Okay… this Category of postings is about keeping body and attitude in good working order while navigating a career move. I’ll start with my little episode meant to emphasize the importance of self-care during a significant life transition like job search.
Early on in my search, I started itching. Hmmm. It was too cold outside that month for mosquitos. Randomly little red spots would appear on my arm, then my knee…then go away. And if I scratched them they would get bigger. A rash? Caused by my soap or shampoo or laundry detergent? Nope. Took a Benadryl — they went away. The next day, the top of my foot and my wrist started itching. In the spirit of self-diagnosing (like any Internet-savvy soul would do), I searched the web about “hives”. I’ve never had them before, but my symptoms matched what I’d heard. Sure enough, that’s what I had. Benign, yet irritating. And why now? They were messing with my “chi”.
I tried to blame them on medication, but the symptoms remained after the pills were gone. A dear friend (thanks Cindy!) who’s not a medical expert, quickly assessed, “So many changes are going on in your life right now — you have stress-induced hives.” No way! I felt so calm and positive about my job prospects (it was early). But inside my body was having a different reaction. So I decided to exercise (and exorcise) those little red bumps from my system by increasing my visits to the gym to 5 times/week. Viola! It worked. The stressors remain , but the hives are gone.
Change is always stressful – even when you like change as I do. The more layers of change, the more layers of stress. You may not react by breaking out randomly in hives (I never had before), but you may gain weight/lose weight, get headaches, catch cold/flu, show your temper, dip into depression, or a host of other reactions. Most stress responses will make your job search more difficult if not sabotage it altogether. So this category is where I’ll post thoughts on how to manage your head, heart, and body.
The most important thought (shared by dear friend, CB) – “You will find meaningful employment again!”
My Daily Steps 