Accidental Sabbatical: Hope for Surviving and Thriving While Unemployed

by Shari Risoff, Brian Godawa (Designer)

Is it a vacation or an Accidental Sabbatical?Millions of us are on an Accidental Sabbatical due to unemployment. We are on this journey for many different reasons – in my case, as a trailing spouse. Some people have been casualties of downsizing or rightsizing or corporate politics. Still others have been left behind in a divorce or widowed. Some have been forced into retirement long before they would have chosen it.Maintaining hope is the toughest part of the assignment for me, so when I heard Kay Warren speak about her Hope Box, I created one for myself, filling up index cards with scriptures and inspirational thoughts and keeping them in a small box labeled 'Hope'. These surprising gifts sustain me daily… among hope, perseverance, change, significance, provision.This is not a ‘how to’ manual for being unemployed; there is no scientific formula for a job search. However, there are definitely things you can do to grow and enjoy the journey. It may not have been your choice, but it is a sabbatical after all; use it to your benefit!This book shares hope and inspiration, ideas and resources gathered from the lessons learned during my Accidental Sabbatical. I write to encourage and help all of us to not only survive but to thrive as we figure out how to be, where to belong and what to do. You may find that your sabbatical might not be so accidental after all.

170 pages, Paperback

First published May 31, 2014

About the author

Shari Risoff is an author, editor and consultant She is the author of two books, Released: A True Story of Escape from an Abusive Marriage and Accidental Sabbatical. She began to consult and write full time during her own accidental sabbatical. She writes, and edits books for other authors, as well as helping small business owners with infrastructure or communication or projects of many kinds.

She is devoted to her husband Stephen. When she is not working on her new book, or hanging out with Stephen, she is reading books or studying human behavior, often on the court and forensic shows. Readers or writers in need of an editor can get in touch via email: projectmavens @ risoff.com or follow her on Twitter @ShariRisoff.