Setting the Scene
Inse sat at the kitchen table, staring at a pile of unpaid bills. The house was quiet, his wife was out running errands, and the kids were at school, but inside his mind, there was nothing but noise.
It had been three months since he was laid off from his construction job, and despite his best efforts, he still hadn’t found a new one. Every interview seemed to end in the same frustrating rejection: We’ve decided to go in a different direction.
He exhaled, rubbing his temples. He had always taken pride in being the provider. His hands had built homes, fixed broken things, and put food on the table. But now, as the weeks passed with no offers, he felt something creeping in, doubt.
What if I never find work again? What if I let my family down?
A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. Curity stood there, a confident smile on her face, holding two cups of coffee. “Mind if I come in?”
Inse managed a small smile. “Yeah, of course.”
The Pressure of Providing
As they sat down, Curity got straight to the point. “I can tell you’re stuck in your head, Inse. What’s going on?”
Inse sighed. “I just feel… useless. I’m supposed to take care of my family, and I can’t even do that right now.”
Curity leaned forward. “You are taking care of them. You’re still showing up for them every day, right?”
“Yeah, but, ”
“No buts. You’re looking for work, managing the household, supporting your wife and kids emotionally. You haven’t given up.” She paused. “You’re basing your entire worth on your job, and that’s a mistake.”
Inse ran a hand over his face. “But what else am I supposed to do? I feel like I need to be back to work yesterday. The longer I go without a job, the more it feels like… I’m failing.”
Curity shook her head. “That’s the voice of insecurity talking. It’s feeding you fear, making you believe your value is tied to your job title. It’s time to apply the Third Transformation: Let the Voice of Security be Your Guide.”
Shifting the Mindset
Inse frowned. “What does that even mean?”
“It means shifting your focus from what you’ve lost to what you still have. The voice of security reminds you that your skills, experience, and work ethic haven’t disappeared just because you’re in between jobs. It reminds you that this is a chapter, not the end of the book.”
“But how do I stop feeling like a failure?”
Curity smiled. “By replacing insecurity with truth. Start telling yourself: I am more than my job. My skills still have value. My worth is not defined by my paycheck. Say it out loud.”
Inse rolled his eyes but muttered, “I am more than my job. My skills still have value. My worth is not defined by my paycheck.”
“Good,” Curity said. “Now say it like you believe it.”
He took a deep breath and repeated it with conviction.
Taking the Next Step
Curity nodded. “Now, let’s talk action. Have you thought about expanding your job search beyond construction?”
Inse hesitated. “I… I don’t know. I’ve done construction my whole life.”
“And in that time, you’ve developed leadership skills, problem-solving abilities, and the ability to work under pressure. Those skills translate to many careers. The voice of insecurity wants to trap you in the past, but the voice of security sees possibilities.”
For the first time in weeks, Inse felt something shift, a glimmer of hope.
A New Perspective
That night, as he tucked his kids into bed, he realized something. His children didn’t care about his job title. They cared that he was there. His wife didn’t measure his worth by a paycheck. She saw the man who had always done his best for their family.
And maybe, just maybe, it was time he saw himself that way too.
Key Lesson: Let the Voice of Security Be Your Guide
- Your worth is not defined by your job.
- Focus on what you still have, your skills, experience, and resilience.
- Shift your mindset from fear to possibility.
By embracing the Third Transformation, Inse realized that his career setback didn’t define him. His value went beyond his job, and by tuning into the voice of security, he could step forward with confidence, not just as a worker, but as a father, husband, and person with limitless potential.
