It's one of the oldest bits of wisdom imparted upon us: Practice makes perfect. That's usually applied to things where we want to get better. Sometimes it's not though. That's especially true for me now, as I found out yesterday morning that my position was one of several eliminated as a result of the economic slump caused by Covid-19. Yes, I am being given more practice at the art of not being employed.
Was I surprised when I got the news? Not really. We all choose where we are in our professional lives, for the most part. Part of having a cool job in a field like HR/learning and development is the realization that, come expense cutting time, you might be closer to the top of the job endangered list than you are to the bottom. To quote the late Dr. Hunter S. Thompson:
"Buy the ticket, take the ride… and if it occasionally gets a little heavier than what you had in mind, well… maybe chalk it off to forced consciousness expansion..."
Sure, being a fully functioning human being I do, in fact, feel a whole host of emotions when it comes to this recent life event. Mostly though, I'd much rather spend my time thinking about what's ahead for me rather than what's behind me*. This noted I think I've gotten enough practice in the layoff area, thank you very much.
More to come on that front.
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I've read in the news that some are calling for a relaxing of social distancing requirements (see HERE). My take? If this comes from a politician or business person...beware. In spite of what some may have the general population believe, science is remarkably simple in that it is about a preponderance of the evidence. Science doesn't care about politics or profits. This means that if there is scientific and medical consensus around relaxing these guidelines, well, then take heed. Otherwise? Don't assume the folks at the press conference/briefing always have your best interests at heart.
On a related point, one of the (many) things giving me pause these days is the impact that the covid-19 outbreak is having on the elderly and/or those who may have compromised immune systems. Even if you personally don't think you need to stay at home because of the virus, remember that you could inadvertently expose someone else to it. This could be someone who is not in as good of a position as you are to weather the (viral) storm.
I get it by the way...part of me wants to go get a slice of pizza at Bouna's, sit down, and ponder life in a cloud of granulated garlic. I know though that the best path between now and when I can do that again is to do my part and stay home. That's pretty un-American of me (America's motto should be "I want it all, and I want it now"), but it's also the most human thing I (and we) can do. Besides, these are truly first-world problems.
That's a wrap for this posting. Remember, let's be careful out there.
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(*) I am, of course, looking for a new employment opportunity. If you know of something, if you're curious about my background, or if you are in a similar boat, please do connect with me. You can comment on this posting or connect with me through LinkedIn.
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