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With rumors of layoffs, you may be anticipating a job loss; or perhaps it’s already happened. As a senior executive, I recently lost my own position. This happened when my company was in the throws of reorganizing, downsizing, reengineering, consolidating, streamlining, rightsizing—use the word you like best. Although I was disappointed, as a vice president with significant responsibility, overall I felt gratified about what I had accomplished for the company and the value I added to the bottom line.

This “pause” in my professional life allowed me to detox and reflect on my values—that is, what is truly important to me now. I had adopted a daughter as a single mom, and I wasn’t really enjoying motherhood. At the age of seven, my daughter needs me more now than she did as a baby. Although I loved my job, the hours and the pressures of corporate life weren’t allowing me to live my life, much less thrive. It was indeed a time to acknowledge “been there, done that, now what?”

For quite some time, I neglected many things in my life so that I could spend 50 percent of my waking hours growing the bottom line of the company. On my first day of unemployment, I jumped in and began doing all that I needed in order to catch up, redefine my life and get healthy. This was the beginning of a new way of living. With a clear focus and a little discipline, you too can begin living the life of your dreams, one small step at a time.

Chart Your Vision

Start by consciously choosing to see your loss as a new beginning. This will put you in an adventurous mode where anything is possible. From this mindset, create a personal pie chart that reflects the new life you want to build. You may want to designate slices for Parenting, Relationships, Self-Care, Fun, Home Environment and Work. The size of each slice should reflect the amount of time you intend to devote to that part of your life. For example, if you plan to work eight-hour days, the “Work” slice will encompass one-third of the pie. Inside the slice (or on an adjacent list, if you run out of room), list your employment goals. It is also helpful to list desirable working conditions and important details like commute time. Repeat this process for each slice of the pie. In my own Self-Care slice, I wrote, “exercise, eat well, meditate daily and keep a journal.” In my Work section, I listed consulting, mentoring, speaking and writing. Be as specific as possible, but at minimum record major goals in each area. Think about how much time you would like to ideally dedicate to each slice on a daily basis.

After you’ve completed your pie chart, make every effort to live it. You may want to focus on one area to begin with and make it your number one goal. If it’s helpful to have visuals that compliment your pie chart, create a collage from old magazines, photos, etc., that reflect what you envision for each slice of your chart. Keep in mind that your time is valuable and that it’s important to check in with yourself daily. You want to know that what you are working on is consistent with your goals. Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval, authors of The Power of Small, recommend: “Instead of making a list of big, difficult-to-achieve goals, create an action list and re-envision those goals into ’‘ini-tasks’ that can actually be accomplished on a day-to-day basis. ‘Mini-tasks’—successfully completed—can accrue to significant success.”

Put your pie chart and collage in a place where you can see them every day. This will help keep you on track, honoring your path and your purpose. Keep your thoughts optimistic. Use affirmations that allow you to feel strong and confident; “Only good will come from this situation” and “I move forward with strength and courage.” Stay away from negative influences (TV, radio, newspapers, people, places, memories, etc.) that may discourage you from changing your life.

By using this approach, you are more likely to nurture all parts of yourself—mind, body and soul—rather than devote every minute to searching for another job. In my case, I knew intuitively that this was what I needed in order to make the transition from the old life to the new. You can do the same. Remember the phrase, “use it or lose it,” and use it all.

Use Your Heart

Allow your heart to drive your decisions. Reflect on what you would be deeply satisfied doing. Take the time to identify your interests, summarize your skills and begin to think of potential job options. We each bring unique gifts and talents to the world. What makes you special? If you don’t know, ask the people who know you well to provide this feedback. You may want to review past performance appraisals as well. From there, identify potential learning opportunities. Move forward with courses, seminars, mentors, coaches or therapists to help you fill the gaps in your skills. Consider volunteering your time to work on projects that may further define a new role in your life.

My most fulfilling, life-changing decisions, have been driven by emotion. Logic and Ego could have stopped me dead in my tracks. Have the courage to stop the self-talk that sometimes stops you from creating a fulfilled and robust life.

I’m continually focusing on what I love to do as I develop my skills realizing that I can deliver value in any industry as long as my strengths match a company’s unmet needs. With this mindset, I’ve begun to apply my wealth of corporately acquired skills to a startup consulting business.

In my new way of looking at life, I think of my “paycheck” from a larger perspective. My source of good and wealth does not come from the company that employs me. It comes from a belief in my skills and faith in the unseen world. I’m open to the possibilities and income from many different and unexpected places. With this thought process, it helps to practice letting go, being adventurous and admitting you don’t have all the answers.

Use Your Contacts

Once you have crafted a clear message about who you are, reach out to those you know—friends, family and former colleagues. Meet over a meal or coffee to discuss your ideas. Let them know what you are looking for. Ask how you may help them as well. This is a reciprocal process.

Online networking can provide thousands of additional contacts that you would not normally have in a conventional way. Your next job may come from someone in Japan who has a contact in Chicago. Or you may just want to promote what you do. In either case, your brand (the value you bring) needs to be crystal clear in what you communicate.

I teamed up with a close friend who makes a fine living at working independently and asked her to join me on a consulting project. She has been an example of living a life of balance, flexibility and fun and I wanted to learn from her. We chose to approach a local family-owned, wheat-free bakery where we could use our joint talents to help this business grow. For me, it was another step forward in the pursuit of self-employment.

Use Your Braun

Do what you need to expedite this change and anchor it. This includes taking care of yourself with regular exercise, eating clean, whole foods, meditation, journaling and getting adequate rest.

An excellent way to shift the energy in your environment is to clear the clutter in all areas. Start with one room at a time and decide how you want to live in the space. Get help if you need it. Culling through stuff can be emotionally draining especially when you’re not sure whether to keep, trash, recycle or give to charity. Get help from a professional if you need it. Your money will be well spent.

When I finally took the time to clear the clutter from my home, it helped to clarify my vision and kept the “life change” momentum going. I transformed my home office into an orderly and inspirational space. Starting out this way saved me time, money and reduced my stress significantly.

All that’s happening in our world is enabling us to examine our lives more carefully. A job loss can be a time of transformation, joy and fulfillment—often in unexpected ways. My daughter recently asked me for butterfly larva so that she could watch their metamorphosis. As the butterflies emerged, I was reminded that my own transformation is leading to the life I love.

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