Funemployment. Stop Worrying and Enjoy the Break.

Have you noticed how schools prepare us for employment, but not for unemployment? At this point, it should be something you are openly taught about. People are losing their jobs due to layoffs and budget cuts. What are we doing to brace ourselves for something that is bound to happen?

Losing a job can be a sad and lonely experience, and it took me some time to work through my grief when I had to part with Milk Bar. It had become such a large part of who I was professionally. However, I learned an important lesson from that experience: Milk Bar didn't define who I was, it showed me who was always there from the beginning.

After the initial shock of receiving that call on a Friday morning wore off, I decided to be intentional with my time off. Everyone's approach to unemployment is different, mine looks like prioritizing rest and self-care. I listen to my body and give it the rest it needs, whether that means sleeping or just lying in bed. I also make time for my creativity to flow. That could be a home decor project, writing, or exploring the beautiful city of Houston. I carve out space in my life for the things that nourish me, like my friends and family. I research my passions that have nothing to do with work. Things I had forgotten I loved, making space for it again. This period of unemployment has been stressful, but it has also been a clear and joyful path to my soul and spirit.

I don't pretend to have all of the answers but I refuse to believe that unemployment is supposed to be a “woe is me” period. I’m gaining an abundance of me time. Will I still continue the job search? Absolutely, I have bills like the rest of us! I love my career, and I can’t wait to see where my career goes next but in the meantime, I am loving falling in love with myself again.

As a Black queer cis-gendered woman living in America, living with depression and anxiety is nothing new. But I choose to focus on my brilliance and charm and believe that I am good enough. I know that worrying won't magically disappear, but I channel that energy into things that bring me joy and radiate warmth. I deserve to indulge in these activities and pursue my greatest passion: myself.