10 daily activities to overcome the unemployment stress

Being unemployed is one of the most daunting and harsh times that a person could face.

As a job seeker, you may experience a bunch of negative emotions, such as loneliness, fear, anxiety, boredom, depression, embarrassment, rejection and failure. The reason of these emotions can be whether you are not getting your ideal occupation, although all your efforts; you get negative feedback or not get any response at all. Overall, you are not finding any opportunities that suit you.

You keep on spending much of your precious time looking for a job through job boards, hoping to find some interesting ads with no success.

Instead, you end up viewing people who seem living happily or busy doing something. Hence, you find yourself in a vicious circle of self-pity, boredom, depression, loneliness. Your life seems monotonous and you feel resigned and listless. As days go by you allow yourself to be carried along by the waves of that negative cycle.

Nevertheless, remember nothing lasts forever, both good and bad times end, I can assure you that so will do your unemployment one day, soon. You are not the only one feeling like that, although it may feel like it now.

“A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results.” Wade Boggs

Here,  I want to share 10 stress-relieving activities to put in action in order to get through this transitional and overwhelming period.

1. Reading and writing. You have plenty of downtime to read books or blogs and to write. You could start writing, for instance, your worries, list of your personal short/ long-term goals.
2. Watching movies/ videos or listen to inspiring podcasts.
3. Getting organized by preparing your daily and weekly schedules.
4. Staying healthy physically, mentally and spiritually e.g. meditation, yoga, fitness, resting up, taking a nap, eating healthy. A bunch of endorphins can make you shift to a good mood. Try new recipes.
5. Self-care, do not neglect your hygiene and appearance take care of yourself.
6. Pamper your pet, if you have one.
7. Socializing; Chatting or hanging out with friends, your family members or making new acquaintances.
8. If you are lucky to live in a town and not in a remote village, all you can do is apply as a volunteer to an industry you are most interested.
9. Take up a new hobby. For example, learning a new language. As long as you have an internet connection, you have all the means you need at your disposal, don’t you?
10. Learn something new. Take the time to learn something new that brings you purpose and happiness. Your unemployment can be an opportunity to discover a new career path or a true passion that you may not have thought about otherwise.

I suggest spending your downtime to discover what you’re really passionate about and breaking the job hunting routine every now and then.

Let me know in the comments section below: what do you think?

What activities helped you get through your unemployment downtime?

How did you bear the unemployment stress?

Did you discover your passion during this transitional time?

I would love to hear your feedback, it will help me improve. 

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin -Book Review

Do you like easy to read and deep stories?

Are you looking for a book about books?

If so, the Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin is for you.

In fact, the book is a real treasure with books and literary references.

In this book review, I briefly analyze the book and share my favorite quotes at the end of the page.

My Top 10 Life Lessons

There are so many lessons a person can learn from life at different stages in their existence.

In this blog post, I am going to share the most important 10 valuable life lessons that I have learned so far.

1. Take responsibility for your life and happiness. If you want to change your life or your mood, it’s up to you and no one else.
2. The most important things are not learned at school. Studying hard and good grades not always lead you to a successful life, what counts the most are your true interests, those that make your day.
3. Meeting genuine people can be as rare as making a long-lasting friends.
4. People’s seemingly perfect life is only your imagination; you see only what they want you let you see.
5.  Do not compare yourself to your peers.
6. You can’t be in sync with anyone, everyone has a different path in life, even if theirs cross yours.
7. You can’t force things to happen.
8. Books are always your loyal best friends.
9. A pet can make your day and help you go through bad days.
10. Missing your own pet can be as painful as missing a person.

 

What are the main lessons you have learned by your current age?

I would love to read your lessons and opinions.

“Tanamera” by Noel Barber – a book review

Are you fond of adventure books, forbidden passion/ love stories and especially timeless classics?

If so, Tanamera is your next book to read.

Written by Noel Barber, Tanamera is one of the timeless classics with exotic background. It’s a novel about action, adventure, forbidden love and passion, a very intertwined story.

It’s the “can’t put down” and the” read again” variety.

The main characters are John Dexter and Julie Soong, belonging respectively to British dynasty of Dexters and the Chinese Soongs. Their love outlasts despite the opposition from both of their families and the imminent outbreak of the World War II. The reader lives throughout their struggles, experiences, love and heartache.

The title may sound unusual, yet it is very intriguing. Tanamera derives from the malay word tanah-merah and it stands for Red Earth. It is the enormous house built by Grandpa Jack, the patriarch of the Dexter family.

When you think of Tanamera, imagine a building made up of twenty bedrooms, three living rooms, one poolroom, one dance hall that goes from east to west to be properly ventilated, a stage for a band, a dance floor big enough to allow two hundred couples to dance without jostling one another in front. It was originally designed to last hundred years.

Book division

The novel is divided in the following way:

• Backwards,
• 1^st part Singapore 1921-1936,
• 2^nd part London 1936-1937,
•  3^rd part Singapore and Malacca 1937-1941,
•  4^th part Singapore 1941-1942,
•  5^th part Malacca 1942-1945,
•  6^th part Singapore e Malacca 1945-1948,
• Afterwards,
• Glossary

Setting:  Singapore, Malacca, London

Time: 1920-1960

Number of pages: about 600

Date of first publication: 1981

Main characters:

• The Dexters: Grandpa Jack, Mr. and Mrs Dexter, John, Natasha,  Tim.
• The Soongs: Mr. and Mrs Soong, Julie, Paul;
• Mr and Mrs Scott
• Mike, the japanese friend
• Irene, John’s first wife
• Colonel, British army
• Ben, John’s first son
• Pela, John’s daughter

What do you think? Did you read Tanamera?

Do you love Noel Barber’s novels?