[USER]

Anyone here who got laid off can relate & share? I was just given the notice last week. Psychologically I’m still coming to terms with it.

I was giving this job another 1-2 years and still can’t stop feeling I got the rug pulled under me.

I’ve always been a voracious saver so financially I’m ready. It just stings! How long did it take for you to get over it?

Thanks for sharing.

[Ginny]

I was the top performer with many positive years to be let go to Covid. The incompetent ones kept their jobs.

I was upset for all of 10 minutes to realize I was a statistic and had the offer to get out of toxic environment.

I retired 2 years earlier than planned and happy for the decision. . Someone was watching over me.

[Michelle]

I had to see a psychologist for 6 months and I was only without a job for 3 weeks. I just celebrated 1 yr last year but the ptsd and fear of this happening again is constant.

It sounds like you are financially able to retire or scale way back. That is incredible!!

[Stone]

I was laid off in October of last year. I worked for my company for almost 30 years and was planning to retire in just 4 years.

While it wasn’t my planned timeline, I embraced the opportunity to start my retirement 4 years sooner and now I’m living my best life, doing things I love and working on passion projects.

The first 2 months were processing and then I hit my stride as I found meaningful things to do with my time.

[Bryan]

Getting laid off suddenly (2011) was the best thing for my career. Right before my severance ended I found my dream job – best of my career and the one I’ll retire from.

Note that I only found this job due to networking (a neighbor!).

Sometimes things happen for a reason….

[Nate]

I’ve been laid off three times in my career and each time I found something better.

File for unemployment now

[Erika]

I was laid off last year and it definitely stung but I was given a severance, collected unemployment and regrouped over the course of a few months.

Financially we were fine so I took it as an opportunity to relax.

Does it bruise an ego, sure – but being laid off is usually more a business decision more than a personal one and I reminded myself of that often.

Plus, nearly everything happens for a reason.

I’m sorry you’re going through it, but you’ll get to where you are supposed to be soon enough.

[Sarah]

I had been with a company for 10 years. It took me a few months to really let go of it. I realized it was a blessing in disguise, one door closing before another opened.

I was so grateful to have reached FI and to be able to do whatever I wanted.

I have so much less stress now and have no regrets that I decided to RE.

[Ryan]

I just started a new role last week after being laid off right before Christmas after 10 years at previous company. In many ways it was a huge blessing.

Had a very healthy severance given tenure and although it was mentally draining, it was the break I needed.

You will land on your feet. Give yourself some time to mentally and physically recharge.

I read more books in the past 4 months and listened to more podcasts than I ever have.

Also, got back to the gym after a long break.

[Nancy]

I’m sorry!
Even when we can see the business decision / it’s Hard.

I also planned on 1-3 more years there. Part of me was excited after a few weeks, yet there was lots of anger to work through on the how, etc.

it has taken a hit on me psychologically with “am I good enough to do x?”

Yet, as said above, it had a reason. My daughter was in her own crisis mode and it helped to give her full focus.

My “I’ll take the rest of summer off” (it was July) has turned into 2+ years now.

My daughter is still a big focus – she graduates in 3 weeks!!!!! Still lots of unknowns, yet, thankfully I found choosefi 7? Years ago (it was pretty new) and I dug into concepts and had a lot better idea where we stood.

I may be retired. I’m more likely to do “some form of work” in the future.

I look at openings. Although I’m not sure I can do the 8-5 and certainly not full time in office again. (I had left a job to be a remote worker 6 months before shutdown)

Take the time to work through the feelings. Think about what you have liked at jobs and what you haven’t which really helps in knowing what to go after next (u less you were 1-2 years from being totally done – and maybe you’ve crossed the finish line!).

Still sign up for unemployment and look around while you work on the feelings.

If you’re in an area where spring is just starting – get out there and enjoy watching nature wake up!

[Rice]

I got laid off last year. I was mad for one day, then was ecstatic, since I was exhausted in a number of ways.

But it really shook me up a lot. For a long time. I had been seeing a therapist anyway for a while and she said it might take a few months to feel normal.

I didn’t believe it, but she was right. It definitely took several months.

I had hoped to stay for 2-3 more years. But I was a good saver, too.

Just take your time. It takes as long as it takes.

[Jeremy]

I’m still angry at one of my former employers 5 years later

[Eng]

This happened to me after 26 years w the same employer. I was in leadership and my entire division of 18 got laid off.

It was tough, but I was in a similar position where I had saved all my life and this had been what I have been “training for”.

I walked with 9mos of severance, so was in a good place financially.

I felt a lot of calmness in putting my team first and making sure they were ok and lined up as best as I could, writing recommendations for them, providing reference etc.

I took a few deep breaths and hit the reset button and then hit the ground running with the job search.

I ended up w two offers 3 mos later and my previous employer hired me back for more $, a better title and all of my tenure restored, I’ve been back for 2yrs and almost at my 30yr tenure.

Best of luck, it was the best thing that had ever happened in the end.

[Author]

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