As Seen On TV: Layoff Survival Guide

Feb. 2, 2009— -- Ben Sherwood, author of "The Survivor's Club," a book that examines the people who survive dire situations, from plane crashes to an economic downturn, gives expert advice on how to bounce back from losing your job.

"The military says in a survival situation, hug the monster. That means go right up to your biggest fear and grab hold of it tight because that is the best way to conquer it."

The AARP breaks down the stages of grief associated with job loss. From shock to denial, anger and acceptance, click here to learn more.

"Pay attention to the reality that your 401(k) is shrinking rapidly and take action to deal with it. Finding a way to solve the problem, not just sort of putting your head in the sand and hoping it is going to go away."

Ignoring the reality of your 401(k) is "probably the worst thing you can do," Sherwood said

"A large number of people in a crisis become bewildered. They freeze. They don't know what to do. They wait for instruction from an authority figure," he said. "The same thing applies in the economy. People just sort of freeze, they don't know what to do and they wait for someone to tell them what's going to happen next. In order to be a survivor and a thriver -- that small percentage of people who take action -- you have got to push yourself to come up with a plan."

For more information, check out HRWorld's 16 best ways to make the best of a bad situation.