5 things that happened when I lost my job during COVID 19

Losing your job is never easy, especially during a global pandemic. As I write this, I am unemployed. I was suddenly laid off about 3 months ago; and more positive changes happened to me in the last 3 months than in the last 3 years. 

?I am now convinced we grow by breaking?

Let me tell you how it all started.

What did I do first? I immediately changed from my comfy loungewear to my favourite gym gear, and I went for a power run to clear my mind - it worked.

Research shows losing a job often includes the stages of grief of losing a loved one. Probably even more so with multiple lockdowns and isolation.

I didn’t know how I would handle the stress.

But from this run, I switched my mindset to focus on the positive. Against all odds, I did not experience the pain of loss. Yes I lost my job, but I gained back something greater : my time. The psychology of job loss is a spectrum, it varies greatly from one minute to the next, and it is filled with mixed emotions. On one hand I was euphoric and excited about what the future holds; the other I was panicking about financial insecurities.

But I kept in mind what Brooke Castillo, founder of The Life Coach School, says about emotions. She explains how emotions are triggered by thoughts, and how we are in control of our thinking.. 

Controlling my thoughts? Easy! And, I had a plan.

Full disclaimer: I do not have children, pets, mortgage of any kind of responsibility other than myself (oh and off course paying my rent). I also have a beautifully kind partner who’s been wonderful this entire time and made this challenge easier. 

So what exactly happened?

1. Changing my habits

My daily routine changed overnight, and I was now in full control of a potentially exciting new routine.

The very next day I decided to do as many interviews as I could, interested or not, I wanted to practice my interview skills. I also wanted to take my time before returning to work and have diverted searches. So, I started interviewing for positions way more senior and in multiple industries. Being at an early stage of my career I didn’t want to rule out any possible paths. Even when they weren't right for me, I learned a lot about each of those roles. I wanted to be ready for when I discovered the perfect company.

Today, I am no longer looking for jobs by the roles, but I'm in search for the coolest “hidden gems” companies. My approach has changed, I am interviewing them; it doesn’t matter which role and what level. I want to find a company sharing the same values as me, coworkers I enjoy spending time with, a manager who inspires me, and a killer leadership team. I want goosebumps.

But that’s a recent change. Going back to the first weeks of unemployment, I was planning my days like clockwork. I figured we all get the same amount of time in a day, but it’s how we use it that brings the opportunity to change our lives. I wanted to place my time against things I thought would give me the best return, the best knowledge, and put me in the best mood. Which included, as you can see: 2 hours of walking and listening to podcasts every day, reading, learning about investments and online businesses, joining webinars, working out, cooking and “interview hunting”.

2. Taking responsibility

To me, taking responsibility is very important. Especially when blaming the pandemic rather than ourselves is a temping way to deny the part we played. I consider excuses highly disrespectful towards our privileges, therefore I blamed nobody but myself. Keeping in mind that every situation is different and that many people were indeed victims of the pandemic.

The real challenge was to be compassionate with myself while understanding what went wrong. Which is the key to move on and become better. 

Something I have to actively remind myself at every moment, is my identity. Trying not to identify myself with the fixed trait of losing my job. Interestingly, sociologist Erving Goffman identified unemployment as a “spoiled identity”. Meaning such an attribute is a stigma so deeply rooted in our society, that even friends and relatives can fear to “catch” the unemployment curse. Luckily for me, I am surrounded by people constantly empowering me, and helping me focus on growth rather than temporary defeat.  

3. Savings

A couple of years ago, my finance teacher at University, Mr Abo Milhim, insisted on teaching us to understand our personal finances, knowing at all times our own cash flow for the upcoming months. Promising us that one day, the basics of finance will help us not only in business but in our personal lives.

This led me to budget everything, and create a financial cushion. When I lost my job, I knew that with little sacrifices, bills and essentials would be paid for the next 6 months. Sacrifices included removing expensive shoes, dance classes and gym membership from the allowance - and it did the trick. 

4. Passive income

Another great win for me, was the realisation that I never want to rely on one single income ever again. Since the day I lost my job, I started to investigate what sort of passive incomes were good for me.

My partner joined me in my new found path of creating as much passive income as we can. Having a career in the hospitality industry, he also faced many uncertainties with the pandemic. Our relationship reached a whole new level, being both passionate about learning and giving life to ideas. We had the most interesting conversations we had in years! I am now convinced we grow by breaking. Subjects ranged from selling everyday products online, crypto, blockchain to wine portfolio. Nothing was stopping us from learning and starting small. 

5. No possible way of retreat 

Three months forward, projects are becoming concrete, and money starts working.

Entrepreneurship was always an ambition of mine, but I never took the leap of faith. Having no possible way of retreat made me move faster than I anticipated. Having no money coming in, is a great incentive; in other words I had no choice but to succeed - or at least give it a good go. I always thought I had to play it safe to succeed. Turned out, as long as I was safe, I wasn’t willing to take any risks. 

Don’t get me wrong, I do have a game plan. A very looong plan, as safe as they come. It includes finding a job, while getting the ball running with a small online business. Working on side projects reminded me the value of opportunities; I won’t take any job for granted ever again. It also deepened my appreciation for working smart and being productive.

And, deep down I know without the redundancy I wouldn't have taken actions toward any side hustle. I probably would have kept dreaming and thinking about them, from the comfort of employment. 

“Opportunities often come disguised in the form of misfortune”

As Napoelon Hills said : “Opportunities often come disguised in the form of misfortune”. The pandemic struck millions of people, and my thoughts go out to those who are less fortunate than me. I hope this testimony can help those who can, to seize opportunities and take full advantage of unfortunate situations.

Sometimes, hitting pause isn’t such a bad thing. Focusing on what is really important to you, finding new passions or rediscovering old ones, doing some voluntary work, or learning new skills. I found many ways to patch my bruised ego, and if you are reading this after losing your job, so can you.