I’ve watched in horror as so many people have lost their federal jobs. Then, in a true ripple effect, more people have lost their jobs to funding that has been eliminated. The next layer beyond that are people who no longer have business they counted for the upcoming year’s income. Farmers, small business owners, creators, community businesses surrounding national parks…the ripples are far reaching. 

It feels difficult to breathe, doesn’t it? 

The effect of all these firings and layoffs is leaving many lives reeling in their wake. Job loss has very real implications for individuals, families, children, communities, and programs and services. 

As a grief care provider, I can safely say the intensity of the grief is growing. I thought we were in a grief pandemic after 2020, but now…the proportions are beyond imagination. It seems as if every day there are new levels of loss and suffering. 

Everywhere I go, I learn of people’s losses. 

Of the kinds of losses that leave people worrying about paying their mortgage, providing food for their families and having access to transportation. Medical care for many is on hold without the funds or support provided by benefits received from work. Those already on the margins are facing more challenges. 

In the best of times, navigating job loss can be challenging. Grief, shame, doubt, regret, and outrage are among the top feelings I’m hearing. These feelings are very real and a natural and healthy response to the present moment of uncertainty. 

Not all of us have the luxury of taking time to sort through these feelings while job-seeking. In fact, it may be totally necessary to dig in and find work as quickly as possible. Not work that is fulfilling but work that fulfills the need to pay bills. That pressure is very real, too. 

While there are tons of resources available right now for job seekers, it may be difficult to find the interior grounding you need while under pressure. 

Even as you address the urgency of this moment, I invite you to find ways to live a tiny bit beyond the fear. To seek ways to connect, ground, and trust that God is working for good even in these hard times. 

To do that, you must tap into other kinds of resources. These resources look to me like radical self-care. So, even though it is tempting to show up and dig in every day to the grind of finding new work, you can also find moments to rest, reflect, and take good care of yourself. 

Regrouping under stressful circumstances (because I’ve been there too) may feel as if fun, rest, eating healthy, taking a walk, spending time with friends, calling or FaceTiming with someone you love, doing things that are free, is a waste of time. Instead, my own experiences have taught me that they are not a waste of time but an absolute necessity. 

What strategies are you using to cope with the ever-changing landscape of work? How are you managing your own job search if you are in one? How are you leaning into even stronger self-care at the same time? Can you pursue one without abandoning the other? 

Who do you lean on if you need support for your grief, loss, and change? Are you able to ask for help? 

As a grief coach, I work with people navigating the space between loss and life reconstruction. If you are coaching curious or simply needing a way to explore the questions of the moment, I invite you to sign up for the 45-minute Live the Questions offering. 

This is an effective way to learn about the co-collaborative process of coaching as well as gaining insight about your own needs and how coaching might support them.