job searching is difficult, painful, frustrating, demoralizing, but there are lessons we can learn in these moments. For many I sympathize with reading the struggles many face each day such as Homelessness, depression, anxiety and even suicide.

Here are lessons I learned during this trial in my life in hopes they help others.

Lessons Learned:

• Give yourself time and grace during this time as we can be our own worst enemy which will affect our job search and destroy our confidence in the process.
• Have a strong support system and network, reach out, talk to others about how you feel, how you struggle and if you are the other person listening, just listen, support, show compassion and kindness.
• STOP blaming yourself regardless of if you were #laidoff, #fired or left voluntarily, there were choices others made on our behalf we had no control over and the choices we made were meant to better ourselves such as leaving toxic work environments.
• Continuously learning, I found Udemy to be a great resource to keep learning, self-improvement and getting your mind off the job search.
• Journal your thoughts, struggles, successes, and failures; this will allow you to direct your energy positively. I have found blogging and vlogging and podcasting incredibly therapeutic.
• Save for the future, I know saving is not easy, but make sure you pay yourself first when those future paychecks are, because you’re most important.
• Working for any company is a business relationship, that can be cut at any time don’t take it personal, move forward and have the mindset that bigger and better things will materialize just give it time.
• Seek therapy if you struggle further and speak to someone immediately. Sadly, when people lose hope, they can lose their lives seeing no light at the end of the tunnel, there is light but need help getting there.
• Ask for help, there is no shame, we are all human and need a helping hand and should never feel ashamed and others should never shame us for asking.
• Know your value, you are valuable, you matter and have gifts and talents no one else has recognized that and use those gifts in future roles.
• Never give up, even when we feel like it.
• Exercise, get out of the house, run, jump, play. Doing this benefits your mental health, allowing you to think and strategize about the next steps in your job search.
• Don’t allow recruiters or companies to tell you what your worth, know it and remember it.

I have so many more I have learned during this time, it has been more difficult than it needed to be as months ago I was working, but unfortunately was not the position I thought was requiring me to job search again. I failed greatly this year,  causing self-deprivation , putting myself down, living in regret, blaming myself which affected both my physical and mental health.

I pray for this new chapter in my life, excited for new opportunities, meeting new people and relationships. I will be going back to the office in a hybrid role, having been WFT for over 3 years will be an adjustment, but maybe a much needed one.