The Economics of You: Are You Ready?

   Today I read another eye opening article in the NY Times about unemployment and the economy.  Below is the link.  Take a moment to read this article because I believe that this is excellent motivation as to why we shouldn’t become complacent in our personal and professional lives.  We must continue to learn new skills to market ourselves and to remain current in the job market.  Regardless of the false sense of job security you may have with your employer nothing is guaranteed anymore.

          While the article reports that, “men have suffered the largest numbers of job losses in this recession,” it also reported that, “women from 45 to 64 years of age — whose long-term unemployment rate has grown rapidly.” You may be under 45, employed and think that you're safe from the rhetoric, but you're not.  You may be 45 or older and feel safe, but should be careful to not be overly confident.  Regardless if you’re married, single, engaged or just simply have a special friend, I believe that we should care for ourselves just as we care for our families. For those of us who have a significant other, at any given time, that person could no longer be a part of our lives.  For those who are single, I’m not telling you anything that you don’t already know- that your paycheck is the only paycheck and losing your income could make the difference in having a warm place to live or sleeping on the street or in a shelter.   
          In previous posts, I talked about how, as women we sacrifice for our family but not for ourselves. It won't hurt our children if they have one less activity, so that we can take time to develop ourselves; in the end the sacrifice will benefit the entire family. Now is the time to do something for you.  Doing for you can also involve taking an online class, reading books other than steamy romance novels, that can help you learn a new skill.  The activity can involve taking a class at the community college, the women’s shelter, or even a free workshop offered at the public library.  The point is that you should continue to educate yourself in whatever area that is of interest you.  For the most part, I believe in being proactive- I am not naïve and think that that we are always going to be prepared for every situation, but I firmly believe that a little preparation can go a long way.  Over the weekend, I met a 52 year old woman who told me that two years ago, she came home to find a note taped on the bathroom mirror and her husband of 32 years gone. He’d left. Their two children were adults and no longer lived at home. She had no skills and struggled for two years to recover.  She went back to school and is now working in the medical field, but said that she continues to struggle.  Ask yourself today, what are you doing for you.

The New Poor: Millions of Unemployed Face Years Without Jobs

I will survive: crises of all kinds require a clear-headed--but flexible--program of action. What's your plan?(TOTAL RETURN): An article from: Black Enterprise

Women & Money: Owning the Power to Control Your Destiny