Two years ago, I was working on a website redesign at my former job, getting ready to move it into final stages.
I went to the bathroom and when I came back, my voicemail light was blinking. It was my boss, asking me to come see her when I got the chance. I made a mental note to go see her in a minute, but I wanted to make sure I had some good news to share first.
About 20 minutes later, I head out to go to my boss’s office and run into her in the hallway. She looks…different, but I’m so busy babbling about my project that I don’t notice. I also don’t notice how quiet she’s being.
When we get to her office, she waves in our HR department head and I freeze. What is this? I’m wondering.
The next five minutes are a blur.
The words don’t seem right. “Position eliminated…effective today…budget cutbacks….sorry….unfortunate…bounce back…”
I sit there, stunned. They start talking about severance pay and unemployment and I’m sitting there, trying to hold back tears from getting laid off from my first job, while simultaneously calculating in my head how much money I need to cover the bills so we don’t end up homeless.
I had just bought a house. And a car. Suddenly providing a bigger roof over my kids’ heads and a more reliable car to transport them seemed like foolish decisions. I had just started graduate school.
I wiped my eyes and walked out. Didn’t take anything with me. Was too stunned to think about what to take and what to keep. Cried the whole way home. Tried to compose myself as I went to go pick up my children from daycare.
What am I going to do now?
I put them to bed that night and just stared into the distance. No job to go to in the morning.
But I pulled myself together rather quickly. I had to. I put my head down and worked my contacts and counted my blessings and made it work. I wrote a book. I turned down two job offers. I worked for myself, sometimes putting in 70 hours a week to make sure my family was taken care of.
I did that.
I survived.
So on this anniversary of the day I learned what true financial security really looks like, I celebrate. I smile. I’m happy. Content.
I survived.
I am sort of in a similar situation except I was given an advanced notice. I was given a year to prepare. And I had just gotten a car financed..
But I had time to prepare. I had time to save up a bit, calculate how I’d survive from my severance package and how I’d get through grad school. And then when I stopped wondering, opportunities presented themselves to me from what seemed to be every angle possible.
I’ve been working since I was 15 years old and I plan to take a break and focus on my schoolwork for as long as I am able to.
A great way to turn a negative occurrence into something positive! Go you!!
@Carla – Go YOU for working with what was in your control! I don’t know what I would have done if I had a year’s notice – that’s something to think about. But I’m glad you put together a plan that works for YOU.
You are such an inspiration and so amazing! Your children and your husband are very fortunate to have you as a role model.
Keep it up! I for one, am a bit happy you got pink slipped. It seems you are living life a bit more on your terms.
You did incredible, Tara. I’m amazed and SO proud of you for how well you coped, and how awesome you’ve done since then. I’m still sad that you had to go through this, but you have come out of it beautifully, and have done so well for yourself and your family. I’m proud of you!!
Congratulations, Tara! Due to the storm,i lost my job but instead to looking for another job, i think i want to work for me.
Wow! What an inspirational story! Congratulations on all your success in just two years! That’s amazing!