Anyone who has lived through a job loss or has struggled to keep their position, have experienced the emotional roller coaster filled with anxiety and stress that challenges their ability to have a positive outlook, enjoy everyday life and function normally.

Today's work environment introduces even greater challenges and hurtles, and in order to compete you must be mentally prepared and demonstrate unique abilities to meet and exceed employers' expectations. If you have not experience employment challenges, you probably can not fully comprehend what this feels like.

Job seekers face countless rejection, disappointments and roadblocks in their search for new employment. Loss of income, rejection letters, no responses from e-mails, applications and phone calls, failure to find open jobs and lack of assistance are a few of the contributing stress factors.

This emotional turmoil causes negative thoughts including doubting abilities, skills, self-worth and marketability. After an extended length of time, which may be three months or a year, there may be thoughts of no hope for the future. At times prospects look good, interviews are scheduled and companies are interested, creating a natural high. However, these highs fade quickly when interviews and opportunities slip away, creating huge lows and greater pressures and concerns. For many individuals these ups and downs have a direct impact on their ability to function and effectively perform a normal daily routine.

So how do we deal with, overcome or eliminate the anxiety and stress and more forward?

Three important elements are necessary to achieve success; 1) mental well being, 2) physical well being and 3) preparedness to think and act in a logical manner. People work best when all three elements are healthy. A good mental attitude and positive thought processes is imperative to your physiological well. Accepting responsibility for your situation and taking control of what will happen next is your best first step. This means anticipating and accepting the outcome of actions, both bad a good.

Setting realistic expectations and being honest with yourself helps manage shortcomings and the ability to move forward. Developing and meeting objectives builds confidence and demonstrates progress. Accepting responsibility for executing the plan will help you deal with the ups and downs. Put negative experiences aside and don't dwell upon the rejection. Keep a positive attitude and view failures or set backs as stepping stones and learning experiences.

Overcoming the mental factors is a huge part of the challenge; however logical thinking and executing a plan and viable options establishes your self-accountability and provides a purpose.

- After giving yourself sufficient time to feel sorry for yourself, start developing your plan and begin thinking in positive terms and move past the poor me thoughts. 
- Second, analyze your situation logically and tactically. Identify achievable steps, alternatives and methods you will use to find and land a new job or improve your current position. 
- Work hard daily to executing your plan and recognize even the smallest progress made as a step toward meeting your end goal. 
- Feel good about your accomplishment and reward yourself. Focus on good things big or small that happened everyday and celebrate. 
- Sharing your thoughts with someone close to you allows you to vent and express what you are feeling. 
- Getting it off your chest relieves some of the tension and pressure and may prompt suggestions or ideas that will help you. 
- Take time out frequently to do something you enjoy and forget about your challenges. 
- Reward yourself for accomplishments. 
- Put your challenges in perspective with others you know or have read about and count your blessings for what you do have and what you will have soon.

I am not a Psychologist or a Career Councilor or even an expert on this topic, but I have ridden the roller coaster a number of times.

You are only a failure if you fail to try.

"I've missed more than 9,000 shots in my career, I've lost almost 300 games. Twenty six times I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over in my life. And that's why I succeed!" - Michael Jordan

Russ Kovar