A road block.

Comment

Comment by Saundra Robinson on August 16, 2009 at 12:32pm

Dear Karol, I agree with Katie Zee and Heather. I retired 2 weeks ago. I do not EVER plan to work for anyone other than myself again. I intend to volunteer in one of my areas of interest which is jazz. The public jazz radio station is near my apartment. Volunteering satisfies your need to help others and as Heather said, you never know who you will meet. It also can lead to just the job you want. I definitely agree with Katie Zee about working on something of your own. I know that my 401k/pension will not sustain me for the rest of my life. Don't know if you heard of the woman in Jersey who made Mortgage Apple Cakes (M.A.C.) to pay her backdue mortgage to keep her home out of foreclosure. Now this is a new business for her and she was helped by a major non-profit organization. I love to bake and have been doing so off and on for years. My daughter and I decided that we will also have a theme for my cakes-Retirement income Rum cakes, which we are naming Re-Rum cakes. Don't know if it will get as big as the M.A.C. cakes but it will be a source of income. Going to do a cookbook also. (BTW, food sells when nothing else is selling!) Recently went to a Black Doll fair in NY. Was thrilled to see the different dolls on display-all hand made. So take a look at your talents, abilities, etc and I'm sure you will find that "something" that you have always wanted to do. Be encouraged and remember, your passion is your purpose.

Comment by Heather on August 14, 2009 at 1:24pm

Karol, good for you for working so hard to keep it positive. It's not always easy to see the sunny side of things, but you're doing it! Keep it up. Take that positive outlook and share it with others. If you're not spending your days at work, spend your time volunteering. Find a cause you love and start making a difference. No effort is too little to make a change in the world. And while you're doing something worthwhile that's good for your heart, you'll be keeping some important work skills alive. Showing up and doing your best keeps your work ethic alive, working with others keeps you in the swing of being a team player, developing relationships with those you work with improves your communication skills. Not only that, but if you're doing work you love, you may find that you slip into an actual paying position. You never know when you'll be serving soup next to your next boss, or picking up trash with the CEO of a big company, or hammering nails with the recruiter for your dream job. And while you're out there serving others, you're taking the focus off yourself and refocusing on what's truly good and wonderful in the world and in yourself. Hugs!

Comment by Katie Zee on July 24, 2009 at 7:09pm

Dear Karol - I'm sure that is so disheartening, applying for 40 jobs. Could you consider making your own job?
That takes some creative thinking. You could keep applying, but in between, work on something of your own. Think of something that you know people need. Something you're good at. Something that doesn't take a large capital investment. Are you a good cook? Housekeeper? Declutterer? Could you watch people's pets? Walk their dogs? Mend their clothes? How about ironing? Running errands. A classified ad doesn't cost much. Once you start calling the shots, instead of letting fate push you around, you'll start to feel empowered, and your luck will change. It WILL!

Comment by Gail Blanke on July 11, 2009 at 11:18am

Karol, I completely understand what you're going through. But you've got to remember that, tough an long as it is, this is still a "snapshot" in time. It's not permanent. Don't fall for thinking, "This is the way it is." There's no way it is. There's only the way you say it is. Stay focused on what good would look like. Get back in touch with how good YOU are - and what you've been able to accomplish in the past. As you'll see in "Throw Out Fifty Things," I ask everyone to take a look back into their lives at their "defining moments" - those moments when you pulled it out of the fire, when you found something in yourself you didn't know you had - maybe when you fell down and got back up, or when you simply said, "Here's how it's going to go." Look back to when you were little, to last week, whatever. Make a list of those moments, share them with someone you're close to - and listen to theirs. You'll see that you've got everything you need to move forward now - in spite of the tough times. You've got the courage and the stamina and the talent. And you've got everything to look forward to.

Gail