Finding Humor in Your Depressing Job Search (or the bad economy, or whatever)

Finding Humor in Your Depressing Job Search (or the bad economy, or whatever) Heres some fallout from my 2014 April Fools prank (where I laid myself off, even though Im the sole owner of JibberJobber). on my LinkedIn Group I got this message: Sorry I do not see the humor; if the economy and employment levels were decentwell maybe. But not when so many people are in real pain and suffering after 7 years of this great recession. My reply to her, and the group: Karen, sorry. This was my story (kind of) 8 years ago, and it turned out to be a massive blessing. I talk to unemployed people (usually JibberJobber users) daily, and I know the pain and hurt and suffering both because I lived it and because I hear it every day. I choose to use humor in my life to help me get through hard times. nobody has to, but Im not going to sit around and mope and be somber, essentially empowering the suffering. No one has to educate me on the real pain and suffering of job seekers.  You see, I was there, but that was during an awesome economy.  During a crappy economy (like that of the last seven (give or take) years, if you cant get a job you can at least blame the economy.  People might say when the economy picks up  But when you are out of work during a great economy, and cant hardly land an interview or an offer, there is seemingly nothing to blame but you.  That means a lot of self-finger-pointing, wondering how messed up you really are which leads to unnecessary and unhelpful pain and suffering in abundance. The bigger issue, for me, is coping with challenges and trials.  How do you do it?  I tend to gravitate towards humor.  Not always, of course but Ive been doing this long enough (8+ years, since I got laid off in January of 2006), to know that there will indeed be an end to unemployment.  That might be because you get a dream job, or you get a step job (that is a job that is a stepping stone as you continue to look for your dream job), or you start your own business, or you adjust your expenses and simply retire.  Ive seen this happen many times over the last few years. Im convinced that dealing with our temporary situation in a healthy way is critical to getting out of our healthy situation.  Let me give you two examples: Coping Strategy 1Lets say that I cope with stress by eating crap.  So, Im unemployed and stressed, and I eat at McDonalds three times a day.  Sodas, fries, high-fructose-corn-everything.  Im coping with my pain and suffering, and while I plop stuff in my mouth, I feel better, for a second or two.  Between meals I throw down some chips, and have a big cup of soda by me at all times.  I indulge, and its good to have no rules on my eating.  I think about going on a walk around the block, but my ankles and knees hurt too much so Ill do that later.What will that do to me?  From personal experience I know that Ill physically feel like crap, Ill probably be more moody, and my clothes will get tighter this only makes me feel moodier and more depressed.  Thats okay, Ill cope by eating more crap. Guess how my next face-to-face networking event is going to go? I will want to be invisible.  And Ill probably be jaded enough that Im not going to have the right conversations which could lead to introductions.  People will smell blood. Coping Strategy 2 Contrast that with eating much healthier, and exercising. Lets say I have healthy food around me, in abundance (this doesnt mean I have to have money or a paycheck, I simply make better choices when buying food).  I eat at least one green smoothie a day (the way I make them, they look green but taste like a fruit smoothie), I drink lots of water, and eat things like soaked almonds, brown rice, etc.  Instead of feeling like I can cheat to cope, I am now addressing a physical/mental/emotional issue by feeding my cells (nutrition) instead of focusing on feeding my belly (satisfaction). I feel great, physically.  I take time to exercise, whether it is walk around the block or walk a few miles, do yoga, squats, pushups (even against the wall or stairs), etc. My clothes fit better, I sleep better at night, I feel fit and I have more energy. I can think clearer and have more fun networking.  People want to be around me, they even gravitate towards me (or at least I dont feel like they are trying to get away from me). Coping Strategy 1: eating what my tongue wants me to eat, without boundaries, and my stomach feeling satisfied a lot. Coping Strategy 2: eating to provide nutrition to my cells, as abundantly as I want, with the right foods. The question: what are the fruits of either strategy?  Which strategy is better for the short-term, and which is better for the long-term? So lets go back to my humor thing.  For me, I gravitate towards humor.  Finding humor in things helps me put things in a different perspective that is, many times, easier to understand.  It helps people I work with find perspective, also.  When Im in front of 100 job seekers, you better believe there is a lot of laughing.  Probably some tears, too, because I get very raw and real.  But there is humor throughout the presentation.  We dont get enough laughing when we are in a job search, and no one wants to touch our delicate situation with a ten foot pole but I do.  Because even after eight years, I still consider myself a job seeker.  I am you. I am with you.  And I know there is a time to let your frustrations out, and Ill be a shoulder you can cry on, or an ear you can vent to, but Im not going to go in front of my audience and start crying and venting for the entire time. Laughing releases good brain chemicals (practically natural narcotics).  Why not let job seekers laugh? Maybe my coping strategy (laughing and humor) is different than your coping strategy (medication, nutrition, hobbies, reading and movies (escapism), soduko, doing the dishes, lifting weights, running, etc.).  Im not going to list them and say which are better than others, but I will say this: LOOK AT THE FRUIT.  What are the results of your coping strategy? Does it put you in a worse place, or does it prepare you to do the hard things that you need to do in your job search? Finding Humor in Your Depressing Job Search (or the bad economy, or whatever) Heres some fallout from my 2014 April Fools prank (where I laid myself off, even though Im the sole owner of JibberJobber). on my LinkedIn Group I got this message: Sorry I do not see the humor; if the economy and employment levels were decentwell maybe. But not when so many people are in real pain and suffering after 7 years of this great recession. My reply to her, and the group: Karen, sorry. This was my story (kind of) 8 years ago, and it turned out to be a massive blessing. I talk to unemployed people (usually JibberJobber users) daily, and I know the pain and hurt and suffering both because I lived it and because I hear it every day. I choose to use humor in my life to help me get through hard times. nobody has to, but Im not going to sit around and mope and be somber, essentially empowering the suffering. No one has to educate me on the real pain and suffering of job seekers.  You see, I was there, but that was during an awesome economy.  During a crappy economy (like that of the last seven (give or take) years, if you cant get a job you can at least blame the economy.  People might say when the economy picks up  But when you are out of work during a great economy, and cant hardly land an interview or an offer, there is seemingly nothing to blame but you.  That means a lot of self-finger-pointing, wondering how messed up you really are which leads to unnecessary and unhelpful pain and suffering in abundance. The bigger issue, for me, is coping with challenges and trials.  How do you do it?  I tend to gravitate towards humor.  Not always, of course but Ive been doing this long enough (8+ years, since I got laid off in January of 2006), to know that there will indeed be an end to unemployment.  That might be because you get a dream job, or you get a step job (that is a job that is a stepping stone as you continue to look for your dream job), or you start your own business, or you adjust your expenses and simply retire.  Ive seen this happen many times over the last few years. Im convinced that dealing with our temporary situation in a healthy way is critical to getting out of our healthy situation.  Let me give you two examples: Coping Strategy 1Lets say that I cope with stress by eating crap.  So, Im unemployed and stressed, and I eat at McDonalds three times a day.  Sodas, fries, high-fructose-corn-everything.  Im coping with my pain and suffering, and while I plop stuff in my mouth, I feel better, for a second or two.  Between meals I throw down some chips, and have a big cup of soda by me at all times.  I indulge, and its good to have no rules on my eating.  I think about going on a walk around the block, but my ankles and knees hurt too much so Ill do that later.What will that do to me?  From personal experience I know that Ill physically feel like crap, Ill probably be more moody, and my clothes will get tighter this only makes me feel moodier and more depressed.  Thats okay, Ill cope by eating more crap. Guess how my next face-to-face networking event is going to go? I will want to be invisible.  And Ill probably be jaded enough that Im not going to have the right conversations which could lead to introductions.  People will smell blood. Coping Strategy 2 Contrast that with eating much healthier, and exercising. Lets say I have healthy food around me, in abundance (this doesnt mean I have to have money or a paycheck, I simply make better choices when buying food).  I eat at least one green smoothie a day (the way I make them, they look green but taste like a fruit smoothie), I drink lots of water, and eat things like soaked almonds, brown rice, etc.  Instead of feeling like I can cheat to cope, I am now addressing a physical/mental/emotional issue by feeding my cells (nutrition) instead of focusing on feeding my belly (satisfaction). I feel great, physically.  I take time to exercise, whether it is walk around the block or walk a few miles, do yoga, squats, pushups (even against the wall or stairs), etc. My clothes fit better, I sleep better at night, I feel fit and I have more energy. I can think clearer and have more fun networking.  People want to be around me, they even gravitate towards me (or at least I dont feel like they are trying to get away from me). Coping Strategy 1: eating what my tongue wants me to eat, without boundaries, and my stomach feeling satisfied a lot. Coping Strategy 2: eating to provide nutrition to my cells, as abundantly as I want, with the right foods. The question: what are the fruits of either strategy?  Which strategy is better for the short-term, and which is better for the long-term? So lets go back to my humor thing.  For me, I gravitate towards humor.  Finding humor in things helps me put things in a different perspective that is, many times, easier to understand.  It helps people I work with find perspective, also.  When Im in front of 100 job seekers, you better believe there is a lot of laughing.  Probably some tears, too, because I get very raw and real.  But there is humor throughout the presentation.  We dont get enough laughing when we are in a job search, and no one wants to touch our delicate situation with a ten foot pole but I do.  Because even after eight years, I still consider myself a job seeker.  I am you. I am with you.  And I know there is a time to let your frustrations out, and Ill be a shoulder you can cry on, or an ear you can vent to, but Im not going to go in front of my audience and start crying and venting for the entire time. Laughing releases good brain chemicals (practically natural narcotics).  Why not let job seekers laugh? Maybe my coping strategy (laughing and humor) is different than your coping strategy (medication, nutrition, hobbies, reading and movies (escapism), soduko, doing the dishes, lifting weights, running, etc.).  Im not going to list them and say which are better than others, but I will say this: LOOK AT THE FRUIT.  What are the results of your coping strategy? Does it put you in a worse place, or does it prepare you to do the hard things that you need to do in your job search? Finding Humor in Your Depressing Job Search (or the bad economy, or whatever) Heres some fallout from my 2014 April Fools prank (where I laid myself off, even though Im the sole owner of JibberJobber). on my LinkedIn Group I got this message: Sorry I do not see the humor; if the economy and employment levels were decentwell maybe. But not when so many people are in real pain and suffering after 7 years of this great recession. My reply to her, and the group: Karen, sorry. This was my story (kind of) 8 years ago, and it turned out to be a massive blessing. I talk to unemployed people (usually JibberJobber users) daily, and I know the pain and hurt and suffering both because I lived it and because I hear it every day. I choose to use humor in my life to help me get through hard times. nobody has to, but Im not going to sit around and mope and be somber, essentially empowering the suffering. No one has to educate me on the real pain and suffering of job seekers.  You see, I was there, but that was during an awesome economy.  During a crappy economy (like that of the last seven (give or take) years, if you cant get a job you can at least blame the economy.  People might say when the economy picks up  But when you are out of work during a great economy, and cant hardly land an interview or an offer, there is seemingly nothing to blame but you.  That means a lot of self-finger-pointing, wondering how messed up you really are which leads to unnecessary and unhelpful pain and suffering in abundance. The bigger issue, for me, is coping with challenges and trials.  How do you do it?  I tend to gravitate towards humor.  Not always, of course but Ive been doing this long enough (8+ years, since I got laid off in January of 2006), to know that there will indeed be an end to unemployment.  That might be because you get a dream job, or you get a step job (that is a job that is a stepping stone as you continue to look for your dream job), or you start your own business, or you adjust your expenses and simply retire.  Ive seen this happen many times over the last few years. Im convinced that dealing with our temporary situation in a healthy way is critical to getting out of our healthy situation.  Let me give you two examples: Coping Strategy 1Lets say that I cope with stress by eating crap.  So, Im unemployed and stressed, and I eat at McDonalds three times a day.  Sodas, fries, high-fructose-corn-everything.  Im coping with my pain and suffering, and while I plop stuff in my mouth, I feel better, for a second or two.  Between meals I throw down some chips, and have a big cup of soda by me at all times.  I indulge, and its good to have no rules on my eating.  I think about going on a walk around the block, but my ankles and knees hurt too much so Ill do that later.What will that do to me?  From personal experience I know that Ill physically feel like crap, Ill probably be more moody, and my clothes will get tighter this only makes me feel moodier and more depressed.  Thats okay, Ill cope by eating more crap. Guess how my next face-to-face networking event is going to go? I will want to be invisible.  And Ill probably be jaded enough that Im not going to have the right conversations which could lead to introductions.  People will smell blood. Coping Strategy 2 Contrast that with eating much healthier, and exercising. Lets say I have healthy food around me, in abundance (this doesnt mean I have to have money or a paycheck, I simply make better choices when buying food).  I eat at least one green smoothie a day (the way I make them, they look green but taste like a fruit smoothie), I drink lots of water, and eat things like soaked almonds, brown rice, etc.  Instead of feeling like I can cheat to cope, I am now addressing a physical/mental/emotional issue by feeding my cells (nutrition) instead of focusing on feeding my belly (satisfaction). I feel great, physically.  I take time to exercise, whether it is walk around the block or walk a few miles, do yoga, squats, pushups (even against the wall or stairs), etc. My clothes fit better, I sleep better at night, I feel fit and I have more energy. I can think clearer and have more fun networking.  People want to be around me, they even gravitate towards me (or at least I dont feel like they are trying to get away from me). Coping Strategy 1: eating what my tongue wants me to eat, without boundaries, and my stomach feeling satisfied a lot. Coping Strategy 2: eating to provide nutrition to my cells, as abundantly as I want, with the right foods. The question: what are the fruits of either strategy?  Which strategy is better for the short-term, and which is better for the long-term? So lets go back to my humor thing.  For me, I gravitate towards humor.  Finding humor in things helps me put things in a different perspective that is, many times, easier to understand.  It helps people I work with find perspective, also.  When Im in front of 100 job seekers, you better believe there is a lot of laughing.  Probably some tears, too, because I get very raw and real.  But there is humor throughout the presentation.  We dont get enough laughing when we are in a job search, and no one wants to touch our delicate situation with a ten foot pole but I do.  Because even after eight years, I still consider myself a job seeker.  I am you. I am with you.  And I know there is a time to let your frustrations out, and Ill be a shoulder you can cry on, or an ear you can vent to, but Im not going to go in front of my audience and start crying and venting for the entire time. Laughing releases good brain chemicals (practically natural narcotics).  Why not let job seekers laugh? Maybe my coping strategy (laughing and humor) is different than your coping strategy (medication, nutrition, hobbies, reading and movies (escapism), soduko, doing the dishes, lifting weights, running, etc.).  Im not going to list them and say which are better than others, but I will say this: LOOK AT THE FRUIT.  What are the results of your coping strategy? Does it put you in a worse place, or does it prepare you to do the hard things that you need to do in your job search? Finding Humor in Your Depressing Job Search (or the bad economy, or whatever) Heres some fallout from my 2014 April Fools prank (where I laid myself off, even though Im the sole owner of JibberJobber). on my LinkedIn Group I got this message: Sorry I do not see the humor; if the economy and employment levels were decentwell maybe. But not when so many people are in real pain and suffering after 7 years of this great recession. My reply to her, and the group: Karen, sorry. This was my story (kind of) 8 years ago, and it turned out to be a massive blessing. I talk to unemployed people (usually JibberJobber users) daily, and I know the pain and hurt and suffering both because I lived it and because I hear it every day. I choose to use humor in my life to help me get through hard times. nobody has to, but Im not going to sit around and mope and be somber, essentially empowering the suffering. No one has to educate me on the real pain and suffering of job seekers.  You see, I was there, but that was during an awesome economy.  During a crappy economy (like that of the last seven (give or take) years, if you cant get a job you can at least blame the economy.  People might say when the economy picks up  But when you are out of work during a great economy, and cant hardly land an interview or an offer, there is seemingly nothing to blame but you.  That means a lot of self-finger-pointing, wondering how messed up you really are which leads to unnecessary and unhelpful pain and suffering in abundance. The bigger issue, for me, is coping with challenges and trials.  How do you do it?  I tend to gravitate towards humor.  Not always, of course but Ive been doing this long enough (8+ years, since I got laid off in January of 2006), to know that there will indeed be an end to unemployment.  That might be because you get a dream job, or you get a step job (that is a job that is a stepping stone as you continue to look for your dream job), or you start your own business, or you adjust your expenses and simply retire.  Ive seen this happen many times over the last few years. Im convinced that dealing with our temporary situation in a healthy way is critical to getting out of our healthy situation.  Let me give you two examples: Coping Strategy 1Lets say that I cope with stress by eating crap.  So, Im unemployed and stressed, and I eat at McDonalds three times a day.  Sodas, fries, high-fructose-corn-everything.  Im coping with my pain and suffering, and while I plop stuff in my mouth, I feel better, for a second or two.  Between meals I throw down some chips, and have a big cup of soda by me at all times.  I indulge, and its good to have no rules on my eating.  I think about going on a walk around the block, but my ankles and knees hurt too much so Ill do that later.What will that do to me?  From personal experience I know that Ill physically feel like crap, Ill probably be more moody, and my clothes will get tighter this only makes me feel moodier and more depressed.  Thats okay, Ill cope by eating more crap. Guess how my next face-to-face networking event is going to go? I will want to be invisible.  And Ill probably be jaded enough that Im not going to have the right conversations which could lead to introductions.  People will smell blood. Coping Strategy 2 Contrast that with eating much healthier, and exercising. Lets say I have healthy food around me, in abundance (this doesnt mean I have to have money or a paycheck, I simply make better choices when buying food).  I eat at least one green smoothie a day (the way I make them, they look green but taste like a fruit smoothie), I drink lots of water, and eat things like soaked almonds, brown rice, etc.  Instead of feeling like I can cheat to cope, I am now addressing a physical/mental/emotional issue by feeding my cells (nutrition) instead of focusing on feeding my belly (satisfaction). I feel great, physically.  I take time to exercise, whether it is walk around the block or walk a few miles, do yoga, squats, pushups (even against the wall or stairs), etc. My clothes fit better, I sleep better at night, I feel fit and I have more energy. I can think clearer and have more fun networking.  People want to be around me, they even gravitate towards me (or at least I dont feel like they are trying to get away from me). Coping Strategy 1: eating what my tongue wants me to eat, without boundaries, and my stomach feeling satisfied a lot. Coping Strategy 2: eating to provide nutrition to my cells, as abundantly as I want, with the right foods. The question: what are the fruits of either strategy?  Which strategy is better for the short-term, and which is better for the long-term? So lets go back to my humor thing.  For me, I gravitate towards humor.  Finding humor in things helps me put things in a different perspective that is, many times, easier to understand.  It helps people I work with find perspective, also.  When Im in front of 100 job seekers, you better believe there is a lot of laughing.  Probably some tears, too, because I get very raw and real.  But there is humor throughout the presentation.  We dont get enough laughing when we are in a job search, and no one wants to touch our delicate situation with a ten foot pole but I do.  Because even after eight years, I still consider myself a job seeker.  I am you. I am with you.  And I know there is a time to let your frustrations out, and Ill be a shoulder you can cry on, or an ear you can vent to, but Im not going to go in front of my audience and start crying and venting for the entire time. Laughing releases good brain chemicals (practically natural narcotics).  Why not let job seekers laugh? Maybe my coping strategy (laughing and humor) is different than your coping strategy (medication, nutrition, hobbies, reading and movies (escapism), soduko, doing the dishes, lifting weights, running, etc.).  Im not going to list them and say which are better than others, but I will say this: LOOK AT THE FRUIT.  What are the results of your coping strategy? Does it put you in a worse place, or does it prepare you to do the hard things that you need to do in your job search?