In January, I celebrated my three-year work anniversary at my company. I was so proud of that milestone — proud of the team I was part of, the work I’d done on the Learning & Development team, and the relationships I’d built across the organization. Then, not even a month later, I was laid off.

I’m not going to pretend it wasn’t a shock. It was. But as I’ve had time to sit with it, I’ve found some genuine silver linings. I wanted to share them here, and in the video below, because I know I’m not alone in going through this.

Silver Lining #1: My Circle of Support Is Bigger Than I Realized

When something like this happens, you find out quickly who shows up for you. And honestly? I was overwhelmed–in the best way! Messages from former colleagues, friends I hadn’t spoken to in months, family members checking in, people in my professional network reaching out with leads and encouragement.

It’s easy to feel isolated when you lose a job. The structure of your day disappears, your sense of professional identity takes a hit, and it can feel like you’re suddenly invisible. But what I discovered is that I had built a much deeper and wider network of people who genuinely cared about me than I’d ever fully appreciated. That realization has been one of the most meaningful takeaways from all of this.

Silver Lining #2: My Worth Isn’t Tied to My Job

This one took me a little longer to sit with. So much of our identity–especially in the United States–can get wrapped up in what we do for a living. What company we work for. What our title is. How long we’ve been there.

Losing my job forced me to separate those things. I am not my job title. I am not my employer. My value as a person, the skills I’ve built, the relationships I’ve nurtured, the way I show up for people–none of that left with the layoff. And that’s something I think a lot of us need to hear, especially right now when layoffs in tech are still so common.

What’s Next for Me

I’m in the middle of figuring that out, and I’m choosing to document it here. This blog, and my YouTube channel, are going to be a place where I share the journey honestly: the job search, the uncertainty, the lessons, and (hopefully) a lot of growth along the way.

If you’ve been laid off, are in a career transition, or just needed to hear that it’s okay to not have everything figured out right now, I hope this post (and the video) helps you feel a little less alone.

You’ve got this. And so do I.

🎥 Watch the full video on YouTube: I Lost My Job in Tech (And Found Something More Important)