5 tips of maintaining a positive mindset after a job loss

While losing a job can be devastating, it shouldn’t rob you of all enthusiasm towards life. The unexpected eventuality shouldn’t dictate your mental, emotional, social, and spiritual state. Similarly, loss shouldn’t always trigger and sustain chronic grief or misery. While grief and misery are normal responses to loss, remaining in that cycle perpetually does more harm than good in the long run. In this article, we explore whether it’s possible to experience loss and still maintain a positive outlook of life. I argue that maintaining positivity is possible in the midst of loss if we embrace a positive mindset. I know you are wondering how that is even possible, but wonder no more. Here are 5 strategies to help you accomplish the seemingly lofty feat.

a. Reevaluate the beliefs you hold about job loss

A prevalent societal belief regarding job loss is that it ushers a major misfortune or setback of some sort that one seldom recovers from easily. For others, job loss implies a loss of identity, purpose, and sense of meaning. Still, there are those whose self-worth and confidence deeps subsequently. Some may attach a spiritual connotation to it and blame the witches tucked deep in their village for the misfortune. While all these explanations are an attempt at creating meaning after a major disruptive event, they only compound our fear and worry. In many instances, they infuse one with a sense of hopelessness and helplessness. Rarely will such beliefs empower you to take positive action. Rather, they propel you into victimhood and leave you reminiscing about the unfairness of life. Instead of blindly resorting to these disempowering beliefs as you seek meaning, resolve to interrogate each of them to establish how true they are.

b. Create a positive narrative about the loss

After reevaluating the default beliefs you’ve held onto for a long time, resolve to create a positive narrative around the perceived loss. An enduring truth we always overlook is that most events in life are neither good nor bad. In the same vein, loss is not always negative as we assume. The negativity stems from a deliberate value judgment we make. Notably, in any given event or situation, we have the power of the power of crafting and attaching meaning to them. Once we have attached meaning to the event, our brains use that script to generate thoughts, emotions, and behaviors which may either be empowering or defeatist. If our interpretation of events is positive, the resultant thoughts, emotions, behaviors and outcomes are mostly positive. The converse is also true. For instance, we can choose to conceive a loss as the end of an era and an opportunity to start a new lease of life or to reinvent ourselves. Such a mindset triggers our brain to generate creative ideas compatible with the new version or era one desires to herald. That simple shift in meaning can get us psyched up about the new phases we are entering.

c. Have faith that things will work out eventually

While at it, never forget that optimism or cynicism during any season in life is a choice we make. Undeniably, fear and its counterpart anxiety can be overpowering if you allow them to take root. This is largely because we live in a society that unknowingly glorifies fear and pessimism in the name of reality. That notwithstanding, refuse to be roped into this negative and mindless conditioning. As people lament about how bad things are and how worse they are bound to get, choose to focus on the positive side. Interestingly, if you objectively appraise your past, you’ll notice that things always worked out for the better. And even if they didn’t, you somehow survived and here you are. None of that magic has changed. The situation that seems impossible today can easily change tomorrow heralding good tidings that exceed your wildest imagination. Life is full of surprises. Keep the faith and hung in there.

d. Be grateful for that which you still have

Moreover, it’s easy to lose sight of the numerous blessings we still have in the wake of loss. While our jobs are important because they afford us the lifestyle we currently have, there’s still more to be grateful for. You still have your family, friends, good health, and a sane mind. Undeniably, loss of income can threaten our access to basic needs, relationships and other financial obligations. However, you can choose a different trajectory. Accepting the situation early on and readjusting can help you remain afloat longer as you reinvent yourself. Be grateful for the small blessings and wins even as you eye the bigger ones.

e. Cultivate Mindfulness

Lastly, did you know that a bulk of your stressors have little to do with your present situation? You heard me right. Our fear, anxiety, and attendant worries are mostly anchored in our constant rumination about the future or the past. Humans are wired to pursue certainty and anything that disrupts that structure somehow triggers stress and fear. This is because unpredictability is often perceived as risky. But that shouldn’t be the case. In a phase were planning for the future is not possible, focusing on the here and now can be the much needed antidote that brings a sense of calm amidst the chaos. Not every season is for winning. Some seasons require you to just stay afloat, rest and take good care of your mind and body. While at it, remember to prioritize your sleep, diet, hydration, and exercise. A well-rested and energized body easily translates to a healthy mind which brings forth a positive and energizing aura.

In conclusion, when navigating loss, your mindset is the single most important resource you have that stands between reinvention and loosing oneself. Cultivate it by consuming content that is empowering. Read books, watch sermons, podcasts, or music that is energizing. Equally, remember that the people you confide in during this season can make all the difference. Therefore, surround yourself with people who speak hope with unwavering faith.