Finding Yourself Over 50

Most of us talk about 'finding ourselves' when we're teens, maybe just out of college, but when you're suddenly unemployed and over 50 it's time to do it all over again.  More of the same angst? OH NO!  That again?  Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, the answer to that is yes.  Maybe until you were suddenly unemployed you never ever realized that somewhere along the line you'd 'lost yourself.' 

How many of us get out of school, get jobs, and suddenly find our lives are half over and we're just not happy.  We've never quite found our niche in life.  Oh sure, maybe we're parents, and have had a job that pays the bills, but that sense of being US, finding our inner self, have you done it?  If not, now is the time.  Unfortunately for many of us right when we're on the road to finding ourselves we got sidetracked.  All of a sudden we had spouses, children, car payments and mortgages.  We no longer have the luxury of experimenting.  We have to have that paycheck.


But now, while you're unemployed and looking for a job, take the time to explore who you REALLY are and what you REALLY want to do.  Is there a job you've always wanted but just didn't want to risk leaving your sure fire paycheck for?  Now is the time to take that risk.  You can only job hunt so many hours of the day, after that what do you do?  Watch TV? Read? Or is it time to find out, deep down who you really are and where you want to go in life.  Consider interning while you job hunt.  Explore your options.  Go back to school and take some classes.  It's time for you to take care of you. 


Yes, I know, you may still have that mortgage (if you're lucky you've paid it off), or you have insurance that will cover your bills until you get another job.  Maybe you got a severance package--use it.  For YOU.  After all, isn't it time to do something for you? 


I'm not saying change after 50 isn't a tough thing to do.  You are probably set in your ways and used to doing things one way, change is always hard, but expanding your horizons is always worth it.  Give it a try, at least an attempt, before you settle back into another 9-5 ho hum job that's the same as your last one.