I have been unemployed for the past 7 months and let me tell you each day brings new challenges. Bills are piling up, I live in St. Louis and this area is not exactly BOOMING economically, my two areas of expertise are the railroad, and radio broadcasting (which coincidentally have been the two industries hit the hardest by the recession...YAY!!!) Last I checked there were at least 6 applicants for every 1 job, and most of those jobs pay a combination of diddly and squat.

HOWEVER things will get better, they always do, and the point of this blog isn't to point you in the direction of a job so much as to be there for you until you're back on your feet.

Here are my six tips for survivng unemployment and they have nothing to do with money.

1. Remember it's not your fault.

Most of us have been laid off, furloughed, or as I like to put it, put into storage. If this is your case remember it's not because you are stupid, or worthless, or a failure. It happened because you were unfortunate enough to be new to your job or in a department that was cut. Which brings me to point 2.

2. Don't believe this has anything to do with luck.

I often tell myself "If I had just gotten into radio two years ago when I wanted to I wouldn't be in this situation but it just has to be my LUCK that I got in at a time when NO ONE is hiring." That kind of thinking leads to depression and negative thoughts. There's no great force controlling the universe called luck. A belief in a higher power can be comforting but believing that the higher power is punishing you will only pin you to your bed.

3. Talk to your parents

Chances are your parents have gone through something like what you're going through. My father for instance was laid off for 5 years from his job. He scoffs at my seven months of anguish. If your parents haven't gone through this, find someone who has, ask them how they dealt with it, and I'm sure they'll tell you that they never thought things would get better either until they did.

4. Remember the bad times

I want you to think of all the times you thought things would be terrible, never get better, and then they didn't turn out as bad as you thought they would. What makes you feel bad isn't the actual situation so much as the worry and uncertainty.

5. Remember the good times

Believe it or not the happiest moments of my life have come in the last 7 months. The birth of my child, watching him grow, spending time with my wife, the feeling of companionship that we've gained by dealing with the financial struggles together. These are the things I think about whenever I start to beat myself up for not having a job yet. Remember happiness isn't defined by what you had but by what you did.

Keep telling yourself that every time you're happy that makes life worth living.

6. Don't give up

You're going to feel like giving up. When you apply for your dozenth job and you still don't get it you'll feel like it's just not in the cards for you. That's crap thinking. You'll never get a job if you don't keep trying. Go on craigslist, find a job that looks good for you, submit your resume, and just revel in how good it feels to just submit an application.

I hope these tips have helped. Feel free to drop me an e-mail: jonnickwier@gmail.com