen.
As a result, I promise you that fascinating ideas will soon come to you. The “aha’s” will happen when you’re falling asleep. You may get a flash of brilliance when you’re walking. You may be in the shower or on the commode.
Give yourself room for new ideas to show up
Above all, what happens at this point is so critical. This is the bridge when you begin to create the energy of something new.
When you’re feeling the sorriest for yourself, you must pivot.
Get online and follow the route to something uninteresting to you. Before the day is over, I bet you’ll find some new ways to respond to your situation.
For example, after I spent time with the magazines that were, until that day, boring, I made some life decisions. One was to feel strong (weight lifting) enough to start my private practice.
So please give it a go.
To sum up, see what happens and let me know. Call or email me if you need some extra cheerleading. I have a ton of ideas for you. You will get through this confusing time, and the world will look different. It sure did for me. And like me, it will be in a healthful, positive way.
Here’s to your success,
Sylvia
PS. My new book “Invisible STRESS (It’s NOT What YOU Think!), is now ready to purchase on Amazon. It came from watching an awful Netflix series when I was in a down mood.
PSS If you like to learn looking and listening, then enjoy this video.
