Our self image is built and rebuilt on a daily basis through our thoughts, actions and interactions. For many of us a great deal of the input for our definition of self comes from our work. When we lose a job it can affect us on many levels.

Work is an exchange of values. There is the value placed on the service you provide, and you receive compensation for your time or knowledge. Your energy goes outward in the form of ideas, decisions, and actions, and produce results. The primary return may be in the paycheck, but it can also include a feeling of accomplishment, the interactivity with others, a glowing review, or a success to add to your resume.

With the current structure of our workforce we don’t always have the time and energy to focus on much else. We return home to tend to our families, and awaken the next day to repeat the cycle. This emphasis on one form of expression is fine, until something goes wrong.

Leaving a job is a big change in our live. It’s not so bad when you hop from one job right into another, but when the economy is challenged and finding a new job is not so instant we can fall prey to worry, and question our value.

In essence we lose many things in a layoff. The most obvious is our paycheck. Survival is our most primal level, one that cannot be ignored. The paycheck is not the only loss: we lose our day to day companions called our co-workers; our schedule and routine is disrupted; and most importantly, we lose one of the measurement tools for our value and worth.

It cannot be denied that the most effective solution is to gain new employment or return to our old job. In the meantime we can turn around this unfortunate situation by looking inward and using this incident as a tool for self improvement.

Focus for a moment on the other areas in your life that give you’re an outlet of expression. You might be in the church choir, or assist in your child’s team events. There can be other areas of value on this list, like your exercise program, interactions with friends, or something as simple as walking the dog. Those routines can give you a sense of comfort while you reconnect the work aspect of your life.

Opportunity knocks, and today the focus is restoring self through awareness. You have a doorway open to self insights that are not usually in question. Behind those question lies a vast wealth of personal empowerment that can serve you in your future. We will focus on releasing and restoring in part two of this series.