Well, it's been 3 years... I moved from Chicago to Phoenix, so much closer to my mom, sister and her family, bought a great house in the area of town I wanted to be in and a job that introduced me to an industry that was somewhat outside my comfort zone, I met a great guy in Chicago and he recently moved to Phoenix to be closer and we are talking about getting a dog... things are great! And then, 2 weeks ago, I got let go and felt my world turn upside down.
"let go" - what is that? How? The company is restructuring and I'm out... I won't share much about the details as that isn't my style but I'm out.
When I started this blog years ago it was about cooking, traveling and shopping - all the fun stuff in life, the things we all post on Instagram and Facebook but the real life side, those aren't the details we post about...there is a reason I haven't posted as who wants to read about the 'real stuff' - strap on your boots everyone because I'm about to get REAL!
Getting 'let go' - my sister and I worked for the same company and she lost her job a week before I did so I had gone through HER day of walking out, getting in the car and wondering 'now what?' helping her sort out the things I brought home from her office and going to her house that night and just sitting and letting it soak in. So, when it happened to me I'd love to tell you I was prepared, but are we? Are we ever prepared? Yes, financially I have a savings account and worse case a credit card to put the musts on but you just can't be prepared for the day you are seated at a desk, turning in your computer, credit card, expenses and the whole time you think "how did this happen?"
Mine happened on a Monday afternoon - when I saw my boss (of 7 weeks) and HR - I knew... this is for me! I was professional and calm on the outside but on the inside my heart was racing, I wanted to throw up and run and hide. Me?? I had been on the road of 8 of the past 12 months, living in hotels (and one wasn't pretty) but I was doing what was the best for the company.
I remembered walking out to my car, I didn't cry, I was numb - I got in the car and called my dad (my boyfriend was in a meeting and I knew he couldn't get to his phone). My dad is a businessman and I knew he'd let me vent and when we hung up I called my sister. I told her, well, tomorrow we can hang out if you want to, I got let go as well.
I know I can't be the only hard working, professional person to lose their job, well, no, my sister did too but you start to feel alone, I felt like a failure, what else could I have done. A million things ran through my head - Where do I start to look? Are companies hiring now - it's 4th quarter? I don't want to leave Phoenix, I love being near my niece and nephew. For anyone who is reading this and knows me - I'm resourceful and by the end of Monday night I had reached out to recruiters, former bosses and colleagues and had my resume today - I reached out to my 'lifeline' and let the people close to me know that I am going to need them more than ever right now.
I want to restart my blog and talk about real life - staying motivated, finding the positives, saying your gratitudes and falling back on family and friends to help you realize there is a big world out there and even better tomorrow. I know I have amazing experience and have worked for some of the best brands but I've come to know I also need to cry, show my weakness to those I love, let people help me and trust that something is around the corner.
I want to say it again, this post isn't about the place I worked it's about me and you and how we all find our happiness and that 'next chapter' in this thing called life. It's about how we move forward.
