Into the Thick of It: Starting Over After Getting Laid Off

Apparently, it’s lay-off season, and I’m the latest victim of this brutal storm. 

The world of business has always been cut-throat, but I had no idea it would happen so soon in my career. But you know what they say, there’s a first time for everything! 

Ha — can you tell humor is my coping mechanism? 

I’m sure you’re familiar with lay-offs, but has anyone ever told you getting laid off sends you down a grief spiral? 

Sadness, disbelief, anger, despair. Yes, you feel them all, and sometimes all at once. 

It’s a weird thing really. You always hear about companies facing financial distress, but never think it’ll be you getting the boot. You work so hard, you go above and beyond personally and professionally, and you have such loyalty to your company. You never think it’ll be you until it is. 

Not until you get the phone call at 9:30 am on a Tuesday and your world stops for a second. 

How can a 60-second call end so much? 

“Your position is being cut.” Disbelief.

Your team of rockstar professionals-turned-friends will never work together again. Sadness. 

Oh, and you’ll no longer get paid either. Panic.

All of this gone in a 60-second call. Anger. 

How am I already back to this point again? 50 job applications sent. Exhaustion. 

Another rejection email? Despair. 

And suddenly I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place; Unsure what my next move is or where to go. Young enough to start over, but waiting for a sign to lead me.

Clearly, I’m still in the thick of it — grieving the loss of a job I loved, oh so much. 

It’s a process I wouldn’t wish on anyone. But, in a way, I’m grateful for it. 

Here are 3 tips on how to stay successful after getting laid off:

1. Keep a routine.

Do your best to not fall out of your routine. Instead, replace it with new, beneficial, and productive activities. Use this time to make yourself better than when you started.

2. Network like no tomorrow. 

Find connections through your connections. Someone can introduce you or vouch for you. Give them the chance and nurture those relationships. Don’t stop once you find a new job, either. Always continue to build your network.

3. Set goals for yourself.

Create daily, weekly, and monthly goals for yourself. Get them done. Make new goals. Do it again.

I’m holding out for the hope that something much better is just ahead. Sometimes God pushes us when he knows we wouldn’t take the steps ourselves. 

Though it hasn’t been long, this “vacation” has given me time to reevaluate and appreciate what’s around me. 

• My supportive and loving husband. In a scary time like this, I’ve never felt so safe and supported. 
• My family and friends. I truly have the best support system around me. Whether helping me find jobs, looking over my resume, or grabbing coffee because it’s been too long. 
• The little things: putting some extra love into my garden, daily workouts — sometimes even 2, treating myself to Starbucks (everyday), and having time to write again. 

Who knows, maybe that’s what I needed. 

This story isn’t finished yet. It never will be, but my next chapter is coming soon! 💗