Unemployment is a killer. It can kill your spirit. It can kill your self-confidence. It can kill your bank account. Let's not pussyfoot around that.
The good news is that with the right attitude and tools, you can survive and even thrive in a period of unemployment.

Let me begin by telling you my story. I wish I could give it a happy ending, but that remains to be seen. One thing I do know is that I have survived long enough to type these words, and I'm actually feeling pretty good about things. If I stop to think about it, the only problem in my life right now is that I don't have any income.

That's right. I said it. No money -- what the heck could I possibly know, right? There went my credibility. Everybody wants to listen to the guy who made ten million bucks (selling his get-rich-quick program) and wants to show you how to do the same thing (after you buy his get-rich-quick program). Why do people listen to that guy? I don't know, but they do or he wouldn't be in business.

Handling Life's Challenges, Failures, and Setbacks

I often say that pursuing one's life's vision by overcoming life's challenges is the road to sustainable happiness. However, dealing with life's challenges (which many of us consider anything that impedes us from achieving our goals such as failures and setbacks) can be a real problem for most of us. You see, most of us are not armed with the thinking necessary for properly handling life's challenges. Think to yourself:

How do you deal with life's challenges such as setbacks or failures?
How do you deal with the risk(s) they present?
How do you deal with the fear or anxiety that they unearth?
Well, all of these questions deal with one thing, one's willingness or ability to persevere regardless of the obstacles that he/she faces. Now, can you persevere in the face of failure, tremendous risk, or fear? Many people would answer, no. But, for those that answer yes, success awaits. While these individuals are pursuing their life's vision, everyone else waits for the failure, risk, or fear to dissipate.

Improving Your Positive Attitude

Have you ever notice that some people will berate and belittle others in order to prop themselves up? Psychologists believe that people do this so they can make themselves look better by tearing down and ripping apart other people around them. If you have found yourself doing this, then you need to stop.

The reason is that hurts your own personal positive attitude when you berate others. It also causes them to come forth with a reciprocal response and challenge your personal character. Now this is not to say that your personal character should not be challenged if you're going around in berating others, as perhaps there is a character flaw there in something you need to work on.

No, no one is perfect and yes and everyone has most likely done something like this in their lifetime and many people do it without even thinking about it. There hurtful remarks tear down other people's self esteem and self confidence causing friction and anger. Then their victims further push more hurtful remarks on the rest of the world.