Touch wood, but I have survived unemployment.

Of course, nothing is permanent. Technically self-employed, I actually feel more secure than I ever did in a job. When the current contract ends, there will be another, or I will pursue something else that will make me enough money to live decently. It's nice to have that kind of confidence. Makes life a lot easier.

It has not always been so, as long-time readers of this blog may have discerned. A few years ago, I was where many of you are now: jobless, penniless, and hopeless. Somehow I did manage to hustle and avoid becoming homeless, and I know that many of you have not been so lucky. These are hard times, no matter what they say on TV about the recession being over. For a good 50 percent of Americans, these are still hard times, and I don't mean to downplay that.

Fifty percent? Yeah, that's about how it breaks down. Working people are struggling, and the unemployment rate doesn't mean much. Wages are not keeping up with inflation. The average work week is much shorter. The labor force participation rate is touching historical lows for men. The last time the overall LFPR was this low, in the '70s, one-income households were still fairly common. That is to say, a family used to be able to buy a house, take a vacation, and save for retirement on one income. Those days are pretty much gone for working class people.

A lot of people in their prime earning years are not even looking for jobs, and that brings the unemployment rate down because if you're not in the labor force, you can't be unemployed. Never mind that you had little choice in the matter.

Times are hard. I'm in touch with that state of affairs and don't want anyone to think I'm minimizing their situation, BUT...
Creative Minds Succeed: CMS - that's my gang.
For me, personally, things have turned around. Looking back on the dark days, I can offer a little insight on how I dug myself out.

First of all, I stayed busy. Somehow I remained productive, even if it was just blogging. Every day, I got out of bed and assessed my to-do list as I waited for the cheap coffee to brew. Some days the list was short. Clean bathroom. Do 60 push-ups. Call so-and-so. Fill out application for such-and-such. Some days it was long. If it was short, I rewarded myself after getting through, maybe by taking a walk to the park if the weather was nice, or a nap if it was nasty out. On days when the list was long, I often stayed up late until every item was checked off. The point is, I stayed busy, and that took my mind off unemployment, stopped the cycle of self-loathing worthlessness, and actually helped me accomplish a few things, this blog being one of them.

Second, I always maintained hope. Somehow, some way, someday this would all change. I always kept the notion that "the only constant is change" front-and-center in my mind (it's still there). No matter how bad (or good) things get, they will change. Hope is a powerful ally in surviving unemployment. It's a great motivator on good days and a powerful antidote to suicide on bad days.

Third, I stayed in the present. You live in the past and you're a bitter or nostalgic zombie. You live in the future and you're a ghost who can't effect any change in the physical realm. Live right now and to realize that the scenery will change as you roll down the road. Staying in the moment allows you to do what you need to do in the moment.

Finally, and most importantly, I hustled every day and tried anything -- no matter how crazy -- to bring money in the door. As long as it was legal, nothing was off limits. Some of these ideas ended up making me some damn good money for the amount of effort I put in, more than I typically make in a "job" situation, and I see these activities as my aces in the hole should I ever find myself jobless again. Unemployment is actually a great opportunity to try out new ideas and be entrepreneurial. You don't have anything to lose** (see footnote).

It's also really important to be yourself. Your to-do list will be yours. Your rewards will be your own. Your hopes and dreams are fully your own. It's up to you to execute your zany ideas, even when people around you seem skeptical.

Before I get all pedantic, I want to say that I don't have all the answers. I know some people face obstacles (age, mainly) that I didn't. That's pretty much how it went for me. Your story will be your own; I'm just here to tell you that unemployment is just one chapter and probably not the final one.

Wishing you well this holiday season and always,

Chuck

** Starting a business can cost you your unemployment benefits in many states, even if you don't make any money.