Dear Rachel,
My life appears to be going in reverse. I have my education, but like so many I am still looking for work. Sending out resumes week after week becomes a daunting process and at times I want to throw in the towel. What is preventing me from moving forward? I look back at all the money I spent and wonder if I should just return to school and study nursing or something more practical. What do you see?
Sincerely,
Madame X
Dear Madam X,
I understand the frustration you're experiencing with the job market and prospects available to you, it's tough out there. Seems like no matter which direction you turn all you find are tangles and burrs; this is not the exciting life you were expecting. An education is supposed to make finding a job easier, but in your case it seems to be playing against you as many of the jobs you're applying for lately see you as overqualified. It's not going to stay this way forever, so keep your head up. From where I'm sitting it looks like you're just applying for anything and everything lately, and that's adding to your frustration, because now you're also experiencing rejection from sources you normally view as last ditch efforts.
Focus on jobs you'd enjoy, even create your own!
Your creativity is stifled these days, and that's not helping your stress level either(Prince of Wands). Sad thing is, every time you think of something that would potentially make you happy, you just as quickly come up with a reason why that option will lead to disappointment (Five of Cups). What's holding you back at this moment is yourself - specifically the worry of eventual disappointment that's dashing your goals before they ever take flight. Before you can move forward, you must examine the past and make peace with yourself (Two of Swords). Play to your strengths and don't be afraid to bring back the bartering system with your friends and neighbors, chances are you'll discover a hidden talent which could prove to be profitable.
I see that much of your frustration stems from the fact that you're anxious to move faster, you're not seeing the sort of measurable results you're after, and the meager results you are seeing just aren't happening at a satisfying pace. Because you and the perceived pace of Life are out of sync you're starting to consider it personal, wondering what you may have done wrong to deserve this imbalance. I wouldn't say you've done anything wrong, it's more correct to say that you're turning a blind eye to opportunities due to a lack of confidence. When life forces us to slow down it tends to mean there's some important message we're missing, so everything slows down, or comes to a screeching halt, to give you a chance to catch up. What's the message you've been missing?
Don't be in a rush to run away, decide where you really want to go and what you want upon arrival.
The problem here isn't so much the lack of jobs available, it's the lack of jobs available in your area. Have you considered applying for work in another City or State? Before you spill a long list of reasons about why that's not feasible, consider the fact that you have friends all over the world who can tell you what job opportunities are available in their neck of the woods, and might even be willing to help you find affordable housing. You have more options than you're acknowledging because ultimately you're afraid of disappointment and this is what's holding you back. Think back over a period of five weeks, five months, or five years, even back to the tender age of five if necessary, and ponder situations marked by a similar fear. That's where you'll find some insight into what's really causing your roadblocks, and once you give those restless old skeletons a proper burial you'll be able to see that history is only destined to repeat itself when we fail to learn from the past. In short, because you don't want to repeat past upsets, examination of past hurts is required. What happened the last time you took a chance and made a significant move based on faith alone? What warning signals did you ignore then that may be sounding off now?
Have you ever thought you might be afraid to bloom where you're re-planted because you lack faith in the strength of your roots? If you're sensing some cryptic message about the sometimes strained relationship between you and your parents, I'd say it's not so cryptic and you might want to stew on it a bit.
This imbalance and frustration you're feeling is effecting you on a mental, emotional and spiritual level (swords, cups and wands), and with all of these things in turmoil it's no surprise you're having a hard time sorting your options. It really is possible to be worried sick, so exercise some preventative health measures. Take some time to relax and rejuvenate, do something to help clear your mental clutter like a long soak in the tub, a chill-out session of yoga, or even a cleansing vent session with your journal. If you want to get some distance between your head and your heart long enough to let your subconscious offer up its opinion, some suggestions for doing so can be found in this article.
I wish you all the best, my friend, do keep me posted on your progress!
