Feeling Angry About Being Unemployed?

                         Do you see 'red' when you think about being unemployed?

Feeling angry about being unemployeed is a common reaction to an unfortunate situation; however, for some, it is not always an easy emotion to identify. This is because anger can manifest itself in a number of disguised ways such as depression, sarcasm, negative expressions/communication, illness etc.
Sometimes anger can appear suddenly; exploding unexpectedly and surprising the job seeker as well as family and friends who may experience the repercussions of the job seeker's misdirected anger. This type of anger is easily identified.

Anger can have damaging effects not only to the job seeker and family/friends but also to the job search process. That's why it is important to identify it and attempt to deal with it!
Once identified and acknowledged, it is important to release it in an appropriate and safe manner.
Keeping in mind that everyone is different, some ideas for releasing anger include:

-physical activity; including sports, walking/jogging, dancing etc. Singing to music is useful for some people

-yelling in a safe environment where others are not startled and/or impacted (ie. in a stationary vehicle with windows rolled up; in a forested area). Some people find it useful to scream into their pillow.

-throwing safe objects in a safe environment (ie. tennis balls against a wall, eggs into a bathtub; stones into the ocean)
-some find it useful to talk about how they are feeling
-writing, drawing, painting, creative activities

Even if anger has not been identified as a concern for the job seeker, the above actions are useful for releasing pent-up emotions affiliated with being unemployed.

When dealing with anger and unemployment, it is important to recognize that you have some power in your situation; all is not hopeless!
For instance, you have the power to engage in a productive job search, seek out information and support. This type of pro-active stance towards unemployment assists in decreasing the helplessness and despair. And the more positive movement there is, the more chances there are of becoming employed. 

Post interview reactions may include anger if you felt you did really well in an interview but didn't get the position.  Instead of being angry at the employer/situation or misdirecting your anger towards family or friends; try turning it around, learning from the experience. Re-frame your reaction. Do you really want to work a job that you are not a good fit for? Probably best that you did not get the job.
Sometimes things are meant to happen for a reason!

So, next time you feel angry or have symptoms of repressed anger, try to release it. See how it feels. Before you know it, you will see the light at the end of the job search tunnel!

                                                                                -Sassy + Sunny