One of the most beautiful characteristics about America is the ability we have to fall, dust ourselves off and try again. Layoffs or firings may seem unsurmountable at first, but we’ve seen over and over again how getting laid off can often be the first step towards a significantly more fulfilling future. We’ve shared some incredible stories below.
Christopher Gioitta
By 2023, I had been at Amazon for over six years and was working toward a promotion I had wanted for a long time. I had just completed my annual performance review and my manager let me know that I had received a “Top Tier” performance rating — the highest possible rating which is awarded to only about 20% of top performers company-wide. Read More>>
Amy Shults
It wasn’t easy, and it took a long time to recover. While it can feel embarrassing to talk about, losing a job is somewhat common. As a Registered Dietitian, I can work in a variety of settings doing many different things. While there are some really amazing dietitian jobs, there are also some pretty terrible ones. Read More>>
Jeremiah Steen
Earlier last year(2025), I lost my job at the National Audubon Society after five years as a Development Associate for Institutional Giving. I had secured that role my freshman year of college, and it sustained me through COVID-19, paid for the apartment I still live in today, and allowed me to grow alongside a national institution. Read More>>
Merri Haren
I didn’t heal quietly. I roared. I told the truth about my pain, and I leaned into anything that could help me survive it—poetry, music, therapy, medication, meditation, prayer, and learning how to trust myself again. It wasn’t pretty or polished. There were broken bones, infection, death, shattered glass, and even a new kind of abuse that followed. Read More>>
Cinderella de Groot
How I Learned to Move Through Divorce. Not Just Survive It Divorce didn’t arrive as a single moment in my life. It arrived as a slow unraveling. At first, I did what many women do: I coped. I kept going. I held things together for my children, my work, and the version of myself I thought I still needed to be. Read More>>
