Who am I without my job identity?

BradRegular

1w ago1 min read

Got laid off 6 months ago and it completely wrecked my sense of self. I had been in finance for 18 years and that was like the entire core of who I thought I was. First few months were rough, honestly depressed. But then something shifted. I started being more present with my family, learned I actually like cooking, started volunteering at my kid's school. Now I'm consulting part-time and it's way less money but way more time. I'm realizing I don't need to be Mr. Big Job Guy to be valuable. Worst thing that happened turned into the best thing.

4 comments215 views

Comments(4)

GGarrettRegular5d ago

That identity loss is brutal, I'm not gonna minimize it. But you're not just a finance guy anymore anyway right? You're a dad first now. Maybe this is a chance to figure out who you actually are outside of the job title.

CChris M.New Dad5d ago

18 years is a long time to be one thing. Give yourself real time to grieve that before jumping into the next thing. The fact that you're even thinking about this stuff means you're processing it right.

MMike R.Regular5d ago

This hits different when you've got kids depending on you. But honestly 6 months isn't that long to be figuring this out. What if the new identity is something you actually like better?

RRyanRegular6d ago

Have you thought about what you actually want to do next? Or are you still in the panic phase? Sometimes getting laid off is the kick in the pants we need but man does it hurt while you're going through it.