…onward and upward!

Hi friends! Bridal here — and I’m coming to you all the way liveeee! I promise it sounds better when I say it out loud, but writing it will suffice!

I have a bit more time on my hands these days, and felt inspired to write this blog post. Therapeutic in a way…and fun! Hopefully my personality oozes out, given the subject :-)

Quick Recap — wait…didn’t you live in San Francisco?

Yes — after living in San Francisco for several years, I made the plunge to chase another adventure in New York in 2021. One thing about me is that I love people, even if I don’t know anyone in said city, etc. I love the adventure of meeting new people and building relationships. I’ve lived in DC, San Francisco, New York and who knows, there could be another city to explore in my future — perhaps even a journey back to the west coast…

I have a wonderful dog, Nala who I got while living in San Fransisco. She’s 3 and such a joy in my life. I also have a great group of friends in the city.

What’s new with me?

As most of you know, last week I was laid off from my job. I’ve joined a group of other wonderful, talented, smart people — no fault of our own.

I get it — market conditions are not what many companies expected and tough decisions had to be made. Every day we learn of another company and feel for those who have been impacted. I now know what it feels like. Layoffs are no fun.

However, there’s an upside. I’ll get to that a little bit later, but first…

Feeling the feels

Like many, there’s a mix of emotions. I love my previous company. The mission, the values, co-workers who’ve become good friends…just everything! Oh and I should add a great boss. Really, there’s nothing negative I can say.

For all of the companies who had to deliver such news, I have to imagine its not easy.

I’ve experienced this before from a previous layoff and I remember thinking to myself — wow the empathy was something beautiful. You see — empathy is something I value and try to apply in work and personally.

The ripple effects of a layoff runs deep. For those impacted — the fear, uncertainty and financial strain that comes with it.

I’m single and don’t have a family but so many others who’ve been a part of the great layoffs have a different story — whether the individual is a single parent, or someone who supports their immediate family and others. Talk about overwhelming…

My initial reaction was shock, immediately followed by gratitude. However, today I was hit with immense sadness and shame.

Obvious questions come to mind — why me? was I bad at my job? what could I have done differently? am I a failure?

The truth is it can happen to anyone, no matter how good you are.

The emotions I started to feel are completely normal — and I made an intentional decision to ‘feel the feels’.

Feeling the feels and going through the many emotions of a layoff is important. Losing a job is a loss, and one should be able to fully process it. Laugh, cry, grieve, talk to someone, go on vacation — whatever you need to do! I think it’s important to do so to make sure you can start anew — no lagging bad vibes into a new experience.

While ‘feeling the feels’ I began to state positive affirmations. For every negative thought or question — an accompanying positive affirmation.

I know what I’m capable of and my accomplishments not only at my last company — but every company I’ve ever worked at throughout my career.

I thought of everyone who reached out to check on me and wish me well… It really warmed my heart. Sometimes you don’t realize the impact and positive influence you’ve had on others.

Perhaps this is a redirection to something different, and an opportunity to drive an impact somewhere else? or a time to explore other talents?

What did I learn going through this experience?

Always take care of yourself! Often times because we care so much we will work long hours, weekends, sometimes skip the gym, etc.

Is it bad to do these things? Not all the time, but if you do them continuously you can build a habit of putting others before yourself.

This doesn’t only apply to work but even in our personal life. Setting clear and healthy boundaries is a good thing!

What’s next?

I’m focusing on the positive, growing my network and deciding what I want to do next. Am I nervous about what’s next for Bridal? Of course but I’m channeling that nervousness into confidence. Let’s get it!

I know this is tough for those of us who find ourselves in this situation, but we’re resilient! In the words of Christina Aguilera — can’t hold us down!

a few final thoughts

• leverage your network to get an intro to a Company you have an interest in
• don’t be discouraged if you have an interview that doesn’t go well. for some, this might be the first time going on an interview after a long time. It might take a minute to get back into the swing of things, but you got this!
• continue to sharpen those skills — reading, courses, whatever helps you get to where you want to be!

Thanks for reading!

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Bridal