The “F” Words: Fear, Furlough and FAITH
Recently, our organization like many across the country underwent layoffs and furloughs and it shook me to the core. Although fortunate to find myself still employed, I couldn’t shake the fear of the unknown. The time between our CEO announcing the devastating news that there would be layoffs and furlough and when I received the actual phone call that I was still employed were the longest moments of my life. I decided at that moment that I would never want to be caught in that position of fear ever again.
The fear of furlough stirred up many questions: “If it happens, where would I go? What would I do? As a single mom, who would be my support if any? Would I qualify for unemployment, would I be able to work? Do I get benefits? Soooo many questions about the unknown that raised my fear of furlough to an even higher level.
In order to conquer this, I was reminded, number one that I cannot worry about things that I do not have any control over, and number two, I need to deal with what was right in front of me today. This helps me to get through on a daily basis, but the undercurrent of fear still grips me, so this is what I am doing. I figured I would share and hope it helps you as much as it is helping me.
1. Get a full understanding of what being furloughed really means. Getting a good understanding of the situation can help you create an emergency back up plan. Do your research to gain an understanding so you know how to prepare.
2. Save Save Save. I took a good look at my budget and determined what I could eliminate and started to deposit that money into my savings account to help build up an emergency savings. Also, the gas and toll money that I have been saving since I have been working from home has also gone towards building that savings. I have read in several different places to try to have anywhere from 3–6 months of living expenses accumulated in your savings so should in case of an emergency you will be OK for a while, so that is what I am working towards.
3. Update the Professional Profile: I have taken this time to spruce up the resume and have it ready to go just in case. I am also taking this time to improve my LinkedIn profile to better reflect my story. As much as I LOVE my current job and they would probably have to drag me kicking and screaming to leave, the unknown is unknown so it can’t hurt to be prepared.
4. Network: I have jumped on more zoom calls that I can even think of, not only for the learning opportunities, but also to network. Everyone knows the Arts Industry is hurting right now, so I have decided to expand my circle to learn about and connect with other Volunteer Manager Professionals in industries outside my own. I am learning so much and discovering positions and industries that I never even knew existed like CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility). Thank you Jerome Tennille for opening my eyes to this industry! My inner “Sniff” (character from “Who Moved My Cheese”) is simply sniffing around to see what other possibilities I could potentially be a good fit for. The arts will always be my first love and foremost choice, but it never hurts to discover how your skill set may transfer to other industries and professions just in case. Two great arts industry stories I heard are a head carpenter transitioning to selling houses and a wardrobe person joined a company that does personal styling for men. Brilliant!
5. Reach out to fellow colleagues who have been furloughed. This serves a dual purpose. First of all, it reminds your colleagues, some who I am sure who have grown to be great friends, that they are not forgotten and that you are still thinking of them. Secondly, oddly enough, depending upon the case, you may come to the realization that being furloughed may not be as bad as it has been created your imagination. (Don’t get me wrong, please know that I am in no way trying to downplay the tragedy of furlough. I am just trying to illustrate that I personally tend to be a little over dramatic and my overactive imagination can take me to scenarios that are almost three times worse than reality).I have reached out to several furloughed colleagues, and found to my relief that they were actually doing better than I had perceived they would be given my imagination. Several have even mentioned that they have welcomed the break. I was mind blown. I couldn’t even imagine saying such a thing. That gave me a bit of perspective and lot of hope.
6. Meditate / Pray — Meditation can set your mind at ease and is proven to reduce stress and control anxiety. For me, prayer is the reminder that God is much larger than my circumstances and is concerned about my well-being. It simply reminds me of the fact that I am not in this alone.
7. Faith. At the end of the day, I just have to trust, believe and have faith, that on a daily basis, everything is going to be OK. My studies have taught me that it takes the same amount of energy to have faith as it does to worry. So, when those crazy thoughts manifest in my head like “in three months I may not have a job,” I immediately counteract it with “in three months we may be returning to the office.” Both are legitimate possibilities, but I can’t control either so worrying over the next three months about either is no way to live. It will rob me of the blessings that I am seeing, hearing and experiencing on a daily basis. For all I know, life may have a third hidden option that I didn’t even think of three months from now. So, in the meantime, I will focus on things that I can control such as working diligently and purposely/mindfully reminding myself on a daily basis that the seeds planted mentioned above (steps 1–6) will bear fruit in due season. I will continue making the choice, on a daily basis, to remind myself that at the end of the day, just as sure as the sun rises and sets, no matter what my future holds, as difficult as it is to convince myself, that I will indeed, be OK.
Nicole is a Panamanian-American, single mother, workforce development specialist, dancer, motivational speaker and published author of Game On! Relentlessly Pursue Your Dreams and many inspirational note-taking journals including 101 Affirmations for Volunteer Administrators, Professional Women and Entrepreneurs, She attended Oral Roberts University on a Division I full-ride track scholarship. After graduating, she founded Step It Up! Inc., a non-profit dance organization. Her experience in sports and entertainment, radio, TV and the performing arts has spanned nearly 20 years covering the Chicago, Houston and Miami markets. She has prepared more than 500 interns to enter the workforce and has inspired crowds upwards of 2000. In 2019 she was listed as one of WLRN’s “Local Women Who Inspire You”, she was selected as one of Legacy Miami’s Most Prominent and Influential Black Women In Business and Industry of 2019 and became a contributing writer for The Life of a Single Mom. Her mission is based on Proverbs 13:19: A dream fulfilled is sweet to the soul. Her desire is to maximize and empower the potential of the invaluable workforce. Connect with her at www.nicolersmith.net and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
