Things Uncertainty Has Taught Me
Depression, anxiety, self-loathing and chronic diarrhea. No, seriously.
It’s that time of the day again. You wake up — after not so fulfilling sleep last night — still scanning every part of your room, wondering why this happens to you. You have been searching for everywhere. You have been applying for various kinds of jobs there is, yet the so glorious-interview-calling still lost amidst the business of the city and has not come to your house.
Have I taken the wrong degree? Is there anything wrong with my resume? Am I not looking hard enough? Am I simply but a failure?
Does that sound like you?
Before you start to self-loathing yourself even more and spend your “endless free time” doing things that will only make your condition worse, here are things that probably you could do instead.
Take It Easy
Here is the deal: you have worked hard for four to five years to finish that college degree, another month, even years also spent in the search for that dream job that you desire, not to mention the hours needed to listen to other’s judgment — you need a break. For an hour — or a day if you intend to — just stop thinking about it and give yourself a pat on the back. You have worked hard. Don’t be too harsh on yourself.
“You are not a machine with broken parts. You are a human being with unmet needs”.
Those aren’t my words. Those are Johan Hari’s on his Ted Talks that speaks about anxiety and depression in modern life. Overthinking is real, and it is something you don’t want to cope with, ever. It only leads you to other symptoms like anxiety and depression.
Our modern culture has indirectly shaped our way of thinking, that if you have not gotten a job yet you are a failure. But that’s not always the case. Things happen and you have no control over it whatsoever. The only thing that matters is that you have been trying your best to give a shot.
Giving your mind and body time to rest is crucial. So, after those exhausting hours you spend on putting your energy and focus, you need a rest and step back for a moment. You deserve it. It all goes to that old adage that says, “make one step back to take two steps ahead”.
Make It as the Opportunity to Form Good Habits
I know what you are thinking. That you need a job so badly for whatever reason you have right now — to pay the bills, to provide for your family, etc. But here is the key: remember the things I said before, the one about how being employed is about luck and not about persistency?
Luck is the right opportunity that meets the right condition.
Being persistent is not enough. You have to be in really good shape first so when the right chance is served to your face, you are in the best condition to challenge it. The reason is obvious, you ain’t gotta miss that only shot given. And there is nothing better than to make it through a habit.
It could be anything from reading a book regularly, start eating healthy, going to the gym, meditate, or the combination of those. The idea is not to neglect your sole purpose of finding that job. The idea is to find that job while you slowly improve yourself and being in the best shape.
Besides, research has been showing us, again and again, the benefits of working out and meditate. It will reduce stress and anxiety, as well as give us a clearer mind and prevent a foggy brain. It also trains us to be more focused and concentrate for a period of time. What could you ask more?
So, don’t wait. Put on that old running shoes you abandon at the dark side of the rack and go for a morning jog for a healthier mind and body. Your better self will thank you for that.
Try Something New
Perhaps your days in college has blinded you to the other opportunity that you didn’t know exists in the first place. Or perhaps you yourself believe everything in life is fixed; your intelligence, your fate, your career path, your skills. The world has never experienced the fastest change in its history of existence. Kingdoms have risen and fallen and technology has rapidly developed over the years.
But one thing is sure never changes: learning something new doesn’t hurt at all.
We live in an era where information is easier to get than food. It would be such a waste to not utilizing it at its peak. Do you want to learn how to be a photographer? Search its course on Google. Having that sudden burn to develop your own food truck and make a living out of it? Look for the people who share their similar inspirational journey about it on Youtube. Or perhaps you feel the urge to change your interest to become a programmer? Find the proper course on an online learning platform. You get the idea.
The age of glorifying ‘passion’ has long gone. Who says you can’t be a teacher for five years and be a businessman the five years after. Everything isn’t fixed. I am one of those guys who believe that everything can be learned as long as we have perseverance over it. And perhaps you should too.
It is called a growth mindset and if one principle that you have to hold for the rest of your life, well this is it. Skills can be learned, passion can be changed, but perseverance should always be the same. It will give you the consistency of doing what you believe will work out in the end. It’s a win-win situation after all. You either learn something new to add to your skill set which will attract the employers more, or you will end up pursuing something new that gives you new hope. Who knows what might await you at the end of the tunnel?
Time to Re-evaluate Yourself
It all will definitely end here. There is no better time to do this but now. Reflect on yourself, day in day out. What can be improved, who should I meet and talk to, is it time to reconsider your choice, am I in a comfort zone right now? Those are the questions that you have to ask yourself.
If you struggle with it, write it down. Spill it out on a piece of paper all of your thoughts, your anxiety, and things that have been bugging your mind. This way you will know what is wrong and get a shed of light on how to fix it.
But remember that things do take time. Don’t rush over it. The other advice that is given before will surely help you to clear out your mind and give you the best outcome.
Make a plan, believe in it, and push as hard as you can.
Just remember that things get tough. Things will definitely get tough. Cry if you have to, but cry while you keep pushing through. The time will come when that one deciding call will turn to you and you will be so ready to face it and give it your best.
At the end of the day not getting a job is not the end of the world, but losing faith in yourself is. Believe in your own capacity, improve it, and show those people who doubt you that you worth more than they can imagine.
I wish you a fulfilling life.
This is my personal opinion and if you enjoyed this, please clap it up and share it — some people might need it!
