SUCCESSFULLY UNEMPLOYED: TIP 8

Heeeey! You made it to the final day of my Successfully Unemployed series! Woohoo! I hope you've found some of these tips useful, no matter what your employment status happens to be! Okay, with that, let's get right into the final tip, it is to…

STAY OPEN

What started to trip me up while unemployed was being motivated to actually apply for jobs.

Every job description I was reading started to sound the same and worst of all they didn't sound like me at all. When I would read the descriptions I would look at them like 'well I can only do 50% of what they're looking for so nvm…' If you are anything like me, focus on what you can do and what you could learn and apply anyway!

Thankfully, all of my practices that I've laid out with you in this series brought me to confidently deliver this final piece of advice, which is to stay open.

What that has meant to me was to keep an eye on the job boards and apply to something if it sounds interesting, even if it's just a tiny part of the job that sounds interesting. This is because if you have the chance to interview, you will have the opportunity to have a real conversation with this company and getting to know them better. Just because you go on an interview, it doesn't mean you have to take a job from them if they offer. So try not to get too ahead of yourself :)

Another thing you can try is to get in touch with a recruiter who may help find leads for you. Especially if you are new to an area, a recruiter can help you a lot simply because they have more resources. To be very honest, I wouldn't be in my job right now if it wasn't for a recruiter! AND just because they suggest a lead to you, doesn't mean you have to take it. All recruiters want to find a good match for both the employee and the employer.

Being open takes practice, and it takes courage. But the best results come from keeping your eyes open.

Have faith that all of the work you've been doing will be put you right where you need to be at the right time.

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Welllllll that's it! That's all my advice for those who are unemployed! I hope you found these tips useful if you are or every find yourself in between jobs, trying to find your first job or quit your job to find something or build something better for yourself.

As I said in the beginning of this series, these tips are great for anyone, no matter what your employment status is, but they're especially great for the unemployed. I was once there, probably will be again, and it's not as scary as it sounds.

Thanks for hanging out with me for this series! Things will go back to their regularly scheduled programing in a few days. Just a heads-up, as I mentioned a few days ago I'm enrolled in Marie Forleo's b-school right now and that's taking up a good chunk of time, so updates will be less formal :)

PS. If you are interested in reading my techniques/recommendations/advice of productivity, last year I did a small series called Productivity Week! Check it out if you want to know more about it. The techniques I wrote about then are practices that I still use today!

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Intro | tip 1 | tip 2 | tip 3 | tip 4 | tip 5 | tip 6 | tip 7

SUCCESSFULLY UNEMPLOYED: TIP 7

I have tip #7 ready to go for you! It's a fun one too!!! It is…

BRAIN FOOD

This has nothing to do with zombies, what I mean by 'brain food' is games, drawing, playing music, etc.

If you have a hobby that has been sitting on the back burner, move it to the front! For example, if you play the guitar but haven't actually played in a while, that's the kind of stuff I'm talking about.

In my case, I like to draw so my Drawn & Delivered card project and my Daily Intention series were great ways for me to dust that hobby off.

I know a lot of people like games and it helps them stay more alert and happy. My mom, for example, loves word searches, which is a great way for her to exercise her mind.

When you engage in an activity that you find great joy in and that challenges you, your brain will grow.

So don't for a second think that working on that sudoku, crossword or jigsaw puzzle is a total waste of time. The added bonus to playing games and solving puzzles is when you finish one you get a huge boost in confidence and when you are looking for a job, every ounce of confidence is valuable!

You know the expression 'if you don't use it, you loose it'? Well don't let that happen to your hobbies. OR don't let little experience keep you from trying. When you try something new new pathways are opened up in your mind.

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What kind of activities or hobbies do you enjoy the most? Is there something you've always wanted to try but haven't yet? Especially if you are unemployed, now is the time!

I've got the final tip coming to you tomorrow! I hope you've enjoyed this series so far :)

See you tomorrow!

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Intro | tip 1 | tip 2 | tip 3 | tip 4 | tip 5 | tip 6

SUCCESSFULLY UNEMPLOYED: TIP 6

Hi! It's me again with another tip perfect for anyone between jobs. This one is great for those with a job too and it is to…

READ

I read for 5 to 10 minutes of non-fiction every morning. 

When I was unemployed, my non-fiction favorites were self help books. What non-fiction can give you is real perspective on how other people live their lives. It can teach you a new perspective and give you inspiration.

Reading these kinds of books in smaller chunks works out well because it gives you the rest of the day to digest what you just read.

For me, reading calms me down and stops me from feeling overwhelmed with to-do list thinking first thing in the day. I think this same principal would apply to spiritual texts too, basically anything that resonates with you on a deeper level. So break out your Bible or the Quran if that's your thing, anything that lifts you up will serve you well.

What I love about this tip the most is that I'm pretty sure you'll never get bored with reading. There are just waaaay too many good books out there, and more being published all the time. My Good Reads list is exploding with great books that I'm excited to get to eventually!

Here are my top book suggestions for empowerment and balance:
The Miracle Morning
The Power of Now

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Do you read as a way to connect with yourself? Have you read anything recently that spoke to a very deep, true part of who you are?

Another tip is coming to you tomorrow! See you then!

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Intro | tip 1 | tip 2 | tip 3 | tip 4 | tip 5

SUCCESSFULLY UNEMPLOYED: TIP 5

Hello! Hello! I'm back with another tip for all of the unemployed folks out there! This one is a great one if you are starting to get cabin fever and it is to…

CONNECT

Introvert or Extrovert, people do well when they are with other people.

Humans are social animals. Some more so than others. So in order to establish who you are you have to make an appearance, make your name and presence known. You don't have to be everywhere or do everything. Actually, you probably shouldn't even attempt that. Just choose wisely and have faith that the people you meet, you are meant to meet.

You will find that not only will connecting with people be good for possibly a job connection, but it also helps you practice talking about yourself and really listening and getting to know others.

Since I had no choice but to meet new people because I was new to the state, I bravely put myself out there. I turned to places like Instagram, I followed local hashtags and then I emailed some people with shared interests to see if they wanted to meet. That might sound scary, but to be totally honest, I've had nothing but great results from being friendly.

I also joined a few professional design groups in my area through AIGA Minnesota so I could meet others in my field. That has been majorly helpful for getting a sense of the creative culture in my area.

Finally, I enrolled in an online class! I love being able to meet and collaborate with people face to face but connecting online has been rewarding too, I think that's because you already have something in common with your fellow classmates, the subject you're learning together!

I joined the winter class of Life with Intention Online and I loved it. I was even able to meet some local girls who were also taking the class.

Since that class wrapped up, I'm now taking Marie Forleo's b-school and I'll be taking Hilary Rushford's class Elegance Excellence after that! The communities that are built into these courses were a huge pro when I was deciding on if I should take these classes. 

No matter how social you think you are, it is beneficial to just try going to at least one event a month. Think of it as an opportunity and know that so many people want to connect with others too. If you are nice to others, it is almost a sure thing that you will feel it coming back to you!

Now get out there and meet some rad people! Or connect with an old friend!

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Do you have any examples of times when you put yourself out there and it went well maybe even in the face of fear or new people? Also, if you have an off night, don't take it personally. It almost never has anything to do with who you are!

See you tomorrow with tip #6! It's my favorite of all of them and I do it every single day :)

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Intro | tip 1 | tip 2 | tip 3 | tip 4

SUCCESSFULLY UNEMPLOYED: TIP 4

Hello and welcome to tip #4 on how to be successfully unemployed! This one is truly a service, it could be a hard one for you to swallow, but hear me out…

CLEAN

I took on 99% of the cleaning and operations of the household when I didn't have an office to go to every day.

This was because I had the time and I didn't mind doing it.

I didn't do every thing every day, I made a rotating schedule and I tried to stick to it.

The way I saw It was that it was my own way of substantially contributing to the home Christopher and I share.

During this time I had a lot of resistance pop up as I noticed myself taking on the cleaning and cooking, I could almost feel all of the 'modern woman' of today roll their eyes at me acting subservient to my husband.

In reality, no one anywhere was rolling their eyes and the only people I would be hurting by letting the dishes remain unwashed was my husband and me. 

This change of heart is a perfect example of ignoring the ego and doing what needs to be done anyway. If you find yourself in a similar situation, feeling resistant, a great way to check-in with yourself is by asking 'if I lived on my own, would I be responsible for this?'

For anyone who is currently unemployed, I want you to try not to look at doing the cooking and cleaning as punishment or pointless chores. This is a hard one because a lot of people have negative associations with these tasks from their childhood. 

I would instead challenge you to look at doing this kind of work as a service, or adding a different kind of value to your current situation. The great thing is that these tasks have tangible results when you are done.

I'm also pretty sure that you will feel awesome. Don't do it for the reward of praise, do it because it is for something that is greater than you.

In my own experience, when I am cleaning and cooking it can be another opportunity to clear the mind and focus on one distinct task. If it helps, use nice soap and put your favorite music on.

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I hope this tip didn't scare you off!

I hope it helped you feel really great about doing the laundry and making dinner. Know that if you are looking for another job that you don't need to keep doing all the housework when you get a new job. Things can and probably will change!

I'm really excited to share the next tip with you! It made the biggest impact on me during this time.

See you tomorrow!!!

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Intro | tip 1 | tip 2 | tip 3