Reality Check About Unemployment - What does it really mean?

I just finished reading a blog about the current state of unemployment - which does nothing to help you survive being unemployed.  Sure, it's no secret that it's at 10%; that when the underemployed are counted, it jumps to 17+%; and that there is no way to count the number of people who are no longer eligible for unemployment benefits are not even counted - there is no real idea how many people are not employed.

I got angry reading the blog because it did nothing to help anyone do anything.  I got depressed reading it!

So, what does knowing all of that do for you?  Not a thing.  Not a darn thing unless you start thinking about how you are going to survive your current condition of being unemployed.  There is only one real statistic that matters to you and that is are you working or not, right?  At some level, it all comes down to you and how you treat not having a job.  You have a choice.

You can choose to either give in, give up, take it on the chin and be out for the count, or you can get your butt up off of the mat and work to make things better.  Yes, you can make it better.  And, the first step to making it better is approaching each day with optimism. 

It takes courage to get up and face the day.  It takes hope to send out that resume or start contacting your network.  Sometimes it just takes getting up and doing it - taking one step; putting one foot in front of another.  Some days you just don't feel like it, I know because I have been there.  But, if you are ever to start your new life, you are going to have to find it.  You are going to have to find it because chances are it will not find you,  But, the good news is that you can do it.  You can find your new life, your new job, starting right now by taking one step, by not sleeping late tomorrow.  It's a whole new day and can be a new start for you.

The first step is getting up and facing it - which you can do.