To be a bit panicked about potential unemployment

[LondonLady29]

I work in a freelance industry and have done for the past eight years. Contracts tend to be around three months long at a time but can be up to six months or as short as a week or two. Over the past few years I have managed to plan my contracts and find work so I pretty much always have something in the diary when I'm coming to the end of a job, even if there is a gap of a few weeks after a job finishing before another one starts. However next Friday I finish my job and I have nothing to go on to and it's making me feel terrible. I start feeling very insecure about everything and hate the uncertainty of it.

Some background, at the beginning of this year myself and two others were hired to do a job knowing one would be kept on longer than two others. I worked so hard and gave my heart and soul to the job then wasn't asked to stay on for the extension (although the boss has since recommended me for other things and have me a great reference so I don't think it was to do with my job performance). I then started my current job which has been fine. During this contract I managed to line up three interviews for positions to start this summer. For one of them the interviewer stood me up. Another said I was "brilliant" but they had decided to go with someone they have worked with before and another in waiting to hear but not hopeful because I know someone else who went for the same position (they are looking to employ more than one person) has already been told she has the job so they are keeping me as back up whilst they interview more people.

AIBU to feel completely down and low confidence about this? I'm dreading telling people I'm not working at the moment. Also there are of course financial implications. I have contacted as many people as u can and applied for as many suitable roles as I can. I just see others around me accepting jobs and I'm struggling and it makes me feel like a failure.

[sportinguista]

Just a thought but have you tried People per Hour? I know it's not steady stuff but it can help plug a gap. I work freelance and I use it to do just that, in fact I have ended up with steady clients because of it! It will help you feel a bit less panicky and give you something to take your mind off things while you are looking. It can take a bit of bidding before you get something but build your profile with examples of previous stuff and you will get something. I waas in that panicky position a while ago and it got me through! Plus you get to work from home which is lovely and means you can slob and have as many cups of tea as you like!