I've been in a pretty good mood in the last week. It's not that I've been in a bad mood lately, but the adjustment around moving has certainly taken its toll in ways that I've talked about before. I've been looking for more happy.
When I stop to think about why I've been feeling the happy, it occurs to me that a lot of it has to do with the environment I have for work. If I were to summarize, I'd say it's that there hasn't been any time in my career where my skills were more in demand, and I've never had the options that I do today. Good decisions dating back 12 years are serving me well, even though I had my share of failures and train wrecks in between.
For a long time, I've not placed much value in how I was treated or valued in terms of career, mostly because my first lay-off in 2001 endlessly messed with my self-esteem. I took the inability to find work personally, and I eventually resolved to not ever let those external factors dictate how I felt about myself. It probably reinforced my disdain for "the man" in the process.
I am willing to admit, however, that being the subject of desire for people who want to hire you is a pretty good feeling. And really, why shouldn't that be the case? When someone is into you romantically (or just outright sexually), that feels good too. We all want to be wanted and appreciated, even if you try your hardest to not be dependent on that feeling to boost your self-worth.
The same realization provides me with some level of empathy for people who can't find jobs right now. I still don't agree with people who think they're entitled or complain about what's fair, but I've been there, and I do know how it sucks.
I accept that it's a cyclical thing, and I certainly know the love can end at any time. That goes with the territory. For know though, I think I'll allow myself to enjoy the attention. It's a fantastic time to be in my line of work.
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