“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” -Dr. Seuss

I wrote this within two days of getting fired from my job, but decided to hold it till I’ve completed a couple of weeks. That gave me an opportunity to ensure that I applied all the Do’s and avoided all the Don’ts myself . These tips have not only allowed me to stay happy and motivated, but also focused on the new possibilities and making the right choices for the next phase of my life:

1. Don’t deny it. If you aren’t normally prepared for the realities and changes in life, your first thoughts could be ‘I can’t believe it’, ‘It can’t be happening to me’. It’s OK, as long as you don’t remain in the state of denial for days or weeks. Remind yourself that thousands of people lose their jobs daily; it’s beyond your control. The quicker you accept the reality, the faster you can move on with your life.
2. Don’t make it personal. Most sudden layoffs are results of corporate decisions, often part of cost-cutting exercises. Don’t make it personal with your boss or the HR manager. The world is too small to make enemies, and life is too short to hold grudges. And what if it is personal? Your best option is still to forgive, forget and move on.
3. Don’t beat yourself. Unless you were terminated due to poor performance or misconduct, there’s no point in beating yourself and self-pity. Remind yourself of your skills and strengths that made you successful in this job, and will make you successful in your next venture.
4. Don’t get angry. Getting angry with your family, friends, cat, the taxi guy or anyone else is not going to change anything, except adding to the negative emotions. Remind yourself ‘when things seem to be falling apart, sometimes they are actually falling into place.’ So keep your cool.
5. Don’t give up your health regimen. Losing a job is no excuse to binge on unhealthy stuff or give up the exercise. That will only make your feel worse, while increased physical activity will boost your motivation. Continue reading →