5 Things I Learned Within 24 Hours Of Being Laid Off

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When I woke up, I didn’t expect to be getting laid off. I figured any of my bad luck would result in horrible morning traffic or the constant ringing of the office phone. And in the 24 hours that followed the shock and awe concerning my employment status, I learned a few things. Maybe these conclusions were just friendly reminders. Maybe I knew them all along. Either way, I had forgotten them, and this was their way of popping up and saying hello to me again. In the end, I think it was a welcome reminder.

1. The world doesn’t stop spinning.

I didn’t really think the world would just flop right off its axis, but I did think everything would stop for some brief moment so I could catch up. Between the dizziness of signing a contract, gathering my things, and being escorted out of the building, I had no idea how I was supposed to drive my car. Somehow, I did. I took a few deep breaths, pulled out of the parking lot of my former place of employment, and drove off down the road. Hopefully to better opportunities.

2. Life is full of surprises.

This isn’t a fresh or cutting-edge revelation. Most people fully know and understand that life cannot be controlled. I, however, wasn’t expecting any new or notable events to occur on that Friday. But again, life is full of surprises. You truly cannot calculate every moment and every inch of your life. And would you even want to? Isn’t life about falling down and picking yourself back up? Isn’t it about the craziness that ensues when life hands you lemons? It’s hard to admit, but yes it is. It’s what you do after the fall that defines the fall itself.

3. Good pizza can cure anything.

In the haziness that followed the “reduction in force” contract I had to sign, few things seemed pleasing. I love food and hadn’t eaten since 9am, but I wasn’t hungry. I love Instagram, but the thought of looking at someone else’s exemplary beach day in Valencia filter made me want to hurl. I love good music, but no song could relate to what I was feeling. It was the pizza (some of the best pizza I’ve ever had) that my boyfriend forced me to eat that truly brought me back to life. I’m serious, this was really good pizza. Think fresh mozzarella, crunchy pistachios, spicy sausage, and fragrant basil dumped on the most perfect thin crust ever. And boom, just like that, I was back.

4. Most people can and will relate to you.

There were a few emails I quickly sent out to people I had worked with to let them know about my predicament. 99% of them replied back starting off a sentence with “when I was laid off…” It didn’t necessarily make me feel better to know that most people had been through it too, but it was nice to know that someone else could relate to how I was feeling. One guy even went on to describe the emotional roller coaster that would soon hit me (thank you, by the way). Whether or not these people were telling me the truth didn’t matter. All that mattered was that I didn’t feel alone, which leads me to number 5.

5. I am truly, and really loved.

It sounds corny but in the 24 hours following, I had never felt more loved in my entire life. The people I did talk to were at my emotional side within seconds. It was the family and friends that told me that everything would be ok. I knew I was loved before this happened, but it was an incredible reminder that life goes on. Your heart doesn’t stop beating, your friends don’t just melt away, and you will keep breathing. I knew this. But the reminder was exactly what I needed.

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