The unthinkable has happened, you’ve been laid off.  You are intelligent, educated, worked hard, didn’t hate your job, liked the people you worked with, spoke well of the company, and even got a raise this year.  Yet still, here you are.

If you are like most, until this moment, your life was going about 100 miles an hour.  You got up, rushed through a morning routine, got to work, worked, ran errors on the way home, did something about dinner, did your nightly routine, went to bed, and god willing, woke up the next morning to start it all over.  Sound about right?

In Feng Shui, we would describe this as Yang.  All energies and things can be described as yin, yang, or in the process in between. If you have seen the Tai Ji symbol, the black and white circle divided by the serpentine line, Yang it the white portion.  This portion is always on top, if the symbol is displayed properly.  However, also as displayed, yang is finite and ends as yin begins. “Lengthy Activity (Yang) is followed by Stillness (Yin)”.

The Stillness, the Yin, of unemployment can be deafening.  The massive emptiness of your days can be saddening and lonely, if you allow this. Oh my days aren’t empty you say, I have to do this and that.  Notice the Tai Ji symbol again.  Now you are in the small circle of Yang in the large dark sea of Yin.  These moments of Yang can be numerous, particularly if you cultivate them.  Career counseling sessions, networking opportunities, job searches, interviews, and training can fill parts of your days.  In the mist of Yin there must be some Yang, but this too passes. 

How you handle the Yin, is still your choice.  Yin by nature is cold, contracting, and the internal pulling force.  For now, go with the pull.  Take some time to look inside you.  Were you happy at 100 miles per hour?  Either answer is ok, if it’s the truth.

If you were happy, spend this reflective time thinking about if there is any part of your job you could have done better.  You were chosen for lay off over someone else for a reason.  Try to determine the reason and upgrade yourself if possible.  Some upgrades might be additional education/ training or development of management or people skills.  Make sure that your resume reflects these recent upgrades.  If appropriate, let your previous employers know of these as well.

If you weren’t happy, try to figure out why.  There are many reasons to try to just get back into another job doing the same work.  However in the current market place, employers will have their pick from numerous candidates.  When they compare you to someone who was happy in their work, it will be obvious to them that you were not.  Shouldn’t you have the same information that they have?

“Prolonged Dormancy (Yin) always results in Mobility (Yang).”  The stillness will not last forever.  Make the most of this gift of time that you have been given.

May productive Yang energy be yours again soon, Robin Keller, ASID, FSII, IFSG of Chameleon Spaces