Embracing Positivity During Challenging Times

As I navigate a challenging time in my professional life, staying positive is one of the most important things I can do.

Update your resume, update your LinkedIn profile, make connections, practice your interview answers, the list goes on. These are some of the many pieces of advice I heard over the past year as I have trudged the road to gainful employment. Often overlooked is a positive attitude.

 

As I mentioned in my last post, I have decided to make a career transition from capital markets to communications. At the time of this writing, I am still unemployed. To say the process of looking for a job is frustrating is an understatement of biblical proportions! It is a struggle to stay positive in the face of seemingly constant rejection, but I must keep going.

It is far easier to fall into a morass of self-pity, thinking I made a big mistake, or that I will never find a job. When those feelings come over me (which they often do) I make a conscious effort to suppress them. I find it helpful to take stock of the positive things that happen each day, no matter how small they may seem. 

For example, I made a new connection today, someone commented on my LinkedIn post (or this blog), or I had a supportive conversation with a friend or family member. Recognizing these helps bolster my confidence and gets me back on the path of positivity (the latter is a thing, trust me!).  

Lastly, I tell myself that "it only takes one yes" and I am right back in the game...