BLT #11 | The 48 hours after a layoff

We won't mince words: layoffs are one of the worst things someone can experience over the course of their career. Though we can rarely change the outcome in the moment of being let go, we can influence how we remember that moment over time.

WE BELIEVE:

Being let go is a really hard moment in time.
What matters is how we remember that moment over time.

There has been a lot of research over the last decade or so that’s given us new insights into how our memories work: what we recall, why, and when. One of the most interesting insights we’ve seen came from Northwestern University which found, in essence: when we remember something, we don’t remember the actual event itself. We remember the last time we remembered that event.

What does that mean, exactly? The way we remember certain details of an event will become distorted over time - for good, or for bad. This shows up every time we remember something:  

• Funny moments can become even more exaggerated (Did they really belly flop in front of 100 people, or was it closer to 10?)
• Tough moments may become more extreme (Do you and your sibling still disagree on “who started it” in one of your youthful spats, even though the argument was petty and inconsequential?)  
• Certain details can fade entirely into the background (Did you wait months and months to see the Eras Tour but don’t remember much? You’re not alone.)

In the context of layoffs, we can point our long term memories in the right direction by adding something distinct (read: “out of the norm”) to the first 48 hours after you’re given the news. We share some ideas in the Something to Try section below.

SOMETHING WE LOVE:

"Changing your interpretation of your past is often just as good as changing your past."

- Naval Ravikant

YOU SHOULD TRY THIS:

Do something out of the norm

If you’ve been let go, do something out of the norm in the first day or so after you’ve gotten the news. Here’s a few ideas to get your mind moving:

• Do something you’ve “always wanted to do”, like going to that nice restaurant, trying that bold bold hair cut, or painting your room a new color.
• Make a core memory for someone else, like getting in a food fight with your kids, taking a friend to a concert, or making a surprise visit to a loved one.
• Lean into the chaos, like Shelby’s story of smashing a cupcake in someone’s face.

To be clear, doing something out of the norm won't remove the initial shock and hurt of being let go. But over time, you'll our hope is that you'll recall these positive moments of those 48 hours more vividly and more often than the hard parts.

Listen In
If you, or anyone you know, has ever been impacted by a layoff, we recommend listening to this week's podcast.