Glenford Smith | Stressed out mother seeking job

QUESTION: I am 30 years old and I am seeking a job as an office attendant or housekeeper. I am stressed as I have a mother who has cancer to take care of, along with my two children. Their father got shot and is in a wheelchair, which leaves me to do most things alone. I have been trying to get a job for a long time now. Please help me.

D.W.

CAREERS: Thank you for your letter. It had to be condensed because it was too long. I am sorry to hear about your mom and your children's father, who got shot. You must be commended for having gone to the HEART Trust/NTA and got the skills you have. You say you've got CSEC office administration, principles of business, electronic document preparation in general proficiency.

You also have English for business communication in city and guilds. You have equipped yourself with HEART Trust certification in housekeeping, community tourism, and bartending. And, you have gone to the member of parliament's office to see if you can get to go on a farm work programme, in addition to sending out rÈsumÈs to private places. You have shown much industriousness in getting these skills and seeking out the job.

You say that you have been trying everything to get a job for a long time now, but I want to say: don't stop now. You have shown the requisite resilience and fortitude. Many of us have gone through what you're going through, and worse, so if you think you've got it bad, think again.

AVOID SELF-PITY

To be quite honest, your situation is not good - your mother has cancer, the father of your children shot and crippled, you have children to feed and you are without a job. It is quite easy to slip into a state of feeling sorry for yourself and thinking, why me? But don't allow this to happen, or you would have bought into one of the biggest mistakes people make.

It is that you are somewhat special and life has somehow singled you out for some special adversity. You might be tempted to think that some people don't have it as bad as you. But I would urge you to banish the thought. Every human being around you has experienced a time of sickness, death of a loved one, loss, unemployment, and confusion, to name just a few of life's challenges.

SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE, ASK FOR HELP

We would sometimes wish for a saviour that would come and rescue us and make life go easy. But no one, neither God nor some other benefactor, is coming to rescue you - you have to do it yourself.

The wonderful thing is that you can share your experience with the special people in your life. I would give this my strong recommendation, as I think you perhaps don't ask for help often enough. You might think you don't want to bother anyone with your problem.

Go talk to a friend and share what you are going through. Ultimately, you have to depend on yourself, though. You are not in the right mindset at the moment. Go to YouTube and watch any video with Les Brown to help change your emotional state. Keep on sending out your rÈsumÈ and make other people know that you are looking a job.

Glenford Smith is a motivational speaker and success strategist. He is the author of

'From Problems to Power' and co-author

of 'Profile of Excellence'.

Email glenfordsmith@yahoo.com