...It's ok, it's not your fault

Relax, it's not the end of your world. In fact, that should be your mantra. The stigma associated with losing a job may be slowly vanishing — with hard-working, well-educated, successful individuals among the casualties in workplace reductions — but it's still not easy. Losing your job today is no longer an indication of the quality of your work or beha-viour. But that stigma, is still internal, say counsellors, especially if after three months have gone by and you still have not found a job. The first few weeks may feel like a holiday, but after several months of searching for a job without results, the depression sinks in. Very competent people begin feeling incompetent, and diminished self-esteem becomes a major problem. But, there are things you can do to counter the physical and emotional effects of job loss. Take time out for exercise, say therapists. The chemicals generated by exercise can counter those that cause depression. It is also important to bala-nce your life. Job loss can provide opportune time to develop other interests. "I realised that my identity is not just what I do for a living," says Prakash, who suddenly found himself without a job one fine day. Keep talking about it. Expand your network. Research shows that secondary contacts have provided the most support to those facing job loss. "They can be the most fruitful contacts. The more people you tell, the more opportunities there will be," says Ramesh Randhawa, CEO of a head-hunting firm. And don't be embarrassed to talk to friends who are working. It's also helpful to see this part of your life as transitional to frame it as a temporary situation. After all, it really is.