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I've Got a Job (and Other Good News)

A lot has happened since I last posted here. Multiple holidays have come and gone, my parents had a COVID-19 scare that fortunately turned out alright, and most fortunately I've got a job again!

Unemployment hasn't been fun. Not that it ever is, but combined with the following factors:

  • The pandemic
  • The lack of unemployment compensation due to the pandemic
  • The lack of stimulus checks because America
  • The transition into the "everything is dying and it's cold as heck" season
I was getting especially stressed out to the point that I was starting to not feel like myself anymore. Even the small things I would normally do to improve my mental health were constantly out of reach. I would talk to friends and find it difficult to focus on what they were saying. I would have a drink in the middle of the day. I would tell everyone I was alright and most of the time I believed it.

I knew I was getting worn down. I knew I was floating toward some form of depression. I started bringing up how depressed I felt to my partner as if it were just another anecdote. We discussed what I might be able to do for money while keeping safe from the coronavirus if I couldn't find a job in my field by the end of the year. Things were looking grim.

The moment I got the job offer, it wasn't just like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders–it was like I just stepped into the shower for the first time in months. Immediately all of the dust and muck that had accumulated on me was washed away. It was suddenly easier to smile, make jokes, and show my partner affection. It was easier to be present in the moments with my daughter. I was me again.

The job is something I'm excited about, too. It's a fully-remote, contract copywriting position at a good local company. As a contract position, it won't last forever, but the pay is good and it's my chance to get back into the type of professional writing I understand, enjoy, and do best–copywriting.

The best part is that I got the good news in the middle of December, but I don't start work until early January, which meant that I could enjoy the holidays with my family and without the stress and worry of the past few months hanging over me.

Also, I'm happy to announce some more good news that I actually got before I lost my job, and that makes finding a new job so much more enjoyable:
Our family is growing! We can't wait to meet the new little one in late May 2021. Hopefully, things are finally starting to turn around for us.

Stay healthy and sane, and I wish you all the best in the new year!
-Ryan

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