Unemployed Life

So the first few months after becoming unemployed I didn't know what to do with myself. Nothing or nobody to dictate what I did, no schedule, and no structure. Alarm clocks, showers, and clothes other than sweat pants seemed to be a thing of the past. You would think that total freedom to do whatever would be awesome but this, at first, was uncomfortable and scary. It was hard for me to accept. At first I was really nervous about finances and brainstormed all the ways I could think of to make extra money: Collect aluminum cans, donate plasma, sell things on ebay, participate in clinical trials/studies, do whatever. Luckily, I was able to get unemployment which although isn't much to live on, can at least pay for the most basic bills. But even after the immediate concern about money wasn't there, I still felt like I should be working and didn't feel quite right that I wasn't. My career used to be the focus of so much. Work was not just work. This is what consumed my time, thoughts, goals, conversations and also was what provided me a sense of purpose, structure and even source of identity. So losing a job for me was much more that just losing a job, it left a huge void in my life that I didn't really feel comfortable looking at. Waking up at 11 am, showering only a few times a week, watching movie after movie, and doing job searches online were the extent of my weekly activities.

It has been harder than I expected to find a job. It has been almost 4 months since I have worked. Two months of this I did absolutely nothing besides from watching some truly awful movies (I would suggest never watching Material Girls) and feeling bad about being unemployed. Awhile ago I complained to Jesus, "I just don't know what to do!", Jesus being somewhat impatient with me but also very wise said, "Do all the things that you used to say you never have time for." So I did just that. I started a blog :). I went to the library and checked out a stack of books that I always used to say I "never have time to read" and signed up for some classes of things I was interested in learning including a basic sewing class and a cross county skiing class. I take Nacho for runs, I signed up to volunteer with Hospice, I cook something new every day, I read something inspiring, and mostly I just try to appreciate and find enjoyment in the simple ordinary things in life. I think losing my job might be one of the best things that has ever happened. So I am curious what would you do if you had more time?

Learning how to "bound" up the mountain in cross country skis

Enjoying the view from the top on the trail - making all that butt kicking "bounding" totally worth it!