The Silver Lining in My Husband's Unemployment

I wish your husband good luck in his job hunt.

Getting laid off 4 years ago worked for me. I was upset at first because I enjoyed library work, but always seemed to be doing it in a toxic environment. A few months after being laid off, I was offered a parttime job in distance learning. As with any job, there are pros and cons, but I gained a new set of job skills and working parttime has given me time to live and do a few things I never thought I'd do.

I hope your husband finds rewarding work in a healthy environment. Life just can't be all about the job.

THANKS FOR SHARING. GLAD THINGS ARE WORKING OUT FOR YOU..

Nice perspective Carla. PR is pretty cutthroat.

Carla, been where he was, working for a mismanaged university--left--and doubled my salary. Life is funny. AND I loved my new corporate job.
Since then, I've doubled the salary again. So, life is good now.
Didn't know it, tho, when I was working 80 hours a week for $7.25/hour...Universities don't always pay well. And bad bosses? Well, they're just not worth it. No more toxic waste dumps for me.
Best of luck on his search. Motivational moves?
Time to steamclean the carpets, clear the garage, organize the basement, alphabetize the spice rack. Anything to keep him busy!
Send him to Linked In.com Have him set up an account (it's free.) Another source for professionals.
Wilka

Precisely! This is very much the situation I found myself in, about eight years ago. I was working in a "sick building" where many times, the vast majority of workers had some kind of respiratory condition. I developed severe asthma and almost died, but I was let go when I complained about it. But that was an extraordinary relief to me, and I was also able to secure unemployment with a persuasive letter. (My friend also sued the company and won for his mistreatment there). Now I have a lot more independence and opportunities, and I actually enjoy my life! In the end, you just have to do what you are most passionate about. We'll keep you all in our thoughts and prayers, and everything will work out for the best. I'm sure this is happening to a lot of other people, too. Thanks for posting this!

Unemployment gives a bit of breathing room between jobs ....but the time goes fast. Rough these days when a family has to have 2 full time jobs to make ends meet!
Good luck to your family Carla!

Carla you are very generous with life and I love how you are finding the silvery lining through this time.

Carla, I am glad you can see the silver lining here, there always is one, from living a long time, I know that, we just have to keep our eyes and our hearts open, and it will find us.

Glad your hubby is doing better, healt wise. He'll find something better.

Carla, you just gave some who will read this hope, and opened someone else's eyes. This is great post and I hope those in need, will read and heed.

Good job.

I am so moved by all your responses. The encouragement and support makes such a difference. Bob will be working at Macy's over the holidays. It will help.

Yes, Mary, I hope that telling my story does help others. I hope that everyone will post their own stories on this new group, "Gratitude Gazette".

Thank you all so much!

Carla, a very inspirational story, I wish you and your husband the best! Thanks for sharing....

I have to join the "been there, done that" group. I was dubfounded a few years ago when I, too, was laid off. Who ever heard of nurses getting laid off? It became obvious in a short time as to why I, who had seniority over most of the others, got the axe. I made the most money! And here in Arizona, a right to work state, you have absolutely no rights.

I was at first devastated but soon found other work. In fact, it was the best thing that could have happened to me. I joined 2 agencies and picked up more shifts than I could handle. I found several different hospitals who wanted per diem help and I could pick and choose where and when I wanted to work. Now, 10 years later, I'm still doing the same thing, enjoying it tremendously and will probably never bother to retire. I call this my play time. It gives me something to do, I get paid to do it, and I get to travel and do all sorts of stuff I love to do.

Change is good!

Thanks for sharing your experience, Elsie. Yes, it always works out we see in hindsight. The key is to be okay and at peace in the midst of the change knowing that all is well.

Just help him keep his spirits up. If he's been working under that much stress it may still hit him hard. The advice you got above on helping him keep busy is perfect.

Success at moving on with be 3/4 attitude. It's a rough time for everyone. Be very tight with your money and blessings to the two of you.

Thanks for that advice, Sharon. Yes, I am keeping a close watch on him. He has been up and down. He will start working at Macy's over the holidays and that will get him out of the house and give us some extra money. And thanks for the blessings. :-)

I'm glad your husband is better healthwise. I hope he finds a job that's not quite as stressful!

Sorry for the tough times Carla. Kudos to you for keeping a positive attitude. I hope he finds a job he really want s soon.

Thanks, Sarah and Kay. We've had tough times before and things have always worked out.

So sorry to hear of his job, but happy to hear his heath has improved!

My guy went to work one day and his job was no more, since then they had put him in two other spots at the same pay, thank goodness.

However it still scares the crap out of us, they just laid off more people. It is up to 500 or so laid off in a year or two...... what we did is hunker down. Pay off the truck, it is not much but the house is paid for and we have been talking of other ways/jobs my guy can do in his late 50's. We can make it. It would be nice if he can make it to retirement, if that is there is anything left of it.

I love your positive attitude, this should be more rewarded! I am sure your hubby will find something, even if it is for his health, calmer, happier job. Hard times being out things in us we never new we had.....

Carla,
You are such a positive person, and that helps. Positive people are proven to have better health and longer lives. They also often activate self-fulfilling "prophecies"; their positive attitudes make them better at searching and qualifying for what they want.
Tell your husband not to overlook Craig's List, if you have one for your area. Non-profits often post jobs there. That may be the kind of job your husband could thrive at.

Mrs. Road Runner, you and your husband are smart. You did the right thing. Hard times do bring out the things in us that we never knew we had. We are stronger than we think. And the challenges make us even stronger. Thanks for commenting. By the way, sorry about your goldfish.

Hi Chris! Thanks! Yes, non-profit is where he has been focusing. We do try to stay positive and for the most part we are successful. I will tell Bob about Craig's List. I've heard of it but don't know anything about it. Happy Thanksgiving to you!

Carla, dearest friend - you and your husband are always in my prayers. I wish you both all the luck you can get - and more! ;-) Positive turns are on their way.

Love and hugs in abundance - S.

I know exactly what you mean. We have been in that situation more times than I care to count. I always grow during that time in my life. Hope your husband finds a job soon.

Sveta, thanks for your prayers and your love and hugs. I know that there is divine order at work in this situation.

Connie, yes, they are growth opportunities. Thanks for your best wishes. I hope you have a good Thanksgiving.

I wish you well. If your husband is as strong, talented and forward-thinking as you are, he will find a job in no time.

Thank you so much for saying that, Lisa. What a wonderful compliment.

Carla, I so admire your ability to see the positive side of this situation. Sounds like it's helpful for your blood pressure, as well.
And having dinner cooked and cleaned up for you? Sounds like a GOLDEN lining to me...!
;~)

Good job staying positive. I wish you and your husband the best of luck.

Shing, you are so clever! Yes, it is a GOLDEN lining. :-)

Thanks, Elle, for your kind words and best wishes.

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Now I'm off to cook the turkey. :>

I know you are so right about a silver lining in adversity Carla. My hubby might possibly be getting laid off here shortly as well, and although a part of me is apprehensive about this new shift in our lives, I can easily think about the blessings in disguise such as we'll have more time together, he can get caught up on the things around the house that need to be attended to,
his back can get the much needed rest it needs, he will be feel like working on our kids cars that are begging for help, he will be more relaxed, get more sleep and be less stressed.

We will be able to trust God more with our lives including our finances. It is easy to sit back and relax when things are going good and forget to thank God got all the small things in life He blesses us with, but when times are tough we always seem to hit our knees in prayer. Priorities become more focused and it is easier to think about others and not worry so much about ourselves. Tough times like unemployment can be used as a time of refreshing as you are seeing with your hubby. Stressful jobs are no fun.

I will be praying for you Carla. Bless you and your husband in this time of transition.

Thank you, Denise. You have the right attitude and faith and no matter what happens, God will provide. Bless you!

Thank you, Darlene. I already feel blessed in many ways.

I am a college instructor, so I should be fine.

My husband will probabaly lose his auto-related job early next year, but with a Ph.D, he should be able to get a job teaching.

But these are tough times. I see the pain in many of my students.

May we all see a new year filled with peace and prosperity.