HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH LOVED ONES DURING THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY?
How do you cope with unemployment a during Thanksgiving? Like any loss, a job loss results in grief. The negative emotions can be especially magnified at holiday time when families join together and expect happy times. Well meaning friends and relatives often increase the sense of frustration and anger that can come with a sustained job search.
Thursday Thought will be out on Wednesday this week due to the Thanksgiving Holiday this Thursday.
In that post, you will find practical suggestions for how to ease progress through typical stages of coping with job loss. While not everyone will progress neatly through each stage, most of the jobless will be able to identify with these stages and take solace in the normality of these emotions. Understanding that what you are feeling is normal can help you cope a bit better and be able to communicate your feelings to loved ones.
In that post, you will find practical suggestions for how to ease progress through typical stages of coping with job loss. While not everyone will progress neatly through each stage, most of the jobless will be able to identify with these stages and take solace in the normality of these emotions. Understanding that what you are feeling is normal can help you cope a bit better and be able to communicate your feelings to loved ones.
WHAT CAN YOU DO TO ENJOY THE HOLIDAY?
If you are like many job seekers you are most dreading all the inquiries and well-intended murmurs about how your job search/lack of employment is (or is not!) going. Especially in large gatherings, you might find yourself repeating the same update over and over. Bah Humbug!
It is okay to have some good times in this hard time.
There are a few things you can do to make your interactions a bit more positive:
Keep perspective. What does the thanksgiving holiday mean to you? What do you enjoy? Value? If you haven't already done so, you might want to read 9 Reasons to be thankful not thankless. Think about these things in advance and be prepared to seek out what you enjoy. If you enjoy the nieces and nephews, for example, arrange to sit at the "children's" table.
Be realistic. If your pre-job loss holidays were cacophonous and strife ridden then this one very well may be too! Don't put on your best rosy glasses with your Sunday best. Plan how you will deal with typical issues that may come up. Better yet, plan your escape! There is nothing that says you have to stay for all of the festivities this holiday.
Be prepared. Decide on what you will say in advance. Prepare an "elevator speech" to pull out over the whole holiday season. As with any other introductory statement, it should be concise, meaningful, and positive. Something like, "I am doing fine - I have a good plan in place that is really working for me and am looking forward to being able to get into a supervisory role in a manufacturing setting soon. Keep me in mind if you hear of anything. Thanks for asking!" Then change the subject back to Thanksgiving or the family.
Take the Offensive. If you have the opportunity and the chops, make a statement like the one above at the outset of the gathering. If it feels natural for you in the setting, make light of it and ham it up! "I know everyone is dying to quiz me about my job search so let's get it out of the way and on with the party!" If this doesn't work in your particular situation, politely explain you are still looking, but "let's not take away from everything we have to be thankful for." If you are focused on the positive aspects of the holiday it should quickly refocus your family and friends.
Enjoy the holiday festivities. The picture included with this post sums it up pretty well. The best things in life are free. Don't miss out on them. You have plenty of time to worry about your employment situation before and after Thanksgiving. For now, enjoy:
- Smiles
- Hugs
- Kisses
- Kids
- Old folks
- Family
- Friends
- Memories
- Food
- Drink
- Yourself. It is ok to have some good times in this hard time. Let it happen!
Holiday Special (Nov and Dec 2012): With $69 résumé receive unlimited internet and email career counseling for $39 for one year.
Other articles that may be of interest:
If you're in the middle of a job search, holidays can be the worst time of year. But don't pull your hair out just yet! Here are some tips.
If you are interested in turning your holiday job into full-time employment, you'll have to play your cards right. Here are some tips.
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