Invest in Yourself

Whether you are one of the recent downsized employees who have lost a job due to this ongoing recession or if you are someone who is experiencing some level of frustration in their current job and is considering a career transition, the time is now to begin investing in yourself and your future. 

After spending a month or so feeling sorry for myself after the company that I once worked for radically restructured the organization, costing several middle managers their jobs including my own, I soon realized that the new home and new car that I had recently purchased were simply not going to pay for themselves and if I wanted to get out of that mess, it would take a lot of faith and a new direction.

Although I needed some time to regroup, I eventually was blessed to accept three different employment opportunities, although not all at the same time. The first two were in education and the other was in retail. However, it was during my experience in education that something clicked, and I became inspired to go back to school and obtain my doctorate to prepare for my next career as a college professor. 

For me, the timing and the situation presented itself and I took advantage of the opportunity. For you, it may not be a doctorate, but it can be something that can alter the rest of your life. All that you have to do now is determine what is it that brings you enough joy and fulfillment that you can use to make a difference, make an impact, and not only change your life, but possibly even impact someone else’s in the process.

Consider your current situation. If you are currently unemployed, then you probably have a little time on your hands. Take advantage of this time, and use it wisely to invest in yourself. Invest in the possibility that you have a purpose, you have a destiny and perhaps at this moment you have been given an opportunity to rediscover what makes you tick and what is it that would bring satisfaction back to your life. Don’t look at unemployment as the worst thing that could happen, consider it an opportunity to redirect your life towards the career that you always wanted by providing you with the time to prepare for it. 

When we invest in ourselves we can invest in the possibility of a lifetime career, one that you can’t be downsized from, one that you won’t hate going to, and one that reflects your authentic self, one that represents who you could be in a new business venture. Perhaps starting a new business is worth considering.  Now I realize that starting a new business may not be for everyone, but whatever the future holds for you, take advantage of this time to discover it.
 

Trust me when I say, I realize that not knowing where your next paycheck will come from is scary, I’ve been there and done that. But with faith and a new perspective it can make all the difference in the rest of your life.