Back Into The Workspace…From There to Here…

Hello again and welcome! Thank you so much for joining us, again, as we journey through my past and present outlook on how I got from there…totally dependent on SSDI…to here…back into the workspace.

As we all know, life can be a bit unpredictable, sometimes. One thing we can be sure of is that things are going to happen. We can try preparing for the worst-case scenarios, as much as we can, as we do with hurricanes. But, for certain, some things affect our lives more like tornadoes, they can be unpredictable and appear suddenly…like some of our (dis)abilities…unexpected things…they happen. Unexpected things can turn our lives upside down. That’s what happened when my (dis)ability chose me, because I for sure didn’t choose it. Even though I didn’t choose it, I have to admit, there are some aspects of my life that are better off because of it. But that is because after sitting with it for a while, I had a choice to make about my next step or if there would be one. 

All of us at MEO have inspirational stories as to how we got here, and it certainly doesn’t seem accidental. I’ve shared with you before that our CEO, Paula Vieillet shared with me at the beginning of my journey at MEO, as an Employment Counselor, that she only hires people who have a heart for people. And so, as it is with all of my colleagues, there is purpose in the why I’m at MEO and how I got here…here are my receipts: 😊

• If my (dis)ability hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have been awarded SSDI
• If I wasn’t awarded SSDI, I wouldn’t have received a Ticket for the SSA Ticket-to-Work Program (TTWP)
• If I didn’t assign my Ticket to MEO for the TTWP, I would not have had the support of my Employment Counselor (EC) who consistently encouraged and gently pushed at the same time
• If I didn’t assign my Ticket to MEO for the TTWP, I also would not have had a Certified Benefits Specialist to guide me through the SSA forest of information regarding working again
• If I hadn’t had an Employment Counselor who used her industry expertise to help me see what I couldn’t see at the time, and who helped open the door to an opportunity to work in this space; I wouldn’t have the opportunity to help others who are walking a similar path that I walked when it was rocky.

Every now and then, I think about it and realize that the gift of being able to work again didn’t just impact my life, but that of everyone connected to me. Because it made me hopeful, brought joy and some sense of normalcy back into my life, it gave them hope that although my life was different, I would be okay. There are no guarantees in life, and I had no guarantee what things would look like on the other side of my first step back into the workspace. I can tell you that it was rocky, my life stance was unstable. I was unsure of what I was doing, and if I should, but I had support. The thing about support is that it can be there, but of no use if we don’t listen to it or use it. We all need help sometimes. Our pride can get in the way of what’s possible for us on the other side of a (dis)ability, but only if we give it permission to.

Because of the kinds of jobs I’d had before my first step back into the working space, my pride could have gotten in the way of what felt like starting over with a customer service job. You’ve probably heard me say it before, I am so grateful for that job. I learned so much about how to manage a Work from Home (WFH) job, but most importantly, how to manage my (dis)ability so that I could continue to work. And if I’m honest, there were a lot of things I thought I knew because of my past experience with working with computer applications, but omgoodness…after being out of the game…off the playing field…in the locker room…for almost 4 years, I had some catching up to do. It wasn’t easy learning to navigate working and learning so many different aspects of a remote job, but it was worth every bit of painstaking effort; because without that refresher at my first job, I wouldn’t have been able to hit the ground running with all the applications and flexibility needed to navigate as a WFH Employment Counselor. 

So, no matter what your first job is back into the workspace, whatever you learn, you will carry it with you…whether it’s what to do, what to do better or what to do differently. How we look at our situation determines what happens next. With my first job back, I reminded myself on tough days that it wasn’t my last stop and that I was not stuck. I remind my clients of that…the beauty of the TTWP is that whatever job you’re working doesn’t have to be your last stop, your EC can help you look for something different. And you are never stuck…you get to decide your next move.

I believe that waking up in the morning is my first gift of the day without any guarantees of what kind of day it will be for me. Some events of the day will depend on my decisions and others will be totally out of my control. But I’ve learned on this journey of not being able to do all that I used to do…the way I used to do it, that it all really depends on the lens that I choose to see my situation in. For me, it’s a combination of being realistic about my (dis)ability, because that’s what keeps me alive. But at the same time, I’ve had to learn to not become so fearful of what’s on the other side of my vocational try, that I freeze or self-sabotage what may be possible. 

It’s important to take good care of yourself as you discover a new path forward and fresh possibilities that come with each new day. Sometimes our abilities will impact what we are able to do, but we should never allow our fear to stop us from inquiring and trying to do things a different way. The TTWP isn’t for everyone, but there is only one way for you to know…inquire…and if inquiring leads you to try…try…and hopefully one day you’ll be able to write your own story of how you went from there to there!

I always enjoy sharing my journey with you more than I expect, as it reminds me of how deep I had to reach on the inside of me to begin the process of building a foundation that would support my effort to return to the workspace. It wouldn’t have worked without my support structure, which includes the MEO TTWP!! I look forward to continuing our journey in the next blog! Until next time…take good care of yourselves…

**If this is your first visit to our blog site, please feel free to visit previous blogs. If you’re interested in more information regarding applying for the MEO Ticket to Work Program…click here: https://myemploymentoptions.com/apply-now/