Sunday 20 Questions - Week 1

Marc and Angel Hack Life is one of my favorite and most inspiring blogs. A while back they had a post on 20 questions to ask yourself every Sunday. I've decided I will start to do this weekly right here! Here is week 1 - a little bit late...true to form ;-)

What are your answers? If you blog about this as well let me know! I love to hear about others joys and struggles :)

1. I learned that I am stronger than I think I am. I will accomplish great things even thought there might be many obstacles in my path.

2. My greatest accomplishment was getting a job after 7 months of unemployment!

3. Again with the job offer! Because 7 month of unemployment will make you crazy and the offer seemed to have balanced out my mood and craziness in the snap of a finger!

4. My number 1 goal this week is to learn and study everything about my new job. There will be things I don’t know and I CANNOT put off learning them as I tend to do!

5. I am reminding myself that training starts next week so my focus is on work and that is OK. I will do my best to work out once daily, but the twice dailies are not a focus this week by any means…and that is OK.

6. I’ve struggled with self doubt and low self esteem. I know I can kick ass at this job and I will, but sometimes I will doubt myself, hopefully it won’t cloud me. Nay…It won’t cloud me; I won’t let it!

7. TV…the usual!

8. Worry about my diet (in the healthy sense) and the inches I have put on this month. Training starts soon, this week focus on work!

9. Finishing up ALL the Ebay auctions. I completed a good chunk of them but the few I didn’t have been sitting around for years (seriously!) I will make time on Tuesday or Thursday night to crank those out!

10. A couple more interviews might still be in play, I can still offer my help to friends on a freelance basis and I still have the option of pursuing personal training and nutrition as a side gig.

11. I need to email a number of people that I have been putting off and call my good friend who I accidentally ditched on my last week home due to my depression cloud.

12. Oh so many people in my life deserve a big THANK YOU – my bf, my friends, my family. They have all been so supportive over the last few months in so many different ways. I will make a list and try to thank them all.

13. I already got one of my friends an interview this week! Does that count?? Also, I need to cook and prepare some healthy food to help myself and BF stay in a healthy mindset.

14. 1-Pay off my debts 2-buy a house 3-get a pup!

15. Yes, I stayed out of further debt during unemployment and now I am budgeting with my new job to maximize my money towards debt elimination

16. Cut back on spending; stop giving in to my wants. Same step for all three since they are contingent on each other.

17. I am looking forward to getting down and dirty at my new job and then to Friday night happy hour!!

18. I am afraid that I will not rock the socks of my new boss, or that they will regret hiring me. I know I can prove my awesomeness. There will be things that I don’t know, but I am willing and able to learn and master them. I need to let that shine through and squash that pesky self-doubt

19. I am most grateful for my BF this week. He has handled my unemployment and job offer with such patience and love that I can’t even find the right words to show my gratitude and love for him. He’s the best.

20. My BF, My Sister, and My mom…oh! And my kitties of course!

Unemployment & Depression

As I hinted in previous posts: I was having a bit of a hard time keeping my emotions in check during the tail end of my unemployment. Since roughly the beginning of March, I was pretty much losing it.

The feelings of worthlessness, sadness, frustration, anger, and helplessness were so strong and over powering that simply getting out of bed and trying to maintain the semblance of a healthy routine was utterly exhausting.

Based on my history with bouts of depression I feel confident that I was suffering from mild to moderate clinical depression. Now, I did not go to a doctor, but I was getting there. The thought to seek out help, once again, crossed my mind and BF's lips often over the last 2 months.

Luckily, the stars aligned and my amazing group of friends suddenly set me up with a number of interviews which led to a job offer! The timing was great. Another few weeks of unemployment and I am certain that avoiding the therapist would have been impossible and dangerous.

I want to stress that depression should never be ignored. I justify my own decision to avoid help by telling myself that I am more aware and in control of myself than most people, even in depression. But, in reality, I probably should have gone. I am truly lucky that my situation changed as quickly as it did but it might have changed sooner if I had been able to deal with my anxiety and feelings of despair.

While 7 months of unemployment does majorly SUCK; many others have been and will be unemployed much longer before our country starts to recuperate. I consider myself lucky that depression was the worst part of my experience. Things are ugly out there right now.

If you are stuggling with your own situation (unemployment or any one of the many other things life likes to hurl at us) please seek help. It is critical!

Back!! and EMPLOYED!!!

Hi Everyone! Sorry for my disappearing act. I will write very soon about what caused my escape from blogging.

In other news though; today is my last day of being unemployed!!! I start a new job on Monday at an established, fun, and innovative Silicon Valley advertising agency. So nervous and so excited!

I've missed you guys and will be working myself back into full swing over the next couple weeks :-)