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I Was Laid Off 4 Months Ago & Here’s What I Learned So Far

Jay Kobayashi
4 min readApr 21, 2023

Photo by Faizur Rehman on Unsplash

Losing a job can be a difficult and stressful experience, regardless of the circumstances. I was laid off, because my company decided to restructure everything from the ground up and in doing so a lot of people lost their jobs. Being laid off can be especially challenging as it often comes as a surprise and can leave you feeling confused, angry, and uncertain about the future. Safe to say the effects of being laid off still has a lingering effect on me and even more so when the job search goes on for months. In this article, I want to explore the things that I learned so far from this experience.

1. It’s Okay To Feel Lost And Uncertain

When I first learned that I was being laid off, I felt completely lost and uncertain about my future. It was hard to come to terms with the fact that I was no longer identified with my job since it was my legitimate job as a writer.

“If only finding a job was as easy as looking at a compass.” | Photo by Ethan Sykes on Unsplash

I am not going to lie, I struggled with feelings of anxiety, depression, and crazy amounts of stress. The amount of stress and frustration was comparable to the stress of being stuck at home during Covid. However, I learned that it’s okay to feel lost and uncertain, and that it’s important to give yourself time to process and adjust to the changes.

2. Resilience & Reaching Out Is Super Important

In the months following my layoff, I’ve realized that resilience is key to recovering from a difficult experience like this. I’ve had to develop a greater sense of adaptability and flexibility. This especially hit hard when I wasn’t able to find a job immediately and my plans of making a comeback of the century went down the drain.

“Feeling eternally grateful for the homies” | Photo by Devin Avery on Unsplash

Just going through a layoff can especially be a lonely experience, but it’s important to remember that you’re not alone. My friends and family instantly reached out the moment they found out I was laid off and asked how I was. Even…

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Jay Kobayashi
Jay Kobayashi

Written by Jay Kobayashi

A starving writer from Los Angeles who aspires to be plagiarized one day.

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