You’ve been laid off or fired; lost an account that represented a big chunk of your business; had a falling out with a business partner, or with someone else who was close. You’re bummed or angry; sad or depressed. And you know that you need to get over it.
How?
Here are a couple of ideas I’ve seen work.
- Set aside a time of day (about 15 minutes) to give into the anger or grief. When those ugly feelings crop up, remind yourself that you will get a chance to focus on how bad you feel at the time you’ve scheduled. At the appointed time, put all else aside and allow yourself to rant, cry, write or punch a pillow. A dear friend’s mother gave her this advice when she was going through an ugly divorce. (I expect Mom was tired of hearing about it.) The friend told me that she took the advice and after just a few days, by the time the scheduled hour came around, she no longer needed to rant. Her outlook and attitude had improved! I’ve suggested this approach to many angry job seekers and who’ve reported good results.
- Find someone who will listen to you “clear” from time to time. I hope you have a coach or partner who is supporting you through this tough time. You don’t want to wear them out or damage the relationship by being a downer, but you can ask them to give you a minute or two to listen to you “clear.” Yes, just a minute or two! I use this technique with clients at the beginning of coaching calls to help them focus. Ask your partner to time you for a minute while you rant. They don’t have to listen carefully to what you say, but should vigorously offer empathy and encouragement. At the end of the minute, they will interrupt you and ask if you’re ”complete.” If not, ask for another 30 seconds or minute (maximum). Once you have “cleared,” you will find your attitude has improved and you have more positive energy.
Let me know how these techniques work for you. Or contact me to schedule a quick “clearing” and to refocus on your new goals.
