A few months back, I found myself unemployed, by choice, stupidly. I quit a job I disliked, worked for three days in a different line of work, hated it and quit. I left that job knowing three things:
1) There are tens of thousands of employment opportunities out there.
2) I had an ample tax return coming my way.
3) Bi-weekly child support payments would most definitely help.
Within a week, I learned that my ex wife lost her job and therefore the child support coming to my bank account mid-month and month-end would come to a screeching halt. Also, during said week, I would have the news broken to me that my tax return needed additional paperwork and would need to be reassessed. That was almost four months ago and I have yet to see it. And the job front? Forget about it. I was applying daily, all over the place yet couldn’t secure anything. In one moment, I had made a rash decision and now my entire financial world was flipped upside down.
Certain aspects prevented me from obtaining employment in a chosen field but generally speaking, I put myself out there, a lot. I became a job whore, applying anywhere and everywhere, hoping someone would want me. Several places said they were interested, then never got back to me. Other’s were only looking to fill part-time. I brought a resume to a pet store and the barely eighteen year old working there asked if I was dropping it off on behalf of my son. Classic. Frustration mounted come the end of each week, never getting anywhere until that one sweet day when I officially secured a new day job. Great success.
What did I learn from it all? Automatically one would think, “Don’t ever quit a job before having another lined up.” Yes, that’s a good one but see, I had confidence. I didn’t need to go that route. I was set…getting work would be easy plus I had money coming to me from two other sources! But, of course, all fell through. So what I have actually learnt from it is:
1) Stuff happens. Plans can fail. It can happen at any time.
2) I hate working. I just want to write.
3) As much as I hate day-jobbin’ it, I also quite enjoy eating and having bills paid.
Big changes are on my horizon. Soon, I will be getting away, dropping off the proverbial grid and recharging. One can accumulate a fair chunk of debt in not working for two months. All will be fine. Or will it? Plans can fail. But goals can be reached.
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