Why I’m Grateful I Got Laid Off (Again)

And Why Being Present with My Kids Is Worth More Than Any Paycheck

Real talk: I got laid off recently.
Again.
From the same company.

Yes—twice.

If you’ve ever worked in the mortgage industry, you know job security is a myth. Your position can disappear as fast as you can say “inflation.” But this one hit harder—not because it was unexpected, but because I genuinely believed it would be different this time.

After the first layoff, I chose to return. I had faith that the company had grown. That it had learned from the past and was on its way to something better.

Turns out, I was wrong.

Same playbook. Same buzzwords. Same corporate greed in a slightly shinier package.

Here’s the formula they stick to:

• Hire overpaid execs who love the sound of their own voice on Zoom

• Cut costs by offshoring work to the cheapest overseas labor available

• Automate anything that moves, even if it guts the soul of the company

• Keep the C-suite bonuses and stock options flowing, regardless of actual performance

And us? The workers?
We’re expendable. Replaceable. A line item in a spreadsheet.

If I sound mad, it’s because I am.
But after five months of space to breathe and reflect, I’ve found something else in the wreckage: gratitude.

The Life I Was Living Wasn’t Living at All

The job I lost? It was draining the life out of me.
I averaged 50 hours a week—sometimes more.
I worked weekends.
I took 30-minute lunches, cramming in bites between tasks.
I paused just long enough to pick up my kids or throw dinner together, then raced back to my desk until 9 or 10 PM.

It wasn’t living. It was surviving.

And I kept doing it because that’s what we’ve been taught success looks like—work hard, level up, get promoted, make more money. And sure, I paid the bills.

But I lost time.
So much time.

I wore overachievement like a badge of honor.
But underneath that badge?
I was exhausted.

You Don’t Get This Time with Your Kids Back

I used to roll my eyes at that phrase.
Honestly, I didn’t think I had a choice.
I had to work. I had to show up. I had to keep climbing.
Overachieving wasn’t a goal—it was survival.

But being forced to stop grinding gave me a perspective I never would’ve chosen for myself.
And now?

I get it.

Our society worships productivity. We glorify grind culture and teach us that our worth is tied to how much we can produce for someone else’s bottom line.

But I’m calling BS.

Humanity should matter more than profit margins.
People should matter more than shareholders.

So if you’re feeling the weight of the grind and wondering if it’s worth it—this is your reminder:

You don’t get this time with your kids back.
The promotions can wait.
The corporate ladder will still be there (and so will the layoffs).

But your kids?
They’re growing up right now.

And being there for it?
There’s no paycheck big enough to replace that.

I'm Still Figuring It Out—And That’s OK

Just to be clear: I don’t have it all figured out.
I’m in my forties, and I’m reinventing myself from the ground up. (Hello mid-life crisis!)

It hasn’t been easy.
But for the first time in a long time—it feels right.

What hasn’t helped?
Endlessly scrolling Facebook and Instagram, only to be bombarded with noise like:

• “Take my course and learn how to make six figures from home!”

• “You should make a course!”

  or

• “I made $40K in two weeks doing this one thing—here’s how you can too!”

It’s exhausting.
It’s defeating.
And honestly? It’s obnoxious.

Sometimes I wonder—is that all social media is now?
A never-ending pitch to hustle harder?

Not everyone wants to be an influencer.
Not everyone wants to turn their hobbies into a brand.
Some of us just want a life that feels real.
With real people.
Doing work that matters—without selling our souls or our sanity to do it.

I believe we can build that life.

One where we spend meaningful time with our kids and love the work we do.
One where we’re not sacrificing our health—mental or physical—just to stay afloat.
One that isn’t ruled by the algorithm, the inbox, or someone else’s bottom line.

Life’s not simple, and it’s definitely not linear.
But it’s ours.
And that’s worth everything.

Can You Relate?

• Have you ever had a wake-up call that made you rethink your relationship with work?

• Have you experienced a setback that turned out to be a hidden blessing?

• What would you do differently if you didn’t feel tied to your job just to survive?

• What does success look like for you now?

💬 I’d love to hear your story in the comments.

If This Hit Home, Stick Around.

I’m sharing more real talk about work, life, and parenting—without the corporate filter.

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