Unemployment Misadventures

So I think a lot of people will relate when I say that unemployment really sucks. It's not that you don't want a job or don't want to work or any of the absurd things people say about you. Who doesn't want to be financially independent? Who in their right mind wants to be struggling or behind their peers? It's easier when you're living at home, sure. But it's not really what we want. We're not going to get into the specifics or politics of it all, but it is definitely not easy getting employed these days.

I'm sure we all feel this way.

You apply to jobs everyday. Jobs that specifically relate to the subject you studied in college; got the degree for. Occupations similar to those that you've worked in the past. Hell, you even apply to retail and odd jobs. And nothing bites! It's frustrating, disheartening, and completely destroys your confidence. You start blaming yourself because who else is there to blame, but the person in the mirror?

Your confidence falters, and it's hard to view yourself in a positive light. At least, that's what it's like for me. It's been a uphill battle for my self esteem, that's for sure. But thankfully, aside from the endless days of applying to jobs, I have also been looking at ways to fulfill myself so that I don't spiral into a hole of insanity.

One of the major ways I keep myself sane while job searching, is rekindling some passions I had lost along the way. Life can be so distracting and you can lose touch with things that used to bring you genuine joy. The major hobby I jumped back into is this, right here. Writing. I'm not the best spoken person, or the most articulate person but I like to think I can express how I'm feeling or what I'm thinking on paper (or on computer). I can get all my scrambled thoughts out of my head so they don't occupy so much space in my very limited brain. Finding a healthy way to express my anxieties and insecurities is the key to not losing my mind.

Another habit I always had but lost while I was attending college was reading. I fucking love to read. Now, my attention span is horrendous and I often take a while to finish the books I start. But it was a great way for my mind to escape. In a way, we never stop living in a land of make believe. That's all books are. It's a land of make believe that you can delve into. You get to create the world in your head, envision the characters. It's great. If you're not an avid reader, I'd give it a try. For me, finding the right genre was a big help in restarting this hobby so it might be the same for others.

Gaming is a constant for me. I've been gaming since I was like eight years old. Again, it's another land of make believe. At the end of the day, we're all just big kids so I find channeling that inner child can be very healthy for your mental health. There's nothing like watching your Sims do outrageous things, am I right? Or Sparta kicking someone off a cliff in Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Variety helps too. Cartoon fun and senseless violence is always fun. It's a good distraction too.

I hope I gave you some ideas as to what you can do while you're unfortunately unemployed. It doesn't have to be so gloomy. Don't lose hope, stay motivated, and keep your mind going while you are job searching. Start something new, learn something, and just keep hoping. You'll get through this!