Filling the Hours Left by Unemployment

Taking into account that I am but a single voice among a million my complaints and personal strife in this economy are not unique. However, my attitude is. Being a viable employee for nearly any task I am of course frustrated with my unemployment, perhaps not as vocally disappointed as my girlfriend, but the dejected feeling of having no worth or earning have kept me awake at night for several weeks.

Over the last couple weeks things have changed for me. I still don’t have a job, my only source for food is public assistance and the roof I have over my head is completely the result of having someone who loves me. So what is different?

I found that despite the despair of applying for janitorial jobs because it is the only job I haven’t yet applied for, despite sending out upwards of 40 resumes a week, and the emptiness associated with having no sense of accomplishment I was still standing and breathing. Now I start and end every day with that affirmation of sorts. I am still standing. I am still breathing.

When I started to look around at what I can do each day to bring a piece of the best parts of me to surface I found a lot. I may not be bringing home a paycheck after a long days work but I am pulling myself away from a potential depressed disaster.

Immediately I started to look at my skills and how I could apply them. A trained chef I began planning delicious, healthy and inexpensive meals at home. As satisfying as it is to hear the yummy noise come anyone sharing a table with me I soon realized I was capable of more, and now I am active in volunteer opportunities. I don’t care if it is a church, or  a publicly funded soup kitchen. I can take what I know and supplement someone else’s life at the same time.

What hours are not filled filling the stomachs of others I found were wasted staring at the television and I soon set out to repair my sloth to once again fight off a depressed funk. I made my way to the public library for reading material and to prevent any sort of lethargy of the mind. After a couple weeks of four to five books a week I looked around the library wondering if I could give back and at the same time fill the void of doing nothing. Now I find myself associated with not only the library on a volunteer basis but a local literacy campaign.

I don’t want to seen as a braggart here. I am not trying to pat myself on the back on the internet ( the worlds largest stage). The intention of this article is to encourage those of you who may find themselves in a situation similar to mine to fill your days with movement. This nation and every nation is finding a certain self collapse that is injuring the fortitude of the working man, because the working man needs to work, most often they don’t know anything else. But, by participating in your community you not only give yourself a note of self satisfaction, you also offer help and hope to others not quite off the couch of despair.

I encourage everyone to find time for volunteering. An hour a week with a literacy program can encourage a young child’s mind. Finding yourself in an apron and a hairnet at a soup kitchen can help save a life.

Last but not least, staying active and moving will keep you fresh, alert and positive when that call finally comes for an interview.