Getting laid off sucks. There’s no sugarcoating it. Whether you saw it coming or it hit you like a truck, it leaves you with a mix of emotions—shock, frustration, maybe even a little relief.
I was laid off recently. At first, I did what most people do: panic, overthink, and refresh LinkedIn a hundred times a day. But once the dust settled, something unexpected happened—I started to learn again. Not just scrolling through tutorials or bookmarking YouTube videos I’d never watch, but genuinely diving into new technologies that I had been putting off for months (okay, years).
Reclaiming My Curiosity
In the hustle of day-to-day work, it’s easy to fall into maintenance mode. You ship features, squash bugs, attend standups—and your learning plate slowly empties. You’re not stagnant, but you’re not exactly growing either.
Post-layoff, I had nothing but time—and I realized I missed being curious.
So, I made a list of things I’d always wanted to explore:
That shiny frontend framework everyone keeps talking about (👋 Vue, Svelte, Solid)
TypeScript beyond the basics
Docker and Kubernetes—finally
Building a full-stack app without relying on a corporate boilerplate
And I started checking them off, one project at a time.
Building Without Pressure
One of the best parts of learning without a job attached to it? No deadlines. No Jira tickets. No legacy code. I could build weird side projects, break things, and refactor without someone breathing down my neck. I learned faster and had more fun doing it.
I made mistakes. I googled like crazy. I rewrote the same logic three times in three different frameworks. And I loved every minute of it.
Staying Grounded
Let me be clear—this isn’t some polished "turned my layoff into a blessing" story. Being unemployed is hard. It’s financially and emotionally draining. But giving myself permission to learn during this time has been a small act of rebellion against self-doubt.
It reminded me why I got into tech in the first place—not just to pay bills, but to build cool stuff and keep learning.
If You’ve Been Laid Off, Too
First: you’re not alone. The industry is going through a tough time, and it’s not your fault.
Second: if you can (emotionally, mentally, financially), try learning something new—just for you. Reconnect with the part of you that loved solving puzzles and building apps before it became a job.
It doesn’t have to be big. It just has to be yours.
TL;DR
Getting laid off sucks, but it's also a chance to reset
Learning without pressure is freeing
Tech is always evolving—use this time to evolve with it
You're not behind; you're rebuilding
If you’re on the same path, I’d love to hear what you’re learning—or just how you’re holding up. Let’s connect 💬
