Unemployment: Day 6
Merry Christmas! Yesterday was my wife’s birthday and today is Christmas, so I’ve shifted gears for the time-being to focus on being in the moment with family. Things that I’m struggling to remember:
It’s okay to not hustle 24/7 - you didn’t do it when you were employed, it’s okay to take some time off when you’re not.
This is your chance to reevaluate your priorities. My work was all-consuming. When I wasn’t working I was thinking about work. I loved a lot about my job but I didn’t love my relationship with it. So I’m taking this as a sign from the universe to take a step back. I’m going on dates with my wife (cheap dates, admittedly, but still dates). We’re babysitting our niece, spending time with family, being present and in the moment.
It’s okay to feel things. Every morning I wake up in a sheer panic. This shit is scary. It’s also sad and hard and complicated. But feelings are temporary. Unemployment is temporary. And I finally have time that I didn’t have before. To learn, to grow, to enjoy. So let yourself feel the fear and the grief. But also let yourself feel the joy, the peace. Don’t feel guilty for finding joy. It doesn’t make you any less desirable for employment. Maybe even the opposite.