When Life Says 'Reset'

Introduction

I am sharing a LinkedIn post I wrote a few days after being laid off. Losing one's source of income is a difficult experience. I wrote this after hearing from colleagues who found themselves in the same position; the objective is simply to let anyone reading this know that they still matter.

The Post

I was laid off, and I’ve now turned on the “Open to Work” tag. I see others doing the same.

The sky, however, has not fallen. My children are still lovely, and coffee still tastes great at all times of the day. What has changed is… a lot.

Yes, we need to watch our purse. Readjustments are necessary. Some form of grief will take hold. And yet, we still need to get up early and face the day.

So the question remains: what do we do?

You and I already know the answer—nature gives us a hint.

When a pathogen enters the body, the immune system mobilizes. It’s demanding, energetically expensive, and it leaves us tired. Sometimes we need help. Most importantly, we rest and nourish. When we recover, something remarkable happens: the immune system remembers.

Since losing my job, I haven’t stopped being busy. I reactivated a job-lifecycle application (WORKS Commons), learned new concepts, exercised hard-earned skills, finished a chapter of a fictional project I call The Anomaly, and—most importantly—showed up for my daughters.

Now I’m writing this and sharing it with you.

If you’ve also lost your everyday occupation, consider this: this may not be a bad time.

It may be a time for growth.

Keep going. The sky is still there.

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