The Zen of Job Searching + Peaceful Perler Art

Welcome, new week. 👋🏾 This week, focus on being present in whatever moment you’re in currently.

In this edition:

• Find zen in your job search

• Finding Fam: She shares Black Remote jobs

• Let’s talk about grounding techniques

• Your next obsession is peaceful Perler art

The Zen of Job Searching

Today, I started my morning reflective of how each day of my personal job search starts. As soon I opened my eyes, I felt a strong pull to grab a warm drink and hit the job boards and plan meetings with peers this week for referrals. My mind raced, thinking about how much more time I had in savings to sustain our lifestyle. I thought about what sort of ‘until I find what suits me’ jobs I could take, that would match my interests, what hyperlocal jobs would be fun to do for a short while, and how I could freelance in the meantime.

Then, present in the moment, I noticed how I was starting my day energetically, setting myself up for the energies of anticipation and anxiety. I felt in the 5 minutes since I started the day, a rush of the familiar fight-or-flight response, leading me to feel like the moments I was asleep was wasted in finding a job that would provide for my family. I chose in that moment of noticing to be present, and to reset the energy of my day. Instead of jumping up from rest to start my job search, I laid in bed for 30 more minutes with my eyes closed and listened to the sounds of a quiet yet full house as my humans and nature started to wake.

In a high-stakes, competitive job search market, what does it look like to find zen in the process, and like I did, take a moment to realize where we’re driving unwanted energy? Finding peace in your process will probably show up in many different ways for you throughout your job search journey, but here’s some helpful guidance to find your own way to peace through the unknowns:

• Start a meditation practice that you incorporate during your job search

• Organize your job search so that you’re using your time efficiently

• Connect with other job seekers to release energy in a mutual, healthy way

• Seek out moments to be present throughout your day

Staying grounded in the knowledge that the experience you’re looking for is making its way to you, and in remembering that you have what it takes to achieve it, is a way to tell the voice admonishing you for enjoying moments to hush. What are some ways that you’re finding peace in your search? Share them with me and I’ll publish your wisdom in the newsletter!

Have you heard about the Black Remote She job board? Jasmine Williams-Jacobs created a community for Black queer, trans, nonbinary people, and allies interested in working remotely.

Connect with Jasmine to learn more about black queer advocacy and the future of work through a diverse lens and search the board or refer a friend for jobs that are vetted and safe for those with diverse identities!

Let’s talk about grounding

Grounding is an activity that can help you feel calm by giving you a practical way to use your five senses to remind your brain that you are actually safe.

Check out this playlist of grounding techniques to learn more and incorporate them into your job search journey!

Remember the ‘quiet time’ activity that your parents or caregivers sat out for you between lunch and nap time? Perler beads have been around since the 80’s, providing peaceful art and tactile play for kids and adults alike.

Here’s something I created recently (a flower from a peaceful game I’m playing, Palia):

And here’s a tutorial on everything you need to know to create your own fun art:

Stop by your nearest craft store and grab some perler beads to create pixel art, take a break from your job search and engage in a tactile activity that will keep you in the moment until your last bead.

Until next week! If you like the newsletter, share it with a friend, contribute, or buy me a 🍵.