As I sat in church this past weekend, before the service I saw on the rotating message screen I saw that the church was offering a resume workshop for those who are out of work and want to improve their resume. The night before I had been at an event where I had been asked by someone what their son, who is graduating from college, was to do when the jobs that had been going to college graduates were now being taken by those with experience and who are willing to do positions that are below them experientially, making it so he can’t find a job. The day before that I had a long 
conversation with a friend who is stuck in a job that he dislikes but doesn’t want to take the chance of moving to another company where the security may not be there. As we know, these stories and questions are only the tip of the iceberg of the pain that people are feeling. And with the media messages we receive daily about the uncertainties in the financial market and shifting government actions, we are all affected by the collective mood swings of the nation.
When you add it all up, it may be that we all need a dose of serenity to make it through the trials and tribulations of today’s work world. Maybe we need to dissect the famous serenity prayer that is used by many organizations and people to help them through difficult times:
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change….” Whether or not we are happy in our jobs or secure in the positions that we have today, one of the best things we can do is to get clear on the things that we cannot change and learn to accept and live with them:
- National economic stability
- Ups and downs of the stock market
- Messages from the media
- The whims and decisions of our managers and company leaders
- Changes in the outlook of our companies against the backdrop of the fragile economy
“…the courage to change the things I can….”
- Carry a positive attitude around for ourselves and others
- Work hard and be the best we can be
- Help out others who are less fortunate than we are
- Be as ready as we can be or when the market does come back
- Make the most of the time we have while we are in a job that isn’t as challenging or as mentally exhausting as before
“….and wisdom to know the difference…”
- Surround ourselves with people who we trust and know to help us through the difficult times now, or when they come
- Ask, read and search before we make any move or decision
- Take advantage of all the tools for knowledge and transparency as it relates to jobs, salaries, interviews and companies
- Think in the long-term and know that six months or a year here or a year there, is not the end of the world.
“…Amen”
