Man, October 2018. That whole period still feels pretty vivid, like it was yesterday in some ways. I remember just plugging along, you know? Just doing my thing at the old gig. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t exactly lighting my world on fire either. I’d been there for a good while, comfortable, maybe a little too comfortable, if I’m being honest. The daily grind was just that, a grind. I’d punch in, do the work, punch out, and repeat. Nothing really challenged me much anymore, and I started feeling this weird itch, like something just wasn’t clicking.
Then, the whispers started. You know how it is in offices, right? Little rumors flying around, hushed conversations in the break room. “Restructuring,” “downsizing,” “optimizing.” All those fancy corporate words that really just mean someone’s head is gonna roll. I tried to ignore it, to just keep my head down and hope for the best. I figured, I’m a good worker, I’m reliable, I’ll be fine. Famous last words, right?
The Bomb Drops
October rolled around, and that’s when things really took a turn. I walked into the office one Tuesday morning, same as any other day. Coffee in hand, ready to tackle whatever mess was waiting. But this day was different. My boss called me into his office, and his face told me everything before he even opened his mouth. It was that tight, regretful look, the one that says, “This ain’t gonna be fun for either of us.”
He sat me down, shuffled some papers, and then just laid it out. My department was getting dissolved. My role? Gone. Just like that. Poof. Years of showing up, of giving my all, wiped away with a simple corporate decision. I remember just sitting there, staring at him, feeling this weird mix of shock and almost… relief? Like a huge weight had been lifted, but also, suddenly, the floor was gone beneath my feet. What the heck was I supposed to do now?
I walked out of that meeting in a daze. Cleared my desk, packed my box of personal stuff – a coffee mug, a plant I’d neglected, a few pictures. It all felt so surreal. Walking out of that building for the last time, I felt pretty numb. But then, as soon as I hit the street, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I was jobless. No income, no plan, just a whole lot of uncertainty staring me right in the face.
Into the Unknown
The first week was rough. I spent most of it just moping around, playing video games, and staring at the ceiling. My routine was completely shot. Every morning, I’d wake up with that familiar knot in my stomach, that worry about money, about what was next. My wife was super supportive, bless her heart, but I could tell she was worried too. We had bills, you know? A mortgage, car payments, all the usual stuff. It wasn’t just my problem; it was our problem.
I knew I couldn’t just sit there. I had to get moving. So, I started. First thing was digging out my old resume. Man, it was outdated. Like, seriously outdated. I spent days just rewriting it, trying to make it sound good, trying to remember all the stuff I’d actually accomplished. It’s funny how when you’re doing a job, you just do it. You don’t really think about how to package it for someone else. I asked friends for advice, looked at templates online, tried to polish it up. It felt like I was learning a whole new language just to describe my own work.
Then came the applying part. Oh man, the applying. I sat in front of my laptop for hours, just scrolling through job boards. Every single company seemed to want someone with ten years experience in a niche skill I’d never even heard of. I’d tailor my resume, write a cover letter that probably sounded desperate, and hit submit. And then… nothing. Just crickets. Or automated rejection emails. It felt like shouting into a void.
I got a few interviews, finally. Each one felt like a huge win, like I was getting somewhere. I’d prep like crazy, research the company, practice my answers. I even bought a new shirt for interviews, thinking that would magically make me seem more competent. But each time, it was the same story. “We’ve decided to go with another candidate.” It was soul-crushing, truly. My confidence was taking a beating. I started to wonder if I was even good at anything. Was I completely unemployable now?
Finding a New Path, Slowly
After a couple of months of this, I realized I needed a different approach. Just applying to the same old types of jobs wasn’t cutting it. I had to think outside the box, or at least, outside my box. I started looking at roles that were a bit different, maybe not a perfect fit, but where I could leverage some of my skills and learn new ones. I was desperate, yeah, but also, a little spark of curiosity started to ignite. What else could I do?
I talked to everyone I knew. Friends, family, old colleagues. Anyone who would listen. I started hearing about opportunities in completely different sectors, things I’d never even considered. One friend mentioned a role at a smaller company, a startup even, that needed someone with strong organizational skills, even if it wasn’t exactly what I’d done before. It wasn’t a perfect match, but it felt like a chance.
I went for that interview, and it was different. Less formal, more about my attitude and willingness to learn. I was honest about my situation, about wanting a change, about being ready to roll up my sleeves and try something completely new. To my surprise, they gave me a shot. It wasn’t the big, corporate salary I used to have, but it was a job. It was a start. And frankly, it felt like a breath of fresh air.
Starting there felt like being a newbie all over again. I had to learn everything from scratch, meet a whole new team, understand a completely different industry. It was challenging, for sure, but in a good way. My brain felt alive again. I was actually excited to go to work, to tackle problems, to contribute. The fear started to fade, replaced by a new kind of energy.
Looking Back
Looking back at October 2018 now, it’s wild to think about how scared I was. Losing that job felt like the end of the world back then. But honestly, it turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to my career. It forced me to re-evaluate everything, to push myself out of my comfort zone, and to ultimately find a path that was way more fulfilling.
Sometimes, those big, scary changes that life throws at you are exactly what you need. They shake things up, make you think, and open doors you never even knew were there. I’m definitely in a better spot now, doing work I actually enjoy, and I wouldn’t trade that rocky October for anything. It was a really tough road, but man, it was worth it. Got me ready for anything, that’s for sure.
