layoffs, motivation, self-worth, and renewed purpose
Woke up this morning to an email after a phone screen with a potential employer. We have decided to move forward with other candidates who are a closer match to what we’re looking for right now. I’m tired. I moved out to the west coast in 2023 in an attempt to be closer to my partner of 5 years. We live in a rather small town, which does not particularly help with job prospects. And at the same time, the economy was circling the drain and all these factors culminated in me being laid off in June 2025 from my remote job. I could see the writing on the wall, reorgs were becoming more frequent, town hall meetings were getting smaller, Slack channels had this weird undercurrent of anxiety… I tried my best to freshen up my resumé, apply to jobs when I had the time, and in general just try to keep my head above water. It didn’t work too well. ...