How to take care of yourself amidst job search stress

There is probably not a more stressful and uncertain time in someone’s life than a job search. This transitional period is very notorious for being a very volatile environment filled with a lack of direction and a sense of defeat. Long waits to find a job, the stress, sense of dejection and discouragement after having a job interview. These are all emotions that a lot of people go through in that transition from school to real life.

The good news is that these are all things we have all gone through at a certain point in life, and we can confidently say there is a light at the end of the tunnel amidst all this uncomfortable stress. However, everyone is going through a different path in life, which means the length of this distinguished stressful period varies from person to person. With that said, there are many ways everyone can take care of themselves and be uplifted while they are going through this. Here are some tips in how to keep yourself energized and with a positive mind as you tread through what will feel like a bleak and hopeless season:

Treat each day as a new day

One of the big fallacies of human nature is the constant dwelling of the past. It’s very easy to always think of the failures of things that came before. Things you wish you had done. Things you wish you hadn’t said. The truth of the matter is, all these things are history. Whatever happened, happened. There is no changing the things that were done or said in the past, and you have the full power in your life to embrace that fact and focus more on being better moving forward. You’re only defined by your past if you let it. Move forward and feel like a new man and strive to be better, and you’ll see a more positive outlook going forward. No need to deal with the “what if’s”.

Be the person you want to be

No matter when you are in life, you always have the choice and ability to become the person you want to be. This is a sense of self-worth that can help propel you for the rest of your life and lead to great satisfaction, and it can be done on your terms and not others. Don’t be who others think you should be. You know what you like. You know what you want. Embrace the confidence of yourself, picking a career you know is right for you, and you’ll see how the pieces will fall into place. When you are confident in yourself, the long trudges of negativity that happen in the dark transitional period after college will help keep you positive amidst the doldrums.

Just do it

Don’t complain to make yourself feel better. Don’t just sit around waiting for something to happen. Don’t sleepwalk through life not appreciating what you have and what has led you where you are. Don’t put your life on hold for anything or anyone. Like mentioned above, you above anyone else have full control of your life, so take action and do it. Hold yourself to a higher standard. Set goals you want to achieve. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Carefully consider and evaluate the things you’re doing on a daily basis.

Be honest with yourself and others, remain open to constructive criticism. Finally, above everything else: stay positive, because why not?

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