“I am worried and I don’t know what to do!” – A very common expression that I get to hear from people who are hit by the given crisis of COVID 19. I am a recruitment professional and the crisis I am referring to here is job loss that a lot of professionals are experiencing due to its impact on the businesses worldwide. I have tried to answer this question for few such people who have reached out to me – the following article is a collation of what got discussed –
To deal with the situation – what is required is a very focused planning and action. The given expression that “I am worried! And I don’t know what to do!” are the biggest mind blocks that one needs to overcome on priority!
Let’s begin with the first part of the expression – “I am worried!”
We all know that worrying does not help in solving the problem and that is because when we are worried, we are kind of paralyzed, somehow it drains all the energy out of us and causes inaction.
Let me quote a story from Zen teachings which goes something like this –
“Once a highly educated, scholarly person in the quest to learn about Zen visits a very reputed Zen Master and requests him to teach him about Zen. Zen Master offers him a cup of tea before they can start. He pours tea into his cup and does not stop even after it is filled. The scholar looks at the overflowing cup and immediately alerts the Zen master. Zen master then smiles and says – “Like you cannot pour more tea into already filled cup you cannot learn Zen unless you “Empty your Cup”…This story may seem to have different context but it is very relevant here, because this is what WORRY does to you…it fills up your cup (your mind) and leaves no room for any constructive thinking. Your ability to find a solution to the problem is obscured.
So how do we empty our cup – how do we NOT stop worrying!
If you look closely your worry is a set of thoughts, the thoughts of unpleasant possibilities like if I do not have a job, I will not have any income, if I don’t have a income how am I going to take care of my family, my expenses, my future, my lifestyle etc. OR why did this happen to me and related thoughts!
If you look even closer you will know these are all not your real current situation but these are all something that is likely to happen in the future OR something that has already happened in the past. Hence both your so-called worries are not real, they are notional, virtual, and mere mental projections.
Your real challenge or real situation can only be defined as “I have lost my Job” OR “I am Jobless”
We can stop worrying by being alert and catching ourselves dwelling into our NON real thoughts and this conscious effort is all that is required to empty your cup and create the space. This space is then used to find the answer to the next expression – “I don’t know what to do!”
The answer to this question is known to every one but due to lack to mental space it is does not emerge – hence once you know how to stop worrying the answer to “I don’t know what to do!” just shows up –
Please remember that you were working and you had a job is because of your skills, knowledge and competencies (SK&C) and you will find a job because of your skills, knowledge and competencies (SK&C) only.
Before we go in to the step by step process of what is required to be done, let’s understand the basic reality of Job OR Work.
When we work, we apply our SK&C to create value for the organization that we work for, the organization (group of people) creates value to their clients or customers and the customers create value for their consumers (we could be one of them ourselves!). This is the ecosystem. We all benefit from each other directly or indirectly – we are all connected. The bottom line is you will be employed till you are adding value to others. You are able to add value to others is by employing your skills, knowledge and competencies (SK&C).
So here is the step by step action plan –
- Identify your desired area of work in which you would like to make your contributions.
- Identify your skills, knowledge and competencies that are required to be the best in your chosen field. List them down!
- Introspect and rate yourself in the SK&C that you have listed.
- If you are confident that you have the desired SK&C – then highlight them and put them in your resume.
- Then promote yourself on all the available relevant platforms.
- In case you are not confident about your SK&C towards getting into your desired area of work then you should step back and consider training yourself.
- Once you are ready then go back to step 4 and step 5
Bonus thoughts –
- This is also a good time to change your profession and do something you really wanted to do.
- If there is dearth of permanent employment consider doing contracting or freelancing assignments.
- Starting something on your own can also be considered.
- Training and Certifying yourself is also a very good long-term option.
- Just be open to all the possible alternatives.
The answer to the expression “I am worried! And I don’t know what to do!” is within you and all that is required is to create the mental space and take right action. The above article is only a humble effort to give you some insights in to this expression and a possible way-out.
So, what are you waiting for – STOP WORRYING! TAKE ACTION! ALL THE BEST!
Please do write in with your thoughts OR any guidance that you may require OR if you are looking for any sounding board to clear up your thoughts! We look forward to be of service to you!