As a woman, you’re no doubt defined by a number of things, and your career is probably one of the most significant of them. Most working women are proud of the careers they build, so when a setback occurs, it can be hard to bounce back. However, there are several ways to remain confident and positive when you suffer from a job loss or a career-related failure.
Focus on the Future
It’s only natural for you to want to dwell on what went wrong. You might even be trying to figure out exactly what mistakes you made so that you don’t repeat them.
However, there comes a time when you have to accept that made an error and look forward, not backward. By looking forward, you can focus on future projects and working smarter.
Don’t Place Blame
Even if the setback was because of someone else’s error, don’t spend a lot of time blaming them or wishing something negative would happen to them so that you can feel better about the situation.
Instead, focus on more positive aspects of the situation and what you will do differently next time. If the setback was your fault, don’t beat yourself up: you can learn from every experience, even if it’s hurtful.
Let Your Self-Worth Define You
As proud as you may be of your career, you should never let it define you. If you allow yourself to become what you do for a living, when you suffer a setback, it’s going to have a devastating impact on your self-esteem.
Instead, realize that every aspect of your life defines you and makes up the whole, not just your career.
Don’t Fall Into Bad Personal Habits
It’s natural to want to comfort yourself with food, drink, or other creature comforts when you have a setback at work, but it may also be hard to pull out of this behavior in the future.
Instead of binge eating or drowning your sorrows in alcohol, exercise instead. Exercise releases feel-good endorphins and also helps you feel focused.
Seek Out Positive People
There’s nothing worse than suffering a setback in your career than to have people tell you they told you so. It only breaks down your self-confidence even further, so surround yourself with positive people.
They can help to bolster your confidence and help you remember that you have a support system.
Perform a Random Act of Kindness
Even if things aren’t going right for you, there are others who are struggling with problems that are no doubt much worse.
Your setback is no doubt affecting you, but performing a random act of kindness, such as taking food or clothing to a soup kitchen or shelter, will help you put things into perspective. It’s also much healthier than brooding alone in your home.
Move On
After you have had time to process the setback, set it aside and move on. Letting it affect every career move you make from that point on will only cause you to lose confidence in yourself.
Chalk it up to a learning experience and then file it away as you look toward the future.