For the long-term unemployed, aid and comfort from the people around you are essential. You need their connections, their insights, and maybe even their financial assistance. But don’t expect them to understand your situation in the same way you understand it. This can be good but could just as easily be frustrating and emotionally draining. As I’ve said in other posts, you will be put in the situation of trying to understand where they are coming from, pulling out what good you can, and not be beaten down by advice that might seem flippant or callous. Their viewpoints are shaped by their past, not your present.
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