From Laid Off to Liberated: Navigating your transition and transformation journey Anyone who has experienced a layoff understands its profound impact on both personal and professional levels. It's a challenging and emotional ordeal that can leave you feeling destabilized. I went through a layoff in 2013, and the phrase that affected me the most was, “It’s not personal; it’s just business.” Those words truly shook me to my core. While I understood it was a business decision, I believe compassion should be shown. It should feel personal because it truly is.
I work with my clients going through career transitions, and I often see many crying and feeling hopeless after being laid off. They express concerns about how they will manage and frequently ask how others, including myself, have navigated similar situations. A common question I receive from clients after a layoff is, “What did your clients do when they were laid off? Is what I am feeling normal? Am I going to be okay?” When we are experiencing a difficult situation, it can be hard to grasp its meaning. However, once the fog clears and we are ready to reflect on the experience, we often discover valuable insights. Being laid off is a unique experience for each person; everyone has their own perspective on what they went through. One of the most important things I want you to know is that you will be okay. You don’t have to navigate this process alone, and you shouldn’t.
"From Laid Off to Liberated™" emphasizes key aspects of personal and professional transition following a layoff. It highlights the importance of rest, self-care, self-reflection, and recognizing burnout. Additionally, it underscores that your job does not define you and encourages you to envision your future. This process challenges you to confront difficult questions and commit to the necessary work to become the best version of yourself as you navigate life after a layoff. Engaging in this process also prepares you for a successful job search and helps you create a clear path forward.
There are many ways you can be connected to a layoff. You may have been directly impacted, know someone—a family member or friend—who has been laid off, conducted a layoff yourself, or survived one. One way or another, we have all been affected in different ways. That is why it is so important to create awareness about the impact of layoffs, especially considering the mass number of layoffs conducted by companies in the past four years. We have seen how companies often conduct layoffs without compassion, and they must do better to minimize the collateral damage that follows.
Our Community of Compassion and How You Can Make a Change: Since we all have a stake in this, I want us to take ownership of the conversation about how people perceive and discuss being laid off. The term "laid off" is not a negative phrase. We need to eliminate the shame, guilt, and judgment associated with it. This is where we can begin to make changes. Let’s share our experiences, create a compassionate community around the topic of layoffs, and, most importantly, support and take care of one another. One of the most effective ways to cope with the impact of being laid off is to listen to others' stories, reminding us that we are not alone in this experience. While layoffs may appear similar on the surface, each situation is unique, and everyone navigates their own path through it differently. Your community is so important, and we can build it together.
