A man being fired from his job goes on a rampage. We’ve seen this premise in movies and TV shows one time too many that it’s become almost a trope now, like the ugly ducking turning into a swan or the underdog guy winning the manic pixie dream girl of his dreams.

Being let go of a job that one loves can be a devastating experience, especially when the news comes out of nowhere and you’ve put in a lot of time and effort into your work. However, it’s not as dramatic as it has been depicted in pop culture.

If you’ve recently lost your job, remember that it’s not the end of the world. Read below on how you can turn this negative into a positive.

Let’s get started!

1. You have freedom.

It’s normal to get attached to a job you’ve had for years which you feel you’ve been amazing at, especially if you’re the type who prefers routine. However, maybe you’ve stuck with the job for as long as you can because of fear of change, which may be something that has held you back to search for one that’s truly in line with your career goals. Now, the opportunity falls into your lap and you’re free and the door’s wide open for you to explore what else is out there.

2. You get to do a self-evaluation.

When you have your work commitments and your time is spent keeping up with deadlines, it’s challenging to find the time to step back and evaluate where your career is at even though perhaps you had meant to do it for a while. Now that you aren’t thinking of work-related tasks anymore, this is a perfect time to reflect and analyze your career and whether you’re truly on the path that’s aligned with your career goals. This doesn’t happen overnight so give yourself time to figure things out.

3. You can find your inner strength.

Being dismissed from a job can be emotionally taxing, but it’s during these gruelling times that we discover we’re stronger than we perceive ourselves to be. Maybe the thought of you losing your job has plagued you for a while, and now that it has happened, you realize that it wasn’t exactly the monster that you thought it would be. It’s something you’re able to deal with, and therefore you condition yourself to be ready for whatever challenge that comes your way next.

4. You make use of your creativity.

Being fired doesn’t mean one can take it easy, especially when they have loads of financial obligations to fulfill: student loans, rent, credit card debt, and others. True, these financial commitments can be overwhelming, but it can also serve as an opportunity for you to reach out to your creative side and discover ways to make money to at least tide you over until the next job comes along. This can be a passion project like designing websites or baking custom cakes. These or anything that fancies your interest can help you earn money until things get better. If you truly love doing it, maybe you can even retain it as a side gig when you’re back to work fulltime.

5. You turn into a better version of yourself.

Losing a job will motivate you to up your game, so to speak. Maybe you’ve always known that additional training or courses could be an advantage and now’s a good time to catch up on those. You set your mind into being a better version of your previous self and work on yourself. This way, when you start the job search process, you’ve built enough confidence to project that you’re the best candidate for the job and nothing will get in the way.

Being let go can be heartbreaking, but there’s always a way to turn things around. As the saying goes, there’s always a silver lining in a grey cloud.

Sources

Ryan, Liz. “The Ten Best Things About Getting Fired.” Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2016/12/27/the-ten-best-things-about-getting-fired/?sh=3d1ac9bf77e5