Honey I Lost My Job

In today’s economy no news can be good news.  Many individuals have had to come home, look their partner in the eyes and say words that no one wishes to say in their lifetime. “Honey, I was laid off today.”  This situation can cause a huge strain on a marriage and if not dealt with and processed appropriately, can cause division.  Here are the top 3 tips on how to process job loss for the sake of your marriage.

1- Allow time to grieve. Many individuals have a large portion of their identity attached to their job.  A job creates purpose, a network of friends, status, and a lifestyle.  To loose this is mentally traumatic.  Don’t be unrealistic with yourself or your spouse and not expect any reaction to take place.  Give the individual who has lost their job time to grieve.  Be supportive and allow them time to process the past.

2- It’s okay to be angry and confused. If you have lost your job, particularly for circumstances out of your control, you may feel betrayed, abandoned, angry, or confused.  It is not strange to feel this way, but very natural.  We all work with the expectation to provide security for our families.  When this security is gone for a reason you have no control over, strong emotions are justified.

3- Don’t play the blame game. Don’t make your partner feel like a failure because of their job loss.  At the same time don’t blame the spouse for not being ‘supportive enough.’  Stay in the present moment and begin to plan the next steps for your family.

What has happened, has happened.  We can not change the past, but we can determine how the past will shape our future.

Please feel free to use this article.  All we ask in return is for you to link back to our website at www.fhandlove.org.cn/home.html .