You might have noticed it's been a couple weeks since I last posted. The reason being that I have been very busy pursuing daily leads, researching companies I am interested in and pursuing volunteer opportunities to keep myself productive. While I appreciate the need to maintain a project once it's started until it's completion -- as a screenwriter and filmmaker there is nothing I can stand less than a half-way completed work -- I feel I would be remiss not to realize that there is a thin line in the blog-o-sphere between a collection of interrelated personal experience and a personal diary. The latter of which will do nothing to help me in this period.
So with that being said, here's a bare-bones recap of some things I've been doing since my last post:
- Reading more books than I have since College. Having the time to read for intellectual pursuits and not just academic necessity is a joy I have only just begun to rebuild my appreciation for as an adult. I feel so connected to the world when I read a classic piece of literature, or a well-written piece of journalism on a news website. It's a great challenge mentally to try and learn read into a new world every day. Currently I am reading Bill Rasmussen's "Sports Junkies Rejoice!: The Birth of ESPN," which is of great interest to me for reasons that, by now, should be obvious.
- I have been taking more joy in my on-going sports media project: AHL Insider. While I have always realized that it was more of a display of talent then something that would ever get me noticed - I still get enough out of it every time that I feel motivated to do it more and more. My blog entries for AHL Insider have become less of a priority, however, I have maintained a Facebook page that is getting closer and closer to the 30 member mark where I will be able to have my own analytics. It is also a launching site for my weekly video series centered on the league - which is the most rewarding and challenging part of the project. I have attached the last two episodes below:
Finally, I would like to offer a little advice for anyone going through unemployment and getting frustrated more and more as the period lingers on. The greatest gifts of all come from overcoming the hardest things life throws at you. How do you do that? It all starts with having the right attitude and being strong enough to maintain your composure despite the negative feelings and thoughts that are bound to come from living a life without the guaranteed structure of work. While I am by no means an expert and have tough days just as often as anyone else - one thing that has helped me is to always put yourself out there whenever you feel trapped. There is no shame in admitting you're having a tough time, and people tend to be more receptive to those brave enough to share their hardships then you might expect. Everyone's been there at some point.
That being said, a public forum like a blog or social media sites like Facebook are no place to announce those feelings -- it's unprofessional and counter intuitive to the goal of being hired. Always measure your efforts equally towards keeping yourself gainfully productive as a job-seeker and share your daily struggles in your personal time. One of the joys of being unemployed is, for once, you truly have the time to work through everything else... so there's no reason to feel overwhelmed.
One of the hardest parts for me has been accepting the present and letting go of the past that got me here. It can sound very simple when someone says "focus on the here and now" but it's a lot harder when you know that the here and now is not where you want to be and you're desperate to understand how to avoid staying here. While there are things to be learned from past decisions and mistakes, they are usually things to accept and move past, not obsess upon. The more time you spend in your head looking at anything but the present, the further you get away from it. Good things happen when you engage in the here and now, no matter what it is, and give it everything you've got. I believe that is true for the employed and unemployed alike. So if you feel stuck, remember that life is long and winding, you never know what's going to happen next - only that change is a constant rule. If you trust in that while doing everything you can to achieve your goals then you are on the road to success. I believe that now, four months into unemployment, and I will remember that long after I get my next job opportunity.
Until next time, True Believers
