I read another post on LinkedIn today; this time it was regarding failure and loss in the workplace. Oftentimes, winning is so overrated that we may overlook the lessons learned when we “fail.”
Since 1984, I have been blessed to be gainfully employed, able to take care of my family and raise my children to become honest adults. I have learned how to weather the storms of life and I have overcome many of life’s challenges (some horrific) whether domestic violence, divorced or as a single mom.
So, my first experience of being laid off occurred on December 13, 2018, after working for 14+ years at an institution of higher learning.
(Emphasis on the word learning – hilarious.)
I always arrive an hour early for work when no one else was there and all around me was silent. But twelve days before Christmas, when the faculty chair arrived, she sent me straight to HR. It was then that I experienced a loss of employment. My time there had run its course, despite several promotions while at the university. Reason? I was no longer a “fit” for the department and my position was eliminated. I was given a 6-month severance package and was told that I could always apply for positions in other departments. I was eligible for re-hire, if I so choose to apply.
Curiosity got the better of me, so I inquired of the HR person, tell me something. When did she decide that I was no longer a fit? He replied, two weeks after you joined the department, she was in my office and wanted you gone. There were no grounds for dismissal. Your past work elsewhere in the university was impeccable, an excellent employee.
As I walked away, stumping the dust off my feet and closing the door of that chapter of my life, I commanded myself not to cry or fold or give in to despair. Don’t do it, don’t you do it. Don’t you dare cry. You are strong and you will get through this, keep walking, keep moving, time to plan your next move.
In my mind, I felt like there was some vital piece of information missing. I reflected on the past months, and the lightbulb went off in my head. That explained the sudden outbursts of anger towards me while assisting her in the classroom in front of the law students or in front of visitors and prospective students. They were just as confused as I was and sent looks of apology in my direction. Even during special events at the law school, she took any opportunity to find fault with what I was doing, loudly trying to embarrass me, looking to see if I would become belligerent. However, I remained pleasant, vigilant in doing my work with excellence, still trying to figure out what was really going on with her. *
Anyway, an hour later, I drove my car to the CareerSource center to take advantage of the services offered to the unemployed. Over the next couple of months, I applied for hundreds of jobs with no success. That gave me the impetus I needed to move to a new city, leaving behind my beloved children, friends and all that was familiar to me.
I eventually found a new job, and I learned to make a few friends.
Fast-forward to the present, November 5, 2025, and for the second time in my life, I experienced loss of employment. I was laid off, this time from a company facing its own challenges. Suffice it to say that I recognized that I had been in this tight spot before.
I say tight, because despite this loss, in the middle of this circumstance, I learned that I have grown in more ways than one. I have been s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d, having learned new skills, and outgrown this space, this place now of discomfort and confinement. I need more space!
Lessons Learned:
I am ever-learning and gaining wisdom from failures, flaws, and foibles!
Ahh….
I cannot help myself that amid this, my mind cannot resist alliteration! I am a poet and I know it. 😌
In the midst of losses, I have learned to laugh, to keep pushing., to keep striving and thriving, regardless of the circumstances.
I was born for this! I was built to be like a tree whose roots go deep, flexing as my branches stretch high and wide, reaching towards the heavens, with prayer, praise, and worship!
Pause – a moment of reflection… ponder…
You ever wonder where the birds go in times of storms? Where do they hide during hurricanes?
I do, I wonder.
I have observed through experience, for example, a mother duck hides under shrubs after gathering her ducklings under her wings.
Other birds seek shelter inside the trunks of the trees.
Or, eagles, they simply hide by gliding in the eye of the storm!
How cool is that! In the midst of life’s storms, I continue to #learn to not resist and I choose to not complain. In fact, while in this lay off period, I just lay down and rest, I close my eyes and go to sleep. Past storms taught me that and have prepared me.
I know that after the storm, there will be some losses, but there is still a renewal and cleansing on the other side. God got me.
#staycalm #betterandgreater days are coming.
*About a year ago, I learned from a former colleague that on the day I was laid off, he was also laid off along with more than 45 employees who were nearing retirement. And today, I learned that large layoffs by employers must follow the federal WARN ACT and must give a 60-day notice by companies with 100+ employees.