You ever have a really good time one day, then wake up the next morning and feel like a truck hit you?
Yeah?
Well, that’s where I was about a year ago. Had a really great job, making really good money, then, BAM! a truck called “Unemployment” hit me. When I woke up the next day, I was laid off and my body hurt all over.
I don’t remember much of the next several months. It’s all a blur of depression, job hunting, and more depression. I can’t say I am surprised the hunting was unsuccessful – I mean, who doesn’t want a depressed, expensive employee? Gack!
What I do remember is I sat on my sofa, researched Scottish castle ruins (I know, weird, right?), shuttled my kid to and from various kid activities, and moped.
I slowly realized that I’ve had a full-time job since I was 18, with the few exceptions of college semesters and one previous lay-off from a different company. That’s almost 30 years of working all the time. Does this look familiar to anyone?
Well crap. Here I am. Unemployed, single, kid to raise. Now what do I do? I started to get mad, then I moped a bit more, and slowly realized it was time to re-think my life. Helluva time to have the “what do I want to be when I grow up” conversation with myself, isn’t it? But I did.
I decided to quit lallygagging around and get my law degree. There. Decision made. How do I make it happen, I ask myself. Slowly, and with patience, I answered.
That done, I moved my daughter out of the three bedroom/two bath house and into a studio apartment over the garage at my mom and dad’s house. Got rid of all the “excess” bells and whistles (just have the cell phone for telephone, etc.) and put a ton of furniture in storage. I am now stripped down and ready to take anything on.
So. This is where I am today, over a year later, still looking for work, digging around for school grants and other ways to help pay for this new direction I’m taking. I’m trying to stay local, so I’ll be able to be a mom in addition to all the rest – but at least I have a plan. And that’s all I need right now – a way forward.
Where are you in your life? Are you doing what you want to do? Where you want to be? Is life turning out the way you thought it would? How has the economic climate affected you?
Gwen your post really resonated with me. Six and a half years ago my husband lost his job for 14 months. We lived off of credit cards to survive on one salary. Then we had to move to a different city. Over all we went into the hole big time. We were beginning to recover when the economy collapse and the credit card companies started to penalize us by jacking interest rates to 30% (they’d been at 6-9%). What was once a stellar credit rating now stinks. We have our backs to the wall, but I just keep putting one foot in front of the other and telling myself that God will give me what I need, when I need it. He/She’s always come through for me in the past, don’t see why he/she won’t now. *grin*
Sounds like you’re in a good position. Going back to school is a really GOOD thing!
Oh Gwen, welcome back!
Sometimes things happen when you expect them the least. I was supposed to have 2 kids and then go back to work. After the second kid, illness struck and I couldn’t go back. By the time I was better, time had moved on.
So I started writing.
I hope your setback proves as good as mine eventually did.
Monica – only way out is up, right? Hang in there. It’s bound to get better eventually, especially of we get some new congress members in there.
Lynne – your lips to God’s ears. Thanks!
I hear you, Gwen. I’m in a very similar situation right now. I finally had to make the decision to end my 24-year as a freelance court reporter. For 20 of that 24 years I’ve had rheumatoid arthritis, but with meds I’d been able to function well, with the occasional flareups. But last December after reporting an entire nonstop day of experts, my left wrist took forever to recover. It finally dawned on me, especially when I looked back and realized I’d been in pain working for a while at that point, that I wasn’t going to be able to keep up the same pace I always had. I tried a full day again the following January and the same thing happened. So I went part time. Even an hour or two in a depo ended with my wrist killing me, but I grinned and bore it for the next five months. In May I decided to file for disability. I’m now on a very limited income, and those companies we rely on for air/heat and electricity, phone, and other things are not all that understanding. Sometimes you get lucky and someone will help, but they’re few and far between. It’s hard to ask your family for anything because it’s not easy for them either. I’m hoping for some retraining, but it all depends on the insurance company. If I have to fork over any money of my own for it, the idea is dead in the water before it even gets started. Credit score is another thing that takes a nose dive when you hit the bottom. Up may be the only way to go now, but even that takes a while. I still mope, sleep, cry, every now and again and I sure eat a hell of a lot more!
Sandy – that’s the one thing I haven’t had to deal with, physical limitations. And don’t think I don’t thank God for that every day. I’ll remember you in my prayers tonight.
I quit a job 2 1/2 years ago that made me miserable and started working a job that I’ve always wanted but unfortunately pays minimum wage. I went from making good money to barely scraping by and it’s difficult. I have to constantly remind myself that I’m doing the job I’ve always dreamed of, just not under the same conditions that I wanted. I’ve had to cut my spending down greatly and buy the bare essentials. But I try to only focus on the now. I used to plan for the future, but it’s a luxury I no longer have. One set back will really put me into debt because I can’t afford to sock much money away into savings. But I have my health and family, so I’m pretty blessed. It just kind of feels like we are all plugging along, you know?