…A question not many are willing to ask because it says the quiet part out loud:
You’re unemployed
You’re struggling to stay afloat
You’re being honest that you don’t have it all together and are looking for support
So when a longtime internet friend DM’d me with this exact question, I didn’t want to give her a generic answer. I wanted to be vulnerable too and share some raw, honest advice on what kept me going during my time of unemployment.
So girlfriend, this one’s for you.
A Little Back Story
Before I found myself unemployed, I was indeed employed.
To be specific, I was a Marketing Project Manager and life was oh so sweet!
I worked from home, got paid every week, and was excelling at my job just as God intended it to be.
And then, we got a new boss.
Who then, got rid of the entire team.
Myself included.
And to add insult to injury, the day I got the news was the same day my realtor and I were preparing to put an offer in on a home. A home I had planned for, a home I thought was perfect, a home I truly believed would be mine.
But, things change. And all that money I saved up (from hustling with Wayfair, TikTok, and social media clients) now needed to be used to fund my lifestyle for the foreseeable future.
And in today’s job market, no one knows how long that truly is.
But, I remained positive. Because I actually had money saved up.
$16,673 to be exact.
So yeah, I may not have been getting my 9-5 checks anymore, but money was still in my account.
Until it wasn’t.
Because one thing about bills, they are always due. Whether you have a job, whether you lost a loved one, whether your world is crashing down…These people want their money.
I got laid off in March 2026 and had $16K in my savings account.
I got hired in July 2026 with only $19 left.
So that in itself is a mind f%ck.
To see your account go from five digits to two is… interesting, to say the least.
However, whether you have money saved or not, the fact still remains: you need a job.
And of course, you’re applying. You’re reaching out to your network. Maybe you’re Ubering, DoorDashing, or doing whatever you physically can to bring in some extra money.
But there’s a mental and spiritual side of unemployment that most advisors don’t touch on.
And then there’s me! A 30-something-year-old girly pop who is down to tell her testimony if that means helping the next person.
So if you find yourself looking for employment and still waiting on something to come through, here are some things you can do to keep your mind, body, and spirit afloat until you do.
Sometimes You Have To Encourage Yourself
The power of the tongue is real.
I remember when I was nine years old I lied and said I had a headache to get out of math class. It worked! But two days later I really did get a headache during math class.
I say all that to say, your words have power and you must be intentional about what you allow to come out of your mouth.
So stop saying, “it’s so hard to find a job! I’m so broke. No one is hiring.”
Aht aht, the devil is a lie!
Instead, I encourage you to speak positively over your life with the following:
My future job is en route!
Unexpected blessings are coming my way!
All things are working together for my good!
Phrases like this give you hope, make you believe, and truly increase your faith.
They have the power to turn a ‘woe is me’ day into ‘things are turning around for me’ real quick.
But it’s up to you to say it and repeat it whenever your mind begins to doubt.
And it’s also up to you to keep like-minded people around...
Stop! In the Name of Love
I can’t stand when I’m already struggling to remain positive and here comes somebody putting in their two cents at the wrong damn time:
Well, you know the job market is hard right now…
They just let 1,000 people go at Google
AI is taking all the jobs
Talk about a Debbie Downer!
Like obviously I’m keeping up with the job market because I’m the one looking for a job. I’m seeing the scary headlines myself!
So when I call you to chat or make plans to hang out, I’m not trying to think about all that. I’m trying to get my mind off of all that. And you ain’t helping.
So this may be a season where you have to create some distance with those who don’t know how to read a room.
Doesn’t have to be forever, but during this time where you’re already fighting to remain positive, you can’t risk being around someone who has the potential to intentionally or unintentionally rain on your parade.
Move Your Body, Girl!
Picture this: You finally get a peaceful nights rest just to wake up to the following:
A ‘we regret to inform you’ email
Another ‘when can we expect payment’ voicemail
A ‘your bill is past due’ notification
Those slaps of reality can hit real hard and make you want to roll over and just stay in bed. But those are the exact moments when you have to muster up whatever energy you have left, get up, and move your body, girl!
It’s just something about getting up every day knowing you have something to do.
For the employed, it’s clocking into work. For the unemployed, well, you’ve got to get creative.
And what better way than getting up and getting some fresh air.
When I was unemployed back in August 2023, getting outside to enjoy the fresh air was a must.
It was something about being in nature, hearing the birds, and moving my body that really made a difference.
So this go round, I took things up a notch and started going to the gym. And I wasn’t only going to get snatched, I was going for my mental health…
“I may not have gotten a job interview yet, but I did just complete my workout!”
That sense of accomplishment really did something to my mind. It made me feel strong, it made me feel like less of a bum, it made me feel good.
Friends, How Many of Us Have Them?
There’s nothing like family or friends who truly understand.
But it’s up to you to open up so you can be understood.
When I was unemployed, some of my favorite people to talk to were those who were also unemployed. Cause they understood! They see the job market, they see the headlines, and they get that times are hard!
They don’t want to hear any bad news and they are trying to stay afloat too.
When they get an interview, they share the news! Not to rub it in, but to show that there’s hope and to stay encouraged!
They’re also the perfect people to hang out with during the day, because they don’t have a job either lol.
But instead of just hanging out at one another’s place, we’d go for a walk, head to the gym, or find some free activities to do. Because quality time with someone who truly gets it is priceless.
Grateful
The most important piece of advice I can give you during this time is to stay connected with your higher power.
I believe in my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And I talk to Him just like I’m talking to you. Very real, straightforward, and direct.
Sometimes I’m overwhelmed with tears and snot bubbles, and other times I’m stoic and poised.
Sometimes I journal my feelings, and sometimes I’m so in disbelief that I just sit in silence and don’t say anything (because He knows my heart).
Either way, I’m staying connected to the person who has all control and who sees me way down the road.
He knew the day I’d get fired and He knew the day I'd get hired.
And I know that He will continue to provide.
Whether that’s funds, opportunities, connections, or support, I know there is a higher power looking out for me.
I also made it a practice to express gratitude for the ’right now.’
Because two things can be true:
I can be unemployed but also thankful for the downtime
I can reflect, process, plan, and start thanking God in advance for what’s on its way (because it’s definitely on its way)
And most importantly, I can thank Him for my current situation because it could definitely be worse (shout out to my Cousin Muscle, may he rest in peace).
So I found myself thanking God for the “smallest” of things:
God thank You for this $5 off coupon
God thank You for enough gas to get through the week
God thank You for this friend who decided to treat me to dinner
God thank You for the leftovers
God thank You that even though I haven’t paid the light bill they haven’t cut them off yet
God thank You for not letting them repo my car
God thank You for allowing them to remove the late fee
I could go on and on.
Which means you can too.
Listen, I don’t care if you pray to the moon and stars, or the crystals and rosaries, you must spend time giving thanks to whomever you believe in. And watch and see how it positively impacts your life.
Now last but certainly not least…
You Must Be Delusional
Truly trust and believe that your new job is on the way! Because it genuinely is.
I often found myself saying, “I’m about to get a new job!” And I didn’t just say it. I moved like I believed it.
I was literally on month four of being unemployed, hadn’t had an interview in over a month, and still decided to go buy some new work clothes and a new bag because I just knew my job was on the way!
I just knew that God was going to work it out for me! No way was He going to have His baby girl, His Daughter, out here down bad. He loves me too much for that :)
So when I started to move like I knew who I was and whose I was, not only did I become more confident, but I literally secured a new job a week later.
So when I tell you it works… it works.
Not because I read it in my horoscope or cracked open a fortune cookie. It’s because I’ve lived it, and was experiencing it literally 8 weeks ago.
So please, stay encouraged. And if you know someone going through something similar, encourage them too. Because what is needed is on its way, and it will make its way to you.
Til next time, peace.