Unemployment is a traumatic experience. It is neither vacation nor sabbatical. You have no control over how long it will last. You apply and interview for jobs and get rejected over and over again.

Unemployment is isolating. You feel judged for not working and you keep a low profile. You apply and interview for jobs and get rejected over and over again.

Unemployment makes you question your worth. It makes you question your sanity. You apply and interview for jobs and get rejected over and over again.

I was very fortunate during my unemployment. I had a lot of resources and privileges that a lot of unemployed folx do not have. Most people don’t have support or safety nets.

If you know an unemployed person, especially if they are working hard to get a job, find out what they need. Sometimes it may just be an invite for coffee or lunch, or a walk outside.

A lot of unemployed folx hunker down, especially during the pandemic...they may not leave home, they go without. They may never ask you for a dime. But they do crave feeling connected, wanted, needed.

What saved me during my ten months of unemployment was continued engagement with professional associations, community service, academic work. If I had been denied that, I am not sure where I would be now.

What saved me during my ten months of unemployment was my partner. She stuck with me through this, and listened, and we went through it together. I learned that I am more than my paycheck or a title to her and that I am worth keeping.

I have an international community of friends, colleagues, acquaintances who kept me going during my ten months of unemployment. They cheered me on and I could reach out to any of them to talk.

Regular exercise and healthy eating habits saved me. Music and writing saved me. Staying connected to the world and in tune with my body saved me. I did not give up.

This week I start a new job. I will soon put unemployment behind me, but I will never forget it, especially as I will be providing educational resources and support to those who have hit rock bottom. We will all rise from the ashes together.