Laid Off | Dina Runs

I have been sick for two weeks. Two weeks where my head felt like it was full of cotton balls. Two weeks where my chest burned and breathing was difficult on most days, so exercise was out. Being a bit of a sweat addict and not having the best time lately, not being able to workout has been crushing. Putting my sneakers and Garmin on today felt amazing. I love the freeing feeling of running. How it clears my mind and allows me to workout a lot of the little ideas that are always rolling around in my head. This is definitely one of those times when I really needed that.

When I came back from my run, I forced myself to actually do something productive. I think during this lay off, I need to make sure to keep a regular schedule of productivity. I made a to do list and one big item on it is to update my LinkedIn profile. It was skeletal and completely outdated. The last time I was in the job market, I used more conventional means to find it and am interested to see how effective sites like LinkedIn are.

After I felt I accomplished all I could for the day, I pulled the cookie dough I made yesterday from the refrigerator. I love to bake and used to not have much time for it. I took out my copy of The Original King Arthur Cookbook which is an amazing cookbook. The best part is it encourages modifications and gives great suggestions as to how you can easily modify the recipes. It is meant to be an evolving cookbook where people put their own spin on the recipes.

If you are not familiar with King Arthur, please check out their baking blog. It is very comprehensive plus they are extremely helpful if you have any questions or concerns about any of their recipes or products. (I swear, I am not being paid by King Arthur. I just really love them.)

Grandma Swift’s Molasses Cookies contain molasses, ginger, and cinnamon. They are soft with just a hint of sweetness. I love a spice cookie so these should go fast.

Have you had good luck with LinkedIn?

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My department at work was eliminated and I was just told that my last day is Friday.

I am so sick with the plague (otherwise known as the head cold that could bring down civilizations) that I can barely react to this news.

I am a long-term employment type of gal and worked at my former job for four and a half years. There are lots of great memories and people who I hope to keep in touch with.

So what to do now?

Losing your job during one of the worse economic times in the past few decades is not ideal. Losing your job when your spouse is a fulltime student is even less so. So instead of curling up in the fetal position and feeling sorry for myself, I will be proactive.

This past year of working my butt off from Couch-to-5K to running a half marathon has given me the confidence to branch out. To strive for something greater. Did I love my last job and see myself doing it forever? Not really. Does this trying situation give me the opportunity to try something new? I hope so.

It is a lucky coincidence that a political junky is in need of employment during an election year in a swing state in a swing area that is bound to need paid staffers. It is also lucky that my new found interest in social media seems to be a growing industry that may have some openings in Central Florida.

Moving Forward

I need to update my resume and reach out to all of my contacts. Here is to hoping that someone in my extended network knows of an opening. Until then, I will keep my head up and keep moving forward. One foot in front of the other.