Pursuing Employment in These Tough Times: Instinct vs. Fear

Many sentences these days are preceded by "in these tough times," making each situation and seem that much more dramatic, that much more pressing. In reality, there are people who've been having tough financial times throughout the course of history, though those experiencing troubles are usually categorized as "lower class," which some have used to explain away the financial challenges of the lower class.

Now, foreclosure and bankruptcy are becoming common household words in homes of all income levels. Families in traditionally upper class homes are being forced to sell their homes out of necessity, not choice. All of a sudden, more individuals in each class are subject to the troubles previously only experienced on a widespread scale by those in the lower economic class.

Follow your bliss? Financial ruin and fear seem to be everywhere; they're spilling over into small, daily decisions, such as what brand of milk to buy, whether or not to have that latte, and which employment to pursue. Formerly, we were encouraged to "follow our bliss," but with the economic collapse surrounding us, following our bliss all of a sudden feels rather stressful. Following a passion does not often seem practical when bringing home money will save us from financial insecurity, we hope.

The job that doesn't feel right. Almost everyone has had a job situation in which they were not entirely certain, they had a bad feeling about a job opening, or they just plain didn't want to do it for some strange reason that they couldn't quite pinpoint. Before the economic collapse, some may have pursued these opportunities regardless. But many looked past them to new opportunities that made their hearts leap with excitement. Now, the fear that seeps into our common culture through media has ignited an almost fury of fear in which people are accepting a job, any job, just to have a job. Overriding your instincts on the basis of fear is not a new behavior; as children, we're taught to socialize and adapt to our surroundings, which often involves ignoring our feelings and instincts to fit in. However, instinct is a powerful force and one that, if ignored, can land us in a variety of precarious situations that do not fit us. In some cases, as I found myself in not so long ago, I found myself knee-deep in the quest for someone else's greatness. I tried it, it doesn't work.

Fear-based decision-making. So you've accepted a job that you know doesn't suit you, but you know will pay the bills for as long as it lasts. When acting out of fear, the world of possibilities shrinks away. Instead of expanding our individual and collective options, they decrease quickly. Decisions made out of fear hold us captive for as long as we let them. Until we decide to be through with this pattern and way of thinking, it will dominate our future decisions and transactions.

Changing the pattern. If, as individuals, we take responsibility for making informed decisions from an instinctive place, rather than one that is fear-filled, the direction of our society will change immeasurably. If we honor that feeling inside that this opportunity doesn't look quite right and trust that another one will unveil itself as we forge ahead on our own paths, it will appear. It sounds preposterous, but living with the trust that the next indicated step will reveal itself alleviates some of the pressure that we put on ourselves about getting a job, any job, just something that pays me some money so I can continue living. This type of thinking is pretty strongly ingrained in many of us, so overriding it can be quite challenging. First and foremost, the important thing is to stop, assess what you're feeling about a situation, and listen to the cues that you're kicking up about going forward. It may not be pretty and it may not seem rational, but listening to yourself is essential to re-focusing your life and reconnecting with your instintive nature. Above all, learning to trust yourself will serve you well in the long-run.

Do what you love! This is the best way to get in touch with your instincts. Go spend a morning doing what you love to do, whether its running, writing, reading, gardening. Do somethign purely for fun and look at the value of that activitiy. Observe how you feel when you do it. What kernels of wisdom can you pull out of this experience? See if any of this might translate into an occupation or activity that you can get paid for. It just might. Even if it doesn't, you'll have a better sense of how to tap those instincts. Doing this over time helps you tap in when you're in an emergency and really need to rely on them.