“Mishaps are like knives that either serve us or cut us as we grasp them by the blade or the handle.” — James Russell Lowell
Unfortunately, there are far too many people who know first hand how devastating the unemployment situation has become over the past few years — over eight million U.S. jobs lost. These folks have a front-row seat in their own homes, neighborhoods and communities. The complications that accompany joblessness can be overwhelming, and the fact is, they can remain long after one has regained employment.
For many, being unemployed is downright traumatic. And as with any trauma, there may be untoward effects on relationships, financial stability, and feelings of competence and self-worth. Life may have changed in so many ways that it’s hard to comprehend what has happened and to know how to make the necessary adjustments. If this has happened to you, you may have changed your beliefs about the world and how much control you have in your life.
As I psychologist and life coach, I have heard many clients lament how scared they are following such an upheaval. The world as they knew it before seems to exist no longer. What’s a person to do? How do you bounce back from the effects of this painful episode in life? How do you regain your confidence? How do you restore your belief that life’s major problems are surmountable and that the future holds the promise of opportunities and greater stability? How do you meet the challenges of your new employment?
Positive Psychology Coaching teaches individuals new behavioral and cognitive skills to strengthen resilience, increase motivation, overcome obstacles, achieve dreamed-about goals, and make the transitions and adjustments necessary for any given set of circumstances.
Positive Psychology is a scientifically-based discipline that, for the past decade, has been researching and developing techniques for optimal human functioning for individuals and organizations. And the research findings are nothing short of life altering. Those of us who specialize in this method of coaching believe that developing a person’s strengths is a critical component in helping each person regain his or her momentum and self-confidence. We teach our clients that they do have a choice about how they perceive, react to and utilize both positive and negative events and that they have the opportunity to become happier and more resilient.
Resilience involves learning the beliefs and expectations that strengthen a person’s steadfastness in tough times. And what might some of those beliefs be?
- To rise out of difficulty takes time, patience, endurance and tenacity
- To be resilient, you must be an optimist who is confident that there is hope and renewal in the days to come
- That the negative circumstance is not personal, that is, what happened is not about your value as a person or a determination of what you’re capable of becoming
- That your unemployment and consequent effects need not contaminate the parts of your life that are unrelated
- That your difficulties are not permanent; there are measures you can take to improve your life
If you have experienced joblessness and re-employment and find you’re still feeling like you’re spinning out of control, Positive Psychology Coaching can offer practical, proven solutions for gaining back that control.
Additional Resources:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200410/resilience-bouncing-back
http://positivepsychologynews.com/news/kathryn-britton/200812071283
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