When the Universe Decides to Slap You in the Face

I am not alone when I say 2022 was exhausting with all the political and economic turbulence and the news of a looming recession (according to some experts). Yet, many of us embraced 2023 on a positive note. I happily welcomed the New Year with a plate of ham and wine at the stroke of midnight. I created my 2023 list of goals and plan ways to become debt-free this year.

Everything started well, and I looked forward to the new year with joy — until I lost my job.

Photo by Teymur Mirzazade on Unsplash

I have longed for that job since I came to the U.S., as it was the perfect one. It gave me the ideal work-life balance as a single mom. I closed the door of the corporate world for it — benefits and all. I never realized that the other door had a weak doorstopper, and it slammed on my face. Just. Like. That.

It’s hard to lose a job when you love it. I honestly don’t know where to go. The confidence I once had is deteriorating, and I don’t know how to bounce back from this. It really is scary to start from scratch and dive into this overwhelmingly competitive job market.

I am not the only one feeling this frustration, with thousands of people who have been laid off or are in the process of being laid off. As a 40-ish single mom, I’m unsure which direction to take: to look for a corporate job or pursue freelance work. Either way, my ultimate goal is to ensure I have the income I need for my son and me.

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Photo by Nastuh Abootalebi on Unsplash

Despite what happened, I know good things are coming ahead. The future may look bleak for many of us, but remember always to move forward. I hope and pray that we will be in the right place in time. Until then, I will forgive the universe for that slap and keep searching. Eventually, the right one will find me.

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This post was previously published on medium.com.

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