By Sunny Simon
As a career coach I encounter clients who are down on the mat and often temporarily out for the count. Many have lost their jobs based on corporate restructurings; others experienced a bad break due to personal relationships, business ventures or other significant life zingers. At one time or another, each of us has experienced a severe left jab or even a devastating one-two combination.
When you find yourself dazed from a blow you never anticipated, there is nothing left to do but plan your comeback. Begin by acknowledging it might have been unfair, but it happened and it’s okay to admit how much it hurt. Throw yourself a pity party but keep it brief and then crash your own party by employing some techniques to help you bounce back.
Review the circumstances and challenge yourself to find one positive nugget in the mix. There is always something constructive to be gained from a negative situation. If you are coming up blank, talk to a trusted friend or advisor to help you glean a glimpse of that silver lining.
Know your situation is temporary. You have the ability to work through the crisis. Boxing legend Muhammed Ali carved out his amazing career by never giving up on himself. Ali said, “It’s a lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges and I believe in myself.” To bounce back you must be self-reliant.
Regain your footing by asking for support. Don’t try to go it alone. Engage your network. You can never have enough cheerleaders. Let your friends provide help and encouragement to boost your morale. Positive reinforcement from positive people around you enables you to start rebuilding or reinventing your life.
Think about it. Now may be an ideal time to start fresh in a new direction. If you lost your job, perhaps you realized it wasn’t the best match for you anyway. Define your passion. What kind of a career or position would make your heart sing? Get curious. Do some soul searching and research. Then come up with an action plan and set some short-term and future goals.
Whatever it was that brought you down, the wrong Prince Charming or the dreaded pink slip, making a comeback begins with the first step. Once you initiate that move away from ground zero the remainder of the journey is pure momentum. Go for it. You are ready to power through any obstacles and show the world you are a resilient winner who, armed with a new plan, can go the distance.
Sunny Simon is the owner of Raise the Bar High Life and Career Coaching. More about Sunny at www.raisethebarhigh.com
