My own ham

Obviously I'm on my own journey towards figuring out how to support my family in Los Angeles in 2009 and now into the teen years of our new millennium. That's how I came to my hammy conclusions and now find myself doing things I really didn't expect to be doing.

In 2006, I left my stable job at CSU Northridge coordinating students in volunteerism. While I loved many aspects of my job and role, I felt like I needed more time with my family after the birth of our third child in 2005.

I also had opportunity. I had two contracts lined up to replace my position. I would work from home and consult and start a great new life. My husband's career was looking bright at this point. Then all sorts of crazy stuff happened and my remaining original contract ended in late 2008.

That was a hard fall and winter, if you don't recall it directly. I remember after being laid-off and seeing that other people were not understanding my stress and concern. After my year without a job, I've now watched a lot more friends and family go through stress. In some ways I enjoy being ahead of the curve now. At least I got over the shock part. Time to develop the new normal and the only time I can live in is the present, right?

I did a lot of soul searching and Oprah watching to distill a few truths for my experience now and what I want from my career now. Things changed in my life and in the world since my career was my priority. Lots to consider.

My three most important factors for finding my own ham during some lean times:
1. I need to work from home
2. I need to feel my skills and experience will go to good use
3. I need a career path that helps to justify my lifestyle here in Los Angeles

These are the three values I've put down as the most important for me right now and they've helped to guide my through a series of hard choices this year. Ours values are most tested in times like these, but it is our values that will help steer us through confusing choices. When you are true to yourself, your chances of finding happiness increase.

Last year, I got a press ( including 30 seconds of me crying on Good Morning America about a job interview) for being laid-off. It was hard to be honest about what we were facing at that time.
We grew up expecting a certain lifestyle and my husband and I thought we had made good career choices. A changing world calls for a changing personal plan and that's what I've had to do this year. I've had to think about my values and think about what is really important in my life.

I wish I could tie all this up with a great "happily ever after" bow and I sure wish I could leverage my press contacts into being a good news story now. But I still feel like a work in progress. My crystal ball got really fuzzy in the last couple of years and now here I am trying to predict a future for myself and my family. I just keep pushing forward and knowing that if I stick to what I know is right, that things will keep happening for me. It may be something big or a series of small things, it is hard to tell at this time. I'm trying to stay patient, open minded and positive. I hope you are trying to do the same!