Jobless: Consider the Upside

By Rick Call, CPA-Dallas

For those of us who are unemployed, any attempt to emphasize the positive aspects of this difficult time might be considered ludicrous.

It is no secret that the job of finding a job can be unpleasant. Even well-qualified candidates struggle for months to find a level of employment similar to their last job. Increasingly, many, after facing a rapidly dwindling bank account, are forced into temporary positions or underemployment.

As goal-oriented individuals, many of us may feel unable to control our destinies, perhaps for the first time in our lives. But if viewed with the right attitude, this period, albeit trying, can be one of genuine opportunities.

For many of us, it is a sudden gift of time and added flexibility that often had been denied us by the long hours of careers, demands of overbearing bosses and hectic schedules. It can be one of personal exploration with the promise of realizing unmet dreams.

While not quite the salve to heal a withering savings balance, the ability to achieve forgotten fantasies or pushed-aside desires will help build self-esteem - something that can lead to snaring that next job.

While our utmost priority must continue to be the search for new employment, what other areas can those in "transition" concentrate on during this phase? The question, of course, can be answered by only the individual after carefully focusing on one's core values, specific interests and perhaps even long-lost passions.

But here are a few recommendations that I, along with others in the job hunt, have found useful:

Get physical

This is the time to lose those 30 pounds you have added since college. Develop a regular routine of walking, running, cycling, swimming, resistance training or any other physical activity that will boost the caloric burn. Combine that with a genuine revision in eating habits and proper nutrition that will drive those added inches from the waistline. There is no better way to jump-start self-esteem than simply feeling and looking better.

Boost relationships

A strange byproduct of increasingly demanding careers and success is strained or forgotten relationships. Sometimes, our circle of friends narrows or even vanishes as we bustle about meeting the requirements of the workplace and family.

Strengthen the bonds within your family that might have been neglected when life was more hectic. Reach out to old friends, mend damaged relationships or find new friends by joining groups or clubs with interests similar to yours.

Not only do you need an additional support system during this trying time, but the networking opportunities that could lead to that next job are invaluable. You never know when you will meet the person who can change the rest of your life.

Dream the impossible dream

Consider re-igniting the aspirations you had as a 19-year-old. Learn Russian. Write the great American novel. Play the spoons. Take a community course on becoming a pastry chef. As they say, you never are too fossilized to follow your dreams. And best of all, you may discover something that will add skills to your toolbox or - who knows - even lead to a career change.

Give and then give some more. Look for options to use your skills and other competencies by volunteering. Chances are that your efforts will be genuinely appreciated. And you will have the opportunity to contribute value and make a difference in the lives of others.

While our ability to chase aspirations might be limited by personal finances and the time required to continue job searches, it may be the only window of opportunity to change our lives in ways never imagined.

Rick Call is a Certified Public Accountant who lives in Dallas.

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION OF RICK CALL AND THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS.