Laid off? Now what? (PS – if you think this doesn’t apply to you, it does. Even if you aren’t facing an official layoff.)

(3-minute read time)

Just over 2 years ago I worked my last day at a company I’d been working at for almost 20 years.  Clearly, it had been a long time since I’d had a “last day” with an organization. I felt like I had grown up there…  And I had. But, it was time for me to move on.  

Had I not been laid off, I wouldn’t be doing the work I’m doing now.  Knowing what I know now, that would’ve been a huge price to pay for the comfort of staying at that company.  But, let’s be honest, most of us do not take the news of a layoff with a light heart – especially around the holidays.   

Although layoffs are down this year compared to last year, they’re still very real.  And it can be a very real challenge when it’s happening to you personally. Common reactions include shock, fear, and anger.  Often the news of a layoff comes when we are not expecting it, then we worry about what we will do and then we get angry that we even have to worry about it.  

Uncommonly, people respond with hope, gratitude, and/or appreciation.  This was the case with my friend who recently received the news of his pending layoff.  He had been with the organization just under a year but the company made it so he would still receive severance benefits.   

What’s the difference between his response and the more common response?  It might be easy to say that my friend was more positive because he was getting severance.  But, I’ve seen layoffs enough to know that doling out severance benefits isn’t what makes most people accepting of the news and hopeful for their future.     

Here’s what actually DOES make people feel positive about a circumstance that would commonly be seen as undesirable…  Their perception.  

If I perceived getting laid off as unfair or unjust then, of course, I will look for evidence to support that – even if I am receiving a severance.  And, as always, we find what we are looking for. All the while not changing the circumstance. 

In my case, I chose to see my lay off as an opportunity for my next.  I’d been thinking about starting my own business for quite some time but could not bring myself to leave the cozy benefits.  Guaranteed paycheck, 6 weeks paid vacation, amazing medical, dental, vision… Not to mention colleagues who became family over the course of the decades I spent there.  Who would leave all that?? I knew what to expect there, it was comfortable.  

Getting laid off pushed me out of my comfort zone.  A push I desperately needed.  

Growth rarely happens in the comfort zone.  Which explains why a former colleague of mine would “lay himself off” every two years.   He would always seek a new position internally or externally every 2 years to make sure he did not stagnate.  He proactively sought change and as a result, he built his skills and made himself ridiculously valuable in the marketplace.  

It’s all about perspective my friends.  And usually, from the perspective of the rear-view mirror, we can see that the challenges we face in life have been things that happen FOR us not TO us.  If hindsight proves time and time again that challenges and discomfort are ultimately beneficial to us, why wait?

Maybe it’s time to think about laying yourself off.  

With the right mindset, leaving our comfort zone isn’t so scary.  We can know even before the discomfort begins that in the end, we will be more than ok.   We’ll be stronger, wiser and have exercised courage. We will have growth and evolution. We will get to our next.

Are you ready for your next?  I can help. Click here now and let’s get started!