Turning the Pink Slip Lemon into Pink Lemonade

On a weekly basis, seemingly since the start of the Recession, I have been receiving phone calls from friends who are out of work - some by choice, some by chance, and some by sheer bad luck. After you empty your desk, have a few inebriated evenings searching for the why's, how's, and what next's at the bottom of the tequila bottle, and get over the initial sadness of leaving your last position, the time comes to think positively and proactively about your next professional endeavor.  Here are a few inspirational examples of friends who took the "time off" and started to follow their dreams, passions, and, well, keep their proverbial chins up along the journey.

1.  One friend, a long time business associate committed to spreadsheets, PowerPoint's, and presentation, took time off to give the left side of his brain a break, focusing on starting a music enterprise, including song writing, scoring, and consulting.  This individual invested in himself and his time into exploring his love of music, including the composition of a song dedicated to the Recessionista, an 80's pop-ish number definitely worth a listen.  Check out his samples at http://www.sonofanutcracker.net/index.htm.

2.  Our friends at Recessionwire serve as fantastic role model of how to think creatively and follow your dreams after getting laid off.  Writers from Conde Nast, the ladies at Recessionwire took advantage of their new found freedom to develop a site that continues to gain press and popularity, and, as a bonus, they no longer have to work for "the man."

3.  There are unanticipated consequences of the Recession - hourly cutbacks, pay cuts, slashed or eliminated bonuses.  Many friends who have managed to stay employed have felt the Recession in their shrinking paycheck.  Creativity saves the day!  Check out freelance opportunities - consulting for market research firms, exploring weekend photography gigs, even freelance blogging opportunities.  There are many websites designed specifically to broker these connections - we like http://www.ifreelance.com/.

Moving on from your current employer can be scary.  Just remember that you are not alone, you are now free to explore opportunities that will be so much better than your last, and, by keeping optimistic and positive, your fabulous will shine through to all.

Cheers!