Job Loss and Taxes

Job Loss and Taxes

I talked with a woman yesterday who recently discovered she’s losing her job. Most of the people I know, myself included, would be panicky and resentful in response to such devastating news. She, however, is choosing to view her circumstances as an invitation to act on a dream she’s long deferred, going back to school. While losing her job is distressing, it also flings the door of opportunity wide open.

Reframing, looking at something from a different angle, is a resiliency skill this woman obviously has in spades. She knows that while she doesn’t always have control over what happens, she alone determines her attitude and response. While anger and frustration may still rear their ugly heads, she is human after all, her choice to find and focus on the positive frees her to tackle problems head on and to create a future she’s excited about.

In the unlikely event you’ve forgotten, tomorrow is tax day, April 15. While I’m used to getting a refund, this year I owe additional taxes. Ouch. Having told myself the truth throughout the year, I knew I’d owe money and prepared. A much better choice than if I’d buried my head in the sand while hoping for a different outcome.

The way I see it, I get two choices as I part with my hard earned money. Get resentful or focus on the positive. The constant is that I will write a check to Uncle Sam. I choose to focus on the fact that if I owe additional taxes, it means I made more money this year. That’s good!

No, I’m not Pollyanna, and yes, I would greatly prefer to hang on to my money. At the same time, “rendering unto Caesar, that which is Caesar’s” is part of good citizenry and accompanies the privilege of living in this country.

What challenges are facing you today? How can you reframe them so that you can best position yourself to move through them victoriously? As you master the skill of finding and focusing on the positive, your energies are free for problem solving and moving forward. You, those you love and your dreams are worth the effort.