Everybody's Surfing Now

Read Time — 2 minutes

Surf’s Up!

With a corporate job, it’s so easy to become complacent.

To keep surfing along with the tide.

Why bother catching a big wave when you’re happy just staying afloat?

At most companies, blending in with the masses isn’t just encouraged, it’s expected.

But we lose ourselves in the process. What are our interests? Our passions? Our dreams?

Our curiosity dies (RIP).

When you were a kid and someone asked you, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”. You eagerly exclaimed “astronaut!”, “teacher!”, or “firefighter!” (or the like).

What happened to that ‘dreaming for the stars’ mentality?

At my last job, I was really stuck. I was at the top of my pay range. And due to the team structure, there was no possibility of getting promoted.

Want to know the really sad part?

If I wasn’t laid off, I would have stayed in that job for another few years.

Collecting the same paycheck. Doing the same tasks. Not feeling challenged.

BO-RING!

My layoff was a wake-up call that my job wasn’t fulfilling me. I wanted my mojo back!

Bringing Sexy Back

I’m no Justin Timberlake (sorry JT), but it’s so important to feel excitement and passion in your work.

When you’re laid off, finances become a top priority. So it can be tough to find ways to combine your passions with financial stability.

This is where your severance package (if you received one) can truly come in handy.

Your severance is truly a golden ticket to take a risk and go outside of your comfort zone!

Think about it. Your company is paying you for X number of months to NOT WORK. How great is that??

And you likely qualify for unemployment too.

You have a solid financial runway that you can leverage for a few months (at least)!

Chatty Kathy

I’ve found that talking to as many people as possible is a very valuable exercise.

At the start, I try to say yes to every possible conversation that may come my way:

• Your friend from college wants to catch up? Schedule a Zoom chat.

• Did a prior co-worker check in to see how you’re doing? Meet them for coffee!

• Made a connection while attending a Meetup? Invite them to a yoga class or go for a run.

I’ll admit that taking all of these calls and meetings can be time-consuming.

But right now, you’ve been blessed with the gift of free time.

Chatting with a wide variety of people to hear about their careers and to brainstorm ideas can really help you to think outside the box of what’s possible.

I recommend keeping an open mind about where these conversations can take you.

These small steps can really help you to get on the right path to reignite that passion for your career.

Now stop surfing and get in that driver’s seat! :)

Big hugs, Jenny

P.S. I’m offering a free 30-minute coaching call to Layoff Lemonade subscribers! I can offer personalized advice and ideas for how to propel your career forward.