Laid off -- now what?

First, a disclaimer: I am still employed. That does make a difference, and no matter what I or anyone says about "knowing how you are feeling" when you have been laid off, we don’t. So take this with a grain of salt.

My brother once wrote this to me after going through a particularly painful experience:

"First thing I did after the shaking stopped was to get on line to family, to best friends, and tell my story, get a nod, and a wince, a gasp, hear the promise of love where it already really is, start to weave the net again."

This is what healthy people do when things get rough. They come together to tell the story, get the wince, begin to weave the net again that will enable them to move forward. It is one of the bright spots in this difficult time—people are coming together in ways they have not before.

For decades, Lumunos has been bringing people together to help them move forward. More recently we felt called to help those in job transition. Our new program is is called ‘Make a Living, Have a Life’. We have learned through our pilot group that our way of working with a group is the perfect compliment to all other things people typically do when they are looking for a new job. Online searches, resumes and networking are important. But it is just as important to help people listen to the deep places within them, finding the wisdom and guidance that is often overlooked.

One current "Make a Living, Have a Life" participant said:

"Vocation is not something I've really sought in a job before. Up to now, it has been a 'take-what's-available' strategy combined with a 'hope-it-works-out' philosophy. So far it has, but now it's time for something more. 'Deeper' as our facilitator would say. This is hard ground, and it's helpful to have a group to work things out with."

If you or someone you care about has recently lost their job or is in work transition, join a Make a Living, Have a Life group. Groups are currently forming, and we welcome you.