Finding direction (and confidence) after a layoff.

Getting laid off blindsided me. One moment I was finishing up a proposal, the next I was packing my desk up and heading home in the middle of the day. 

I walked out of there with two new beliefs that shaped the opportunities I thought were available to me. I’m not good enough and I can’t have a career and be a good mom. Looking back, the last one might feel a little extreme but, I had also just told them I was 14 weeks pregnant. Where the heck do you go from there? 

I didn’t know. So I got stuck, I held myself back. I didn’t apply for jobs because I didn’t think anyone would hire a pregnant woman. I didn’t charge my worth freelancing because I stopped believing in my value. I lost sight of my goals and wandered aimlessly in my career for almost two years. 

It wasn’t until I processed the hurt, the injustice, the shame and the disappointment that I could see clearly what I wanted to come next and what I deserved. 

Getting laid off sucks. There is no getting around it. Yes of course we can reframe “rejection” into “redirection” or cycle the mantra “it’s not me, it’s them” on repeat, but it is essential to take a moment and feel all the feels - the hurt, the disappointment, the stress, the fear, the anxiety and the panic - if we want to move on to the next right job or opportunity. 

Your instinct might be to start calling up people in your network and firing off resumes. 

Don’t do it!

Getting laid off is like a quick change in the weather. A massive fog suddenly comes rolling in, making it difficult to see what is ahead of you and / or making you lose sight of your once clear goals.

Take a pause, process your emotions and then get clear on what you want. I can tell you from experience that until you do that, you will only burn your energy and stunt your opportunities. You’re shooting blindly.

So let’s talk about how you can start the process of lifting that fog, and finding your path to the next right job or opportunity.

1. Process your emotions - feel the feels. Talk to your friends or family. Take a couple of days to feel however you need to in order to get yourself back to standing. If you need to seek out support from a career coach or professional - do so! I’d be happy to make some recommendations!
2. Challenge any new and limiting beliefs that start creeping into your thoughts. Your self-doubt might be running rampant right now. Anytime a negative thought about yourself, or your opportunities creeps in, challenge it! Ask yourself one simple question “is this an absolute truth”? The answer is almost alway guaranteed to be “no”. Choose to believe that and find evidence from your past, or your network, to back it up!
3. Get clarity on what you want next. Now that the fog is starting to lift it’s time to set your new direction. To evaluate or reevaluate what you want from your personal and professional life. Having clarity on your goals will help to accelerate your job search and your results. 
4. Finally, surround yourself with a community and network to support your next step. Layoffs are much more common and talking about them, much less taboo. Your network is likely how you will find your next job or opportunity to start reaching out to connect. 

Waiting for the fog to lift can feel scary. Actively taking small steps to lift it can feel empowering. 

We are here to help and have launched a program with Aviva Canada to help you accelerate the process. 

Learn more about our FREE four week coaching, networking and mentorship program here.