Have You Been Laid Off? Here’s What I’ve Learned About Uncertainty, Reinvention, and Starting Over

Have you been laid off? Are you facing a looming layoff? I’ve been laid off - twice.

The last time, I didn’t just lose a job—I lost my identity, my stability, my sense of direction. But I also found something I never expected: a beginning.

When I got the call that my role was being made redundant, I was numb. I kept refreshing the email, hoping I had read it wrong. But no, the decision was final.

I remember staring at my laptop, heart pounding, trying to figure out what to tell my family, how to update my LinkedIn, and whether to cry or just go back to bed.

If you’re in that space right now, I see you. I know how painful it is. Being laid off is more than just losing a paycheck. It’s grief. It’s fear. It’s disorientation.

But it’s also an invitation—into uncertainty, yes—but also into something new.

Here’s What I Did (and What You Can Too)

When I was laid off the second time, I did something different.

Instead of immediately rushing into job applications, I paused. I asked: What do I really want? What have I been postponing? What gift might be buried beneath this chaos?

That’s when I started my business.

It wasn’t smooth. It wasn’t easy. But it was aligned with my gifts, my passions, and the impact I wanted to make. I had been so busy climbing the ladder, I didn’t realize I was ready to build my own.

If You’ve Just Been Laid Off—or Think You Might Be—Here Are 5 Practical Things You Can Do:

1. Grieve first. Give yourself time to process the loss. Don’t rush into “fixing” it. Sit with the discomfort. Talk to someone. Journal. Cry if you need to. You’re not weak—you’re human.

2. Audit your life, not just your resume. What were you tolerating before the layoff that you don’t want to carry forward? What have you always wanted to try, learn, or create? This is your chance to reset, not just reapply.

3. Reconnect with your strengths and stories. You are more than your job title. Reflect on the challenges you’ve overcome, the people you’ve helped, the moments you were proud. Let those shape your next move.

4. Expand your network, not your panic. Reach out to people—not just to ask for jobs, but to share your story, your interests, and your desire to grow. Humans hire humans. Connection opens doors panic can’t.

5. Consider building something. Could this be the season to start that side hustle, that consultancy, that dream you shelved? You don’t need it all figured out. You just need to start small and stay curious.

There Is Life After Layoff

If you’re in between what was and what will be, I want you to know this: You are not alone. You are not finished. You are being redefined, not rejected.

Layoffs don’t just end careers—they can birth callings. That’s what happened to me.

And maybe, just maybe, this is the plot twist you never knew you needed.

If this resonated with you, drop a comment or DM me. If you’ve been laid off and are trying to figure out your next chapter, I’d love to connect. Let’s find the opportunity hidden in this uncertainty—together.