To anyone going through a layoff right now.

This morning a dear friend texted me. They were laid off.

My heart broke a little. Because I’ve been there.

I was laid off from a job in London while on a Visa. A city I loved. A life I had built. And someone else decided it was over.

And I’ve seen it happen to some of the most talented people I know coming out of big tech.

It’s disrespectful. It’s scary. And it messes with you on a level that’s hard to explain — unless you’ve worked at one of these companies.

Here’s what people don’t talk about enough: when you work at Google, or Meta, or Amazon, or any of these big tech organizations, you don’t just work there. You become there. The years you spend inside those walls — the culture, the mission, the people, the language — it all becomes part of who you are. Your identity. Your worth. Your daily purpose.

And that’s not weakness. That’s what it looks like to have shown up fully.

So when it ends — especially when it ends without your choice — it doesn’t just feel like losing a job. It feels like losing yourself.

But here’s what I want you to hear:

That deep sense of identity you built there? It’s also exactly why starting fresh is a gift.

Because you get to find out who you are — separate from the badge, the title, the org chart. And what you discover will surprise you.

Every chapter has a beginning and an end. And sometimes life closes one for us because we weren’t going to close it ourselves.

And while you’re sitting in that feeling, here’s what I want you to hold onto:

1. Don’t panic about health insurance. If you’re in the US, this is a big worry. Don’t panic, you have COBRA for enough time to figure out a longer term plan. Breathe.

2. Take care of yourself emotionally — first. This is where you need to stay laser focused right now. Call your friends. See a therapist. Work with a coach. Do what you need to do to be okay. This is not a detour. This is the work.

3. This was meant to happen. What you do next will be a direct result of this painful moment. The most important chapters of our lives rarely start with ease.

It is going to be OK, just create the space to focus on yourself right now. The rest will follow.

March 2026. Much needed reflection over coffee and sunrise in NC.