Life After Layoff and Realizations for Success
According to NPR, more than 4 million Americans were unemployed during the pandemic for six months or more, and 41% were considered “long-term” unemployed; I was one of them. It was an uneasy feeling when I was laid off during that time because the world was in such disarray, but I knew I wasn’t alone in it. During that time, I found my writing voice and began my freelance career, which was such a blessing. Pre-pandemic, I always wanted to dip my toes into that industry but didn’t quite know how with a full-time job keeping my focus and energy. Fast-forward to 2023, and I’ve written over 300 articles and had the pleasure of writing about topics such as travel, the cannabis industry, movies, pop culture, and local eats.
Overall, I was one of the lucky ones to find a silver lining during such an uncertain time in human history, and I’ll always be thankful for that. At this point, I bet you’re wondering why I’m telling you all this - I find myself there again: I’ve been laid off for a second time. Sharing this part of my life has taken courage and time because it’s raw and vulnerable.
I won’t sugar-coat the situation because it was a tough pill to swallow for many reasons. There were feelings of utter shock, confusion, and self-doubt. I have had to do a lot of soul-searching lately because those little “voices” in my head gave me the fuel to overthink, overanalyze and put myself down for any reason. I’m organized and like to plan by nature, so because this wasn’t a situation I could foresee, I didn’t feel like I was in control of the wheel for a bit there, but you know what? I’ve realized a lot during the last few months, and I now know I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.
Call it intuition, fate, or coincidence, but the time I’ve had isn’t usually what a 30-something person is given, so instead of wallowing in my self-doubt, I decided to use this time to the best of my ability and find out who and what I want to be. That’s not to say I haven’t been down on myself or second-guessed my whole being (I know, dramatic), but at one point or another, everyone has this “picture” of where they see themselves at a certain age, and I can tell ya this, this wasn’t what I saw.
BUT! My whole point in all this is to be open and vocal about my experience and move away from letting my ego lead me, and instead, deal with the circumstances and knowing it’s not the end of the world and that I’m capable of so much more than what’s right in front of me.
I only speak about what I know or information I find valuable online, but these reminders go beyond someone who finds themselves between jobs. This is for those of you that feel the burnout or who’ve looked around and wondered where the hell the time went. Life happens in the *blink* of an eye, whether we want to recognize it or not, so if you allow yourself the time and energy to do the things you love or need to do, do them. In my case, I had no choice but to slow down and look around, and honestly, I’m pretty dang grateful for it.
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Write it down and reflect: maybe I’m biased, but when I can’t find the spoken words to express myself, I find that a good ol’ word vomit session does the soul good. There’s something about putting pen to paper and letting it all out that feels refreshing, and ever since my Lisa Frank diary days, I find it helpful to understand what I’m thinking. I’ve also been reflecting on my career and thought it’d be beneficial to list what I’ve accomplished, my goals for my next opportunity, what I enjoy, what I don’t enjoy, etc. It really has helped me put into perspective what I want out of life and my career; also, with the extra time I have, it helps me slowly prepare for my next opportunity. When I’m looking for jobs, I can refer back to what I’ve written down. You’ll be surprised by what you come up with, and you may even be taken back when you see how far you’ve come and what you’ve accomplished so far.
While you’re at it, discover what makes you tick: there are dozens upon dozens of articles out there that’ll give you a step-by-step breakdown of what you need to do after a lay-off/life change, and really, they’re helpful, but also, what about you? When was the last time you really thought about what makes you joyful and calm? Maybe it’s scheduling time every other week to meet with friends; maybe it’s trying out a new exercise regime you’ve been putting off for months; whatever it may be, there’s no time but the present to do it. Our mental health is just as important as our physical health, so deep diving into what makes you joyous and calm is essential.
Speaking from personal experience, I’ve begun giving myself more grace when I’m not feeling my best and knowing that tomorrow is another day. Giving myself mental breathers has been an enormous help to re-focus, re-align and move forward. I’ve also found the book, How to Meet Yourself by Nicole LaPera an excellent starting point in really understanding where I’m at, where I want to be, and what needs to be done to get there. Also, a little meditation, even for five minutes, has done wonders to calm my mind and to re-center my intentions. That sounded very hippy-dippy of me, but trust me, it’s a game-changer.
A little adulting never hurts either: okay, I said slowing down is a great idea, but finding the time to get the not-so-fun things out of the way has helped me too. We all have that mental list of the things we’ve been putting off for months for one reason or another, but with the extra time I’ve had, I’ve ticked off several items that have been taking up space in my brain for quite some time now. Making appointments for an oil change, the dentist, the doctor, etc., is important, and I usually have the classic “I’m too busy” excuse to plan them. Now that I’ve adulted, I feel a bit lighter and more productive.
Did someone say hobby? When you have time on your hands, you really think about what you’ve accomplished so far and what you want to do but haven’t quite gotten there yet; when it comes to my personal time, I’m a person of extremes, I either want to become one with the couch or fill my time with as many things as I possibly can. During this period, I wanted to really find the balance of it all; rest when I need to, and try new things I’ve wanted to do but never got around to it; enter hobbies.
What are your interests? What’ve you seen on social media made you think, “Dang, I could do that too, and better”! I really like being in creative environments that make me feel, strategize, and experiment. With that said, I’ve taken up jewelry making. I’ve made some really questionable pairs of earrings so far, but that’s the fun of it, right? Giving myself time to stretch my brain muscles by doing something that brings me joy is good for the soul. Who knows, maybe my calling is making glittery earrings for the rest of my life; we’ll see!
Take your time and never forget who you are: I left this one for last because I genuinely think this is the most important of all. In a world that demands we grind, until we find success, it’s hard to remember to stop and smell the hypothetical (or actual) roses. If you find yourself with extra time on your hands like me, it’s so easy to let the negative thoughts creep in. It’s healthy to let your mind wander a little but remember to reel those thoughts back in and remember what you’re capable of, and find excitement in what the universe has in store for you.
