I've been unemployed for about 1 year now. I was in SF working in tech for about 7 years, and decided I don't want to do that anymore, so I quit.
It's been tough. The hardest part about being unemployed is it is very hard to structure your days because work is no longer the thing that is forcing you to get up, get out, go to bed on time, etc. It's also a strange feeling having to spend from your savings/emergency fund without money coming in, you feel bad and guilty for doing so, it's weird.
I'm changing careers. I've always liked teaching, so I'm doing volunteer english teaching while preparing to apply to go back to school in order to get a Masters in Education.
In the mean time, I'm also doing other small things. Learning about AI, going to board game meetups, doing some traveling, overall it's not the most fun part of my life, but I'm treating it as I will look back on this and realize this was necessary.
> The hardest part about being unemployed is it is very hard to structure your days
The irony is that it takes a lot more personal discipline to remain productive without any sort of feedback loop, but the unemployed are presumptively regarded as flawed and lazy :-)
I was in tech for over 20 years, and went from being good at my job/successful to being permanently disabled. My entire life was wired around providing for my family and supporting everyone around me both financially, and via my success.
I've lost that identity, and despite extensive therapy, meds, etc. I still haven't found myself yet.
I have that identity, ie being the pillar of stability and support for those around me.
One thing I worry about is getting a stroke or become blind, paralyzed or similar.
Having lost people around me or seen them fall seriously ill , made me realize things can change so quickly.
I admire ppl like yourself who keep going.
Or people like Paul De Gelder, who lost the majority of their limbs and then just keep going and seem to thrive.
I wonder how ppl like that change their mindset after such life events. What happens in the brain? Is it via therapy or effectively deciding to make the best with the cards you’ve been dealt.
From what you wrote, it sounds like you haven’t lost a core pillar of your identity, which is a positive mindset.
A friend at my coworking spot had a stroke a month ago. I was coming in on a monday morning and he was being carted off in the ambulance right as I got there. As in... door was open and his coffee and laptop were there, lunch in the fridge, and... I did't make the connection. I didn't see anyone being loaded in the ambulance, lights weren't on, etc. His family came by later to pick up his stuff.
He's been in an intensive care neuro unit for the past month. I visited about 10 days ago and he was having trouble talking, and... I suspect it might be long lasting or permanent.
We'd just spoken the Friday before, and had a meeting planned that morning. It all changed instantly, and there's no going back. It shook me up some, and I'm not affected at all, really, but seeing this happen to someone you know directly is... hard to take (for me anyway).
It's been tough. The hardest part about being unemployed is it is very hard to structure your days because work is no longer the thing that is forcing you to get up, get out, go to bed on time, etc. It's also a strange feeling having to spend from your savings/emergency fund without money coming in, you feel bad and guilty for doing so, it's weird.
I'm changing careers. I've always liked teaching, so I'm doing volunteer english teaching while preparing to apply to go back to school in order to get a Masters in Education.
In the mean time, I'm also doing other small things. Learning about AI, going to board game meetups, doing some traveling, overall it's not the most fun part of my life, but I'm treating it as I will look back on this and realize this was necessary.