Many people have urged me to bring up a topic that caught them off guard. These people have discovered that being made redundant has enabled them to change their lives for the better. They don't recommend you do what you can to get fired as part of your route to success, but retrenchment has led to a curious increase in their resourcefulness, motivation and self-directed learning.  It's all based on a choice that begins inside of you. You may not control what happens, but you do control how you react to what happens. Once you realize this, you exert real power.

You don't typically have to go very far to speak with someone who has lost their job. The initial feelings of surprise, anger and disappointment often bring up bitterness and a desire for revenge.  The 'poor me' syndrome and 'why me' victim mentality are also known to influence depression. People who lose their jobs may voice negative feelings, but they may not realize focusing on what you have little or no power to change holds you back from everything you actually do.

One woman in the U.S. voiced her anger to her boss. This employee was unhappy about being let go in downsizing. Being fired initially caused her to feel incapable of caring for herself and her infant son. Yet, after reflection at home, she chose to write her boss a letter of apology. She thanked this boss for hiring and firing her because deep down, she desired to return to school and better her skills. She saw her circumstances offered her the chance to do just that. She found paid work to look after herself and her son, and she came to see being fired as a blessing.

A friend of mine worked on heavy machinery in a coal mine.  When that mine closed, his peers were scared about how they would survive on the settlement packages. The work buddies began to spend their new free time drinking at the local pub and bemoaning their situations. My friend surprised them.  He decided to set out and realize his dream to become a physiotherapist. He discovered ways to apply for loans and to prepare for university entrance exams. He found part-time work to support himself and felt motivated to learn new things for the first time in over 20 years. Today, he works hard in a group practice and community hospital in the United Kingdom.

Regardless of the reasons for being told you're no longer needed in a position, remind yourself you'll always be needed somewhere.  You can decide where this place will be or you can let someone else decide what they think is best for you. It's possible to be made redundant and to see the bright side. Think of all those things you told yourself that you couldn't do because of being restricted in time, mindset and circumstance. All that can change in the blink of an eye.  You have the power to make choices, to make the best of wherever you are. Rather than focus on freedoms you don't have, take steps to redefine the choices that you can and already do.