8 Things You Learn After You’ve Been Laid Off

Being laid off is awful, no matter how you cut it. One day you have a job and plans and a sense of security, and the next day you…don’t. If it happens to you like it does to so many of us, there are some truths to keep in mind, even when things seem horrible. Here are 8 things you learn after you've been laid off.

1. It’s not your fault.

As soon as it happens, you’ll probably be racking your brains to figure out why you. Yeah, there’s no comforting answer to that question. Ever. Unless you’re told “we’re letting you go for X reason,” there’s probably a complex network of reasons why your number happened to come up. None of these would make you feel better, so try not to dwell.

2. It’s okay to wallow for a bit…

Soon enough, hunting for a new job will be your daily reality. Take some time to get the bitterness and shock out of your system.

3. …but then you gotta move on.

You’ve got things to do, people to see, resumes to revise.

4. There’s always a silver lining.

How happy were you at that job, really?

5. Your support network is key.

You know the old cliché that you know who your friends are when the chips are down? It’s true…and this is a time when you can lean on friends and family for a little extra moral support while you reboot.

6. This is an opportunity.

No, really, it is! It may seem like a pretty crappy one at first, because you’re being shoved into a new reality with little warning, but now you have the time and space to take some risks. Always wanted to try something different? Well, now you can. It might not be your long-term solution, but how do you know until you experiment?

7. You are more than your job.

Getting laid off can feel like a personal rejection, and that’s an awfully hard feeling to shake. Also, because our careers take up so much of our time (and pay for life necessities), losing a job can cause general life panic. It’s important to look past the stress and remember that you are not one job. There are others out there—and more specifically, there are others out there for you. And the most important truth of all…

8. You will move on.

It might take two weeks before you find something new. It may take much longer. The important thing to remember is that you will survive, and find new opportunities.