The other night while watching “Up in the Air” I wondered if people who are laid off are going after their dreams. Because I am. I overlook that I’m a part of that statistic. I haven’t forgotten I was laid off, but mostly I’m so happy that being laid off now feels like the company did me a huge favor. After the sourness of the ego waned and pride dissipated, I feel great to be a person going after my “real” dream. So, watching this movie I thought, am I alone? Will we see a resurgence of the arts in 10 years because people are returning to their long-forgotten creative roots? When I was young, I would lie in bed and write in my notebook (which I still have) and create poetry that sounds beyond the scope of a 15 or 16 year-old. But I never thought – hey, I’ll be a writer when I grow up. However, as an adult when playing the game “Would You Rather” and being asked if I’d rather be a famous rock star or a famous novelist, the latter always won out. On the same subject, I’d rather have my bottom half be a horse than have scales all over my body.
When I was young, I dreamed of competing on Star Search. I can dance and could do flips back in the day (okay, I tried a few yesterday on the grass but my 30 year-old body wasn’t so into it) and although I had these abilities, I never felt that I could really follow a dream of being a dancer or even teaching dance. I have a fascination with interior design and clothing design, but again these careers felt out of reach. And I’m thinking I’m not alone. So, with all of us who have been laid off in the last few years, how many of us are now going after the dream? After I pondered this resurgence for love of what we do, I did a little research. Nope, not alone. ABC World News reported on reinventing yourself after layoff. I also found a documentary called Lemonade with a slogan that says, “It’s not a pink slip. It’s a blank page.”
I haven’t been writing much on my blog because I’m swamped with work — school work. I am reading the most wonderfully diverse, literary books and I am writing in a way that I didn’t know I was capable. I’m exploring my mind, pushing further, being asked by my advisor “to descend into the unknown.” This is the hardest job I’ve ever had and I’m not the best at it, but it feels worthwhile and I want to learn, and be better and try my hardest. Creativity is a wonderful thing and was lost to me for so many years. So if you’re facing a lay-off or know someone who is, ask them what they really want to do in life. You might be surprised by the answer.
And in a few years, let’s see if this creative resurgence has turned into feeling again like the four-letter word — work. I hope not! P.S. We leave in two weeks and four days for our two-month long trip to Asia. I will be posting more of our adventures this summer!
Back in 2007, when I first moved to California, I thought I was going to be able to transfer from the store I was working at to another down in Cali. For whatever reason, the transfer didn’t go through. I worked at a local copy shop for a month before I came into my first job as a freelance writer. It was losing one job and getting another one like it that I hated just as much that pushed me to look into other opportunities. If I hadn’t lost my job, I never would have known that it was possible for me to make a living as a writer.
The same thing happened a few months ago, on my move up from Sacramento. A transfer didn’t go through, and I had a few months to sort myself out before I started at Goddard.
I think it’s all in your outlook. A lot of people like working soulless corporate jobs because its regular, secure (sort of) and comforting; they don’t have to “wake up” to do their job (or live their lives, really.) If they lose their job, their world crumbles. For others, losing a job is merely a peddle in the shoe, to be upturned and let loose. Some of us adjust more quickly than others. Some of us move on to different things, some of us just get new jobs.
I’m glad to hear that you’ve found some peace with your layoff. While I’m sure Up in the Air helped, what really made the difference was your attitude and your outlook on life. Keep that up, and you’ll do just fine.