When the pandemic sent the nation into a shutdown last year, plenty of Americans found themselves jobless and in need of quick solutions to stay financially afloat.

Some scurried to online job sites in hopes of finding a new position pronto, while others endeavored to learn new skills that would enhance their job prospects.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>

But not everyone reacts in prompt and practical ways when faced with hardship. Job loss, or any setback in or out of a pandemic, comes with emotional baggage that can paralyze people when they need to take action, says Dr. Allen Lycka (www.drallenlycka.com), co-author of the international bestseller The Secrets to Living a Fantastic Life.

“Too often, we can’t summon the will to triumph over such adversities because we let a victim mentality overtake us,” says Lycka, who for three decades was a cosmetic dermatologist, but today is a transformational keynote speaker, thought leader, and life-changing coach.

“When you’re going through immense adversity, it’s difficult to think that you can come out better and stronger on the other side. But you can.”

To do so, he says, there are inner qualities people need to call on that will help, such as:

Tenacity. If there is one attribute that determines success, it’s tenacity. Intelligence and skill are great to have, but it’s those who bring tenacity and perseverance who always succeed. Hard work, even when you feel you can’t do it, pays off. That’s true on the job and it’s true when you’re looking for a job. Sure, you need to refuel sometimes. So, take a break, then get back to it. But don’t break for too long.

Attitude. Attitude follows closely behind tenacity because it affects so many aspects of a person’s life, such as emotional state, personality, social interactions, and career. “We all know someone in our life who, no matter how great things are going, will complain about something,” Lycka says. “They will complain, whine and frown.” Your attitude determines whether or not you will enjoy life and finish it successfully.

Enthusiasm. It’s difficult for people to summon strong feelings of excitement about the next stage of life when life’s current stage has knocked them down. But they must. “Enthusiasm is the spark you bring to daily life that starts the fire,” Lycka says. It’s important to remember that enthusiasm is contagious. Maybe you aren’t spreading it right now, but perhaps you can catch it. Since your time and energy are limited, pay attention to how you feel after spending time with people in your life, and seek out those who fill you up, energize and inspire you.

Vulnerability. This one may sound surprising, but it’s really not. “If you don’t allow yourself to be vulnerable, then you won’t take risks,” Lycka says. We may not like vulnerability because we think it’s bad, but it’s neither good nor bad. To win and accomplish whatever it is you set out to accomplish, you must take a risk and that means you are going to have to make yourself vulnerable.

“It’s important to remember that it’s not what happens to you, it’s what you do with what happens,” Lycka says. “Taking on a mindset with that point of view may be challenging at first, but once you do, life will be enormously different.”

<em>About Dr. Allen Lycka (www.drallenlycka.com): He was previously acknowledged as one of the leading cosmetic dermatologists globally for three decades and is now a transformational keynote speaker, life-changing coach, workshop provider and mentor. At the top of his career in 2003, he was crushed by a misdiagnosis of ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig's disease) and was told he had six months to live. He defied the odds by finding another doctor who saved his life. A near death survivor, he discovered his “golden pearls” through the experience. He has now dedicated his life to helping others and provides answers in his international bestselling book, The Secrets to Living A Fantastic Life… Discover The 13 Golden Pearls Within, co-authored with Harriet Tinka, who had a similar life experience, surviving death after being kidnapped, stabbed, and left for dead. The “Golden Pearls” are the commonality they discovered.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></em>