Hey Jobcasers,

Today I'd like to talk about something that seems a little difficult in our search for the next best employment opportunity: Gratitude.

Gratitude is perhaps one of the most difficult things to muster up during a rigorous and harrowing experience such as unemployment, homelessness, and similar events, but I would argue that it is perhaps the most important thing to muster up--more than hope, more than tenacity, more than even the recognition of the temporal transience of our current turmoils. Why? Because Gratitude helps define our perspective; it helps us understand where we stand versus where we could be standing.

I'd like to take this opportunity to share with you a story of my own experience. About a year ago, I took a job working in sales for a company that I will not disclose.

This decision left me at risk of homelessness and I had cleaned out my pantry and cupboards with no real hope of replenishing them, because we were regularly sent into overworked territory that was saturated with sales reps for a product with no demand by the people in the general area (it was out of their price range and local alternatives offered higher quality for cheaper prices). I was going days without eating because I couldn't afford it (my bank account sat at around $7.00 and I didn't want to spend the last bits of my savings) and it was genuinely one of the worst periods of my life.

A lot of people would look back at this and say good riddance and for a time, that was my view too, but now that I look back at it--I'm incredibly grateful for the experience.

Why?

Because it exposed me to what happens when you work for a company that is truly unethical in its business practices (both internally and externally) and it taught me a lot about the kinds of things to be vigilant for when searching for employment opportunities. It also gave me appreciation for those who are doing everything they can and are unable to get their basic needs met, not through lack of sincere effort, but because of an unfortunate misstep along the way.

So, you might be wondering what this has to do with you and I want to share with you what I think we all could benefit from.

Make the sincere effort to find the good in the trials and tribulations you're currently facing, however big or small they may be, because there is always something to be learned from every experience and that something is important to becoming better tomorrow than we are today.

Thanks for reading,

Gage Cherry