Are You Being Downsized? Now is the time to revisit your life.

More and more often I am meeting people who are announcing their companies have downsized and that they are no longer employed. These individuals span all ages and levels of experience. They are facing a challenging time ahead.

But I argue, they are also facing a wonderful opportunity to rediscover what their passions are. They likely have some time and a little money to hold them over while they revisit the options that are available. They likely are limiting those options by only what they know how to do- specifically, what their old job was.

I encourage them (and you, if this article is about you) to take some time to explore what they REALLY want to do with the next decade of their life. What are their hobbies- can any one of those be made into a vehicle to make money. We’ve always heard people say, “love what you do and do what you love”. They are right. But, sometimes it’s hard to find a way to make that happen. Not impossible, but hard.

It takes a person to step out of their comfort zone a little. Imagine the possibilities (even outside of those that make perfect sense based on your old career). Stretch your imagination even further. Read about people and professions far away from your own. Dare to dream about work that fuels rather than exhausts you.

I chose to leave a lucrative career in Washington DC more than a year ago. I was an established researcher who could easily move around between firms chasing the projects or income I wanted. However, for me, the bigger picture was being lost. I wasn’t delighted with my life in DC. I felt as though everything outside of my career was on hold. I opted to move back to Pittsburgh (a place, one of many, that I had lived a few years prior) and start my own business. I fully prepared myself for the challenges ahead- even though I couldn’t identify them, yet. But, reclaiming me, my life, was so incredible that little else seemed to matter.

My journey over the last year has allowed me to grow more in 12 months than I had in the 5 years prior. What’s that worth to you? To me, it’s priceless.

If you or someone you know is being downsized, encourage them not to jump into the next “same” job they had- unless they LOVED it. Challenge them to take this time to do something bold, brazen, wild- explore them- who they are and want to be-, develop a new plan that includes their passions- and go for it!