The Ugly season of being Jobless

 This is my third week of being jobless, and I can't even imagine some people have survived a year, not even a month, of being jobless. Job seeking is hard. Job seeking will have you scrolling on LinkedIn for hours and switching between several job listing platforms on Google and social media pages.

The most tiring part is it's not easy to get your preferred job, so you always have to go back to your resume to edit it to fit the position that you randomly found on the internet. Sometimes you do not even find anything that fits your skills for days, and you are left questioning your existence.

It has been a hectic few weeks for me. My mental health has been tested. In a day, I can move from being highly motivated and in good terms with life to being overly stressed and hopeless.

My stress levels elevate every time I find myself in a financial crisis or when I get too idle. Idleness will have you thinking about things like being old enough to be working and not idling in your father's house. Also, idleness gives comparison room. Being idle will have you compare yourself with friends who are already living their best lives with either good jobs or who may have opted to venture into entrepreneurship, with some who moved abroad and others who decided to further their studies.

Comparison is the enemy.

In this season of being jobless, I have also given thought to the idea of venturing into personal projects. I am a counseling psychologist, and I have acquired several skills. The problem is knowing how and when to apply these skills in exchange for money (of course). Something about monetizing your skills.

I am currently in the middle of finding clarity and motivation to do what I am good at. I am also in the middle of looking for opportunities to grow and learn in this field. I am aware that building a brand or selling myself out here won't take a day or two. I will have to do a lot of work learning, unlearning, believing in myself, becoming confident, and accepting failure as part of the process.

As I try to navigate this ugly season, I am hoping that I will come out successful either with a job, a successful personal journey, or both.

love and hugs.