If you’re made redundant, take time to grieve

Lianna Champ is the author of How To Grieve Like A Champ

Grief is the normal and natural reaction to the loss of someone we love or something we value, and that includes the loss of our job. We value work for many reasons: self-worth, it pays the bills, it gives us a purpose, we get sense of achievement. Finding yourself redundant can have a knock-on effect in many areas of your life, causing grief on several levels.

It is important that we acknowledge the feelings we have and let it be OK not to be OK until we rebalance. Feel the sadness, the shock and the hurt. Accepting that we cannot control every aspect of life keeps us open to going with the flow; we can discover new paths. Use this as a time to reassess your purpose in life, your values and priorities. This reflection can open doors within us, so we can investigate new ways of living and being. Create a support network and find things that make you feel good about yourself. And talk about how you feel with someone who will listen. Step back, lick your wounds, then come out fighting. Remember that it’s the job that is redundant, not you. You still have your skills and your talents.