Down time mother of resourcefulness

We have lived in Felton for almost 20 years, enjoying a little bit of wilderness in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Resourcefulness is kind of an underlying tone in this area.
Recently, I was asked by a friend to write about how it has been for me being unemployed for the past six months. Thinking honestly about an approach to the job search, I must admit that I generally fall back on something I asked myself as an art student in the ’60s: “How can I work to support the artistic part of me without completely sacrificing either our financial welfare or the energy required to continue with creative projects?”
So with this attitude in mind, here are some of the ways I have approached this out-of-work situation. Primarily, and in this order, I have relied on friends as resources, the Internet and an organization called Profile.
Profile is a job club that helps people write resumes, cover letters and positioning statements. At Profile, I am learning how to market myself, negotiate salaries and re-evaluate and restructure my job skills. Profile also serves as a networking organization. Our “colleagues,” while on the job search, might even see something that is a good match for us.
Another resource is a government job retraining program called Workforce. I made use of this program about 10 years ago to learn computer skills and have found it to be a viable resource. I am, after all, out of work, and currently not finding work in my profession. So, in the meantime, it is good to continue to update job skills.
While looking for work, we can set aside time for reorganizing the cupboards, cleaning out the garage, painting a room, filing and organizing paperwork, developing art projects and, most importantly, assess our dreams and plans for the future.
These times of transition can be learning experiences if they are put into perspective.
Some books that were recommended to me were: “What Color is Your Parachute? A Practical Manual for Job Hunting and Career Changes,” by Richard Booles. Another is “Transitions, Making Sense of Life’s Changes,” by William Bridges, and “Ordinary People as Monks and Mystics,” by Marsha Sinetar.
These books tell us that being out of work can be seen in a positive light. We are multidimensional beings. Who says that we cannot learn new skills and explore new aspects of our personalities and propensities in the job arena?
I think that the job search, however tedious, humiliating and frightening (and it is all of that) can be interpreted as an adventure, keeping in mind that we are really all on a journey. How we define ourselves on this quest — that is the growth challenge.
Is this a time to examine how we are defining ourselves? Is this a time to re-examine gifts and talents, reconnect with family members and find gratitude in our lives? Can we find ways to simplify our lifestyle by throwing things out that we don’t need or growing some food in a garden?
In the end, a healthy balance between looking for work, eating wholesome meals, taking time out for friends and family, connecting with a support network and practicing gratitude in all our affairs seems to be an appropriate agenda for being unemployed.
Many of us are experiencing similar circumstances. How can we be more resourceful, approachable and adventurous at a time where restructuring the way we live is such a priority?
Donna H. Seelbach is a longtime Felton
resident and local artist.