The day I got laid off stays with me. I had been at the company for years. I put in extra hours without receiving any requests. I picked up shifts when others called in sick. I thought that kind of effort would count for something. When they called me into the conference room and said my role was being eliminated, I just nodded. The words felt far away at first. I thanked them for the opportunity and left quietly. Losing the pay cheque worried me, of course. But what really stung came later.
I started hearing things. A couple of coworkers had smiled when the news spread. Someone sent a group message with fake sadness, and then others replied with jokes. I saw the screenshots. They were relieved I was gone. Some even seemed happy, like a problem had been solved. For weeks I felt sick about it. I avoided the grocery store near the office. I didn’t answer calls from old colleagues. Telling my parents was hard. I kept thinking about the projects I had carried and the late nights that helped the team hit deadlines. None of it seemed to matter to them.
The shame sat heavy. But it also cleared my head. I realised loyalty only goes one way in some places. People protect themselves first. I took time to update my resume and reach out to new contacts. I’m interviewing now. The experience hurt, but it pushed me to look for better environments. I won’t forget how it felt, and I won’t ignore warning signs again. Continue reading https://drbokko.com/?p=37164