Getting Fired: What Happens now?

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Getting Fired

People get fired every day.  No matter how it is done or the reasons it’s a crushing blow for the person that finds himself instantly without a job and income in one fatal swoop.  Sometimes there are legitimate reasons for an employer to let an employee go such as poor attendance, performance or reasons of attitude.  We all know of instances where a loyal employee is blindsided with no fault of their own having fallen in to the pit of office politics or emotional responses within management.  Many sites that cover the topic of job loss stay clear to a large extent of the emotions of this question.  I understand they limit their time pondering blame because it is important to move forward so you can recover.  However, if you are like most people who have been freshly fired this question is upper most in your mind and talking about it may keep you from stalling.   I warn you that in the end  even if you had a bad deal you are going to have to lay that aside and forgive , but there is something about  acknowledging the trauma of it that can help you move forward.   Over the coming days we will discuss blame whether it be our own or our employers in more detail, but for now I'd like to give a little advice from my experience that can help you along the way.  I have walked this road and know first hand the hurt that comes with the words, "it is not working out".

Get up

This  may seem silly but it can be something that will keep you on the right track.  When we are devastated it is easy to want to wallow in bed.  I am not advising you to hide your emotions, but I am saying it is good to keep your routine of getting up and accomplishing goals. I was used to getting up at 5 am with my husband and leaving for work by 6:15.  I kept the 5:00 am routine from the beginning and it has helped me focus on new things and accomplish things that might have been left undone otherwise.  It wasn't always easy because my natural desire was to stay in bed under the covers and cry.  Somehow getting up gave me confidence and made me feel as if this set back wasn't going to get the better of me.  Remember our first desire is not always the right thing to do....face the day.

Set some goals

Setting goals may come naturally to you in the work world, but when you've been fired it can be a challenge to take even the smallest steps because of the emotional turmoil that you may be experiencing.  You are worried about money, your family and what you are going to do.  My first step was to sign up for Unemployment.  It seemed at the time that these goals were overwhelming, but as I moved along they all became easier and propelled me closer to where I needed to be. Because making and accomplishing goals can be hard when you are upset I advise putting them on paper.  Something as simple as writing, " go to the unemployment center" or "go to the unemployment website for my state and call the phone number to find out the proper steps to take" will give you a focus for the day.  No you might not accomplish the many goals  you did at work, but you are going forward.  

I hope you will follow my experience and find some help for your experience.  Feel free to comment as you never know how your experience may bless someone else.