by Michelle Jones
When my husband's company was closed down in 2010 during the "Great Recession" he was unemployed for two years. As one tends to do in any trial or hardship, we learned a few new things about life (and, how to survive long-term unemployment). I've listed some of these life lessons below, along with other gems learned from our lifetime journey together. If you are unemployed I hope you will find my A-Z list helpful. If you have never been unemployed, please be kind to those who are.
* * *
Accept help if needed. Accept any work offered.
Barter and trade with friends, family, neighbors.
Cancel everything you can live without.
Do NOT give up. Do NOT give up. Do NOT give up.
Exercise is good for you, and free. Play, Run, Walk. Every day.
Friendship is fragile. Some will stay, some will not. Don't look back.
God has a plan. Trust Him.
Hold on to your dreams. They are not over.
Insurance costs a fortune. Ask for a discount when you're self pay.
Jobs are out there, continue searching.
Kitchens are the heart of the home. Use it.
Live well. Love much. Laugh often.
Make the most of what you have.
Never underestimate the power of prayer.
Opportunities will come. Be ready. Say "Yes".
Pay your bills. Whatever you can, whenever you can.
Quit asking "Why". You may never know why and that's okay.
Remember who you are. You are valuable. There is only one YOU.
Save money on everything. Save more by not buying anything.
Talk to everyone. Even strangers. Continue letting them know you're still searching.
Unemployment does not define you. It's just a temporary detour.
Volunteer your time. It's a limited resource worth more than all the gold in the world.
Wake up every day. Thankful. Write a journal. Take notes of things you learn along this brief journey.
X-Y-Z is the end of the alphabet. However, unemployment is not the end. It's simply a new beginning.
* * *
P.S. Husband said XYZ was cheating. I said XYZ was clever. He agreed!
Copyright © 2013 by Michelle Jones. All rights reserved.
