Yes i do agree that it is hard to find your footing again. Yes
many of us had been there, being carried away by the bulls and the
bears. I personally came close to loosing everything as well many
years back. I know how you feel.. it really sux! I had to start
from zero again. Now I do not even play the market preferring to
keep the little that I have earned in the many years since in FD
and principal guaranteed financial products.
One of my close friend also lost everything in the market at about
the same time as me. I mean everything. We admit that we got
carried away and we were all greedy then.
this entire episode changed him and to a certain extent myself too.
I cant speak for myself but I can at least say that he is now one
of the nicest person I know, humble and stable.
Both of us struggled again to rebuild our lives and finances. It
took a few years and finally we are financially independant
again.
I do not know which industry or what your job or skill that you are
trained in, like I said, I think there are industries that are not
as sensitive. a few of the companies that I know do employ or
continue to keep their existing employee even after they are made
bankrupt. But yes I agree, there are many employers who do not
understand.
So my approach would be this, use this humbling episode to your
advantage, allow it to change the person that you are, then convey
this in your outlook to life. You will find that your life
experience will become so much richer than when you had the "paper
gain". the simiple things in life now give great joy
Now about that job, rehearse in your head what you will say when
you get the chance to attend an interview and are asked about your
bankruptcy. Dont be a know it all, dont project a needy self, a
desperate self. Be confident of yourself about your ability and
most importantly about how you became a bankrupt and how that had
changed your life and your heart. show your ernestness and your
desire to work hard for your employer for your family for your kids
and for yourself. I think employers, like it or not, will at least
to some extent respect a person who falls, learns from his mistake
and is prepared to pick himself up again with honest intergity and
hard work.
In the meantime, you will need to find a job, anyjob that will help
pay some of the bills. The OA will not and should not press too
hard on you bec you have childrens to upkeep. talk nicely to the OA
and explain to him what it is that you had been trying to do in
terms of getting a job and the difficulty that you had. the OA will
I think understand.
As to your friends and the potential stigma about being a bankrupt,
try not to let that affect you. I know it feels really lousy. But
be confident about yourself. this confidence will come when you
rediscover yourself worth in your God if you believe in Him, your
self worth in the person that you represent and have become and
what your family and children thinks of you.
Once you have regained this self worth, you will walk taller and
your speech will be different too. That will improve your life
experience and will I think help with that job interview too bec
your confidence will come through.
Finally I have to admit that it is a humbling experience and a
painful one. But you can overcome it. Use it to rediscover the
simple truth and joys in life. let it remind you that your worth as
a person is no longer determined by what you have in the bank but
by the person that we had become and the relationships that you
have.
is this a so called "looser" way of thinking?? nope. It is I think
the right way to think right from the beginning. Its just that like
so many people we all got sidetracked by greed and personal
ambitions and had forgotten what is truely important.
Take care and all the best with finding that job. we will be here
if you need us and we will keep you in prayers.
