It was hard to come up with a decent sounding title for this post. When you hear of people getting laid off, I feel like there is a negative connotation to it, but here I am celebrating my 1 year anniversary of being laid off. While there are significant days in my life, Feb 28, 2014 was a turning point in mine that I will always remember.
[Sidenote: my current company became its own company on Feb 28, 2014 as well, so this day is very important to my life]
One year ago today, I was heading to work on a normal day. Our work load had been very slow for a while and we set a new record finishing the end of day report before 9am. We knew there were some lay offs going on, but thought they were over. Then we saw a couple of our co workers called into a conference room. Since we never really had meetings, getting called into the conference room by the boss meant something was up. The two people returned to clean out their desk, then I was called. I knew what was coming. I still remember so clearly how hard it was for my boss to tell me that I was being let go, but I was totally OK with it. Work was slow, I understood and I was already looking to move to Philadelphia (having never been there before). So really it was perfect timing. I came back to my desk to say my sad goodbyes. One co worker helped me carry out some of my stuff to my car, because I had an exercise ball as my chair at work. I nearly forgot to take that home. I was so thankful for the wonderful memories at the job and all the skills I had learned. I was especially thankful for the amazing co workers, especially since most of them were around my age. That was the one thing I was sad about. As I drove home at 9:30am that morning, I had tears in my eyes, knowing I would miss my co workers the most. We still had our company bowling league going on and we were a dedicated accounting group, with our whole team showing up even though 2 of us were laid off. We paid for the league and it was so much fun, I wasn’t going to not go.
That morning, I immediately called my boyfriend and told him the news and he calmed me down. Mostly I was just stressing about getting a job and all the stuff I would have to do to move. But I also took some time to relax. I really needed some time off too.
At the time of my lay off, my best friend was pregnant too and I texted her telling her I could be there when she had the baby. She had some surprising news that she was getting induced that day and her beautiful daughter was born March 1, 2014. I gave her a week with family and getting settled before making the drive to Michigan for a couple days to meet her little girl and catch up.
In March after talking with many recruiters and knowing I wanted to move, I booked a one way ticket to Philadelphia and planned a week of interviews and apartment hunting before my boyfriend would meet me at the Philadelphia airport and we could have a vacation together. Brian had just gotten off after working 8 weeks (all 7 days) straight. He needed the break as well and we enjoyed NYC, a part of Virginia and Washington DC together. During that time I was able to show him pictures of the apartments I saw and we decided on one for the end of April.
I booked my flight home, after being away for 2 weeks, home just in time for my birthday which I chose to spend in Michigan with my friend and her little family. I drove home and then got a spiralizer and a wonderful cookie cake to enjoy with my family.
April was all about sorting through the many things in my room that had remained untouched while I was away at college. Seriously, I never changed around my room. I wasn’t big on change, but 2014 was the year of change and I embraced it all!
On April 26th I packed up my car with 2 suitcases of clothes, my computer and other essentials and started my 3 day drive to Philadelphia.
Chicago to Philadelphia would be around 14 hours I think, but I stopped in Michigan again to see my friend and little girl one last time, then stopped at my aunt’s in Ohio and then Philadelphia. On April 26th, I also began the #100daysofhappiness on Instagram to help in my journey and it definitely helped me when I arrived in Philadelphia.
It was a little scary being on my own in the apartment for a bit, but soon I made it more homey by hanging pictures on the walls and cooking tons and keeping busy. There was lots of sun time, park time and time to read for fun.
and of course lots of yoga practice
The first week I moved in, I attended a meeting for a yoga teacher training program. (Lots of Googling for gyms and yoga around the area happened prior to moving #priorities) I was still unemployed. The first two weeks in my new apartment were so hard with all the waiting, but it was also nice to get settled in and explore the neighborhood. After 2 weeks of talking with recruiters, I finally was getting interviews and had almost an interview a day for another 2 weeks towards the end of May before heading to my second interview for my current company and they chose me!!
June 16, 2014, began my new journey, another chapter in my life as I started my new job. I also learned that day that I was accepted to the yoga teacher training program! I really think this second job post graduation is a great place for me right now. Even though there are not too many young people around, there is so much I learn from everyone. My boss believes in my potential and is always teaching me new things.
In addition to learning so much in the past 8 months working, I have also learned more about myself and am slowly jumping out of that comfort zone in other areas of my life. I am trying to live life to its fullest! A week from today I will be teaching my first 60 minute yoga class to my fellow trainees. It is amazing to think of how far I have come in a year and I am so thankful each day!
Plus I get to see this guy at least once a month [which is better than our past once every 3-4 months] 🙂
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