One door closes – One door opens

Our mother couldn’t hold a decent tune. Still, this never kept her from singing nursery rhymes to us like Mary had a little lamb or Sunday school favourites like This little light of mine. Besides the children’s songs, she’d also lavish on proverbs: “There’s always room at the top” and “When one door closes, another one opens”.

Past Thursday was my last day at work. Like any healthy-silver-linings-minded person, who’d been brought up by my mother, I’ve rolled up my sleeves. Ready to go prowling for open doors.

When one door closes, another door opens…

Tweets of guidance

I wouldn’t dare lie to you; I do have the occasional anxiety attacks. Just read Confessions of an Unemployable. And yes, I did have another one recently, while watching a Buitenhof interview with Henk Kamp —our Minister of Social Affairs and Employment.

Kamp sat there, unattached and (e)motionless, sketching a future job market where the (over 45) Jane & John Does were doomed to be disposable minimum wage commodities. Discouraging as Kamp may be —seriously, the irony of this alien humanoid being appointed our Minister of ‘Social’ Affairs and Employment; I’ve decided not to let him deter me.

If only because I’m a woman with a plan. It’s amazing what you come across when you’re actively open-minded. Like this article for instance, describing an entrepreneur’s difficulties while setting up his own business. He made the best of the obstacles that came his way. His approach struck a chord, which I worded in a tweet:

http://twitter.com/#!/IvichieSays/status/65050247109414913
 
Or, like the uplifting tweet below from @MarigoPR:
http://twitter.com/#!/MarigoPR/status/60305621374877697

Note: Consequential to my religious upbringing, I don’t much believe in Chance. More in a sort of Serendipity and Someone up there who loves me and thinks I ‘once in a while need directives’.
 
Both tweets echo my mother’s proverb. One story ends; a new one begins. Forget Kamp —that awful-awful man; forget the setbacks; forget any grim thoughts. What I need to do is embrace the unknown future and head straight for that open door. And I’ll be alright. Right?

Bottom line: You get what you need

Uh… Not quite. There’s only one tiny hitch. A few years ago I had this out-of-town job interview. The job incorporated a minimum of 3 hours daily commuting; so I took on the interview as a learning experience, no more.

To my surprise, I made it to round two. In the end, I didn’t get the job but predictably I did learn a few things:

#1–Presentation. This is a no-brainer. Wearing ‘power clothes’ actually boost your confidence, even when you’re feeling ‘wobbly’.

#2–Confidence. Being confident isn’t the same as being overly cocky. One is a sure thing; the other is trouble.

#3–Breathe. First of all, relax. People get it. They feel you love what you do. Secondly, you can be you; so long as it’s the best version of you.

#4–Your cards.  Honesty goes a long way. However there’s no need to show all your cards in one go. The one opposite you is probably holding some of his close to his chest.
 
Like I said, I didn’t land the job. In its wake, I did land another one closer to home though. Amusingly at the time, The Stones kept playing in my head over and over again:

You can’t always get what you want But if you try sometimes, you just might find You get what you need

Things turned out alright back then. And I believe they will again. So here’s The Rolling Stones in the funky Soulwax remix. Let it rip!
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