Trading Places: Finding Clarity After the Chaos of Losing a Job

When people talk about getting laid off, they usually talk about what they lost: a job, a sense of security, a rhythm. What they don’t always talk about is what you gain — or at least, what can open up if you let it.

The day I got laid off, my wife got a new job. Same day. One door slams shut, another swings wide open.

Suddenly, our household dynamic flipped. She stepped into a new role, and I stepped into something entirely different: being home more. Doing the school runs. Making the Costco runs. Actually making dinner (still working on getting better here, I promise). It wasn’t the plan. But then again, neither was the layoff.

The Awkward Middle

I won’t sugarcoat it — the first few weeks were weird. We both had to recalibrate. I was used to being the one sprinting out the door, glued to calendars and launch decks. She was used to managing the chaos at home while crushing it in her own way at work.

Now I was the one folding laundry between LinkedIn refreshes. The one sitting at pickup lines with a travel mug. The one rediscovering how many crumbs two kids can generate in under five minutes. There’s a quiet kind of ego adjustment that comes with that — the shift from “provider” to “present.”

But after the awkward middle comes something else: clarity.

What I Found on the Other Side of the Commute

The truth is… I love it. I love getting the kids ready and to the car in the morning without the usual mental rush of meetings, even when they completely act like it’s the first time ever they have had to get ready for school. I love coaching their teams, mentoring others, showing up for stuff I used to be “too busy” for.

I love having time to help friends shape their businesses — not because it’s on a statement of work, but because I actually want to. It’s purpose without the slide deck.

I’m still chasing what’s next professionally. But I’m also not racing past what’s right here, right now. There’s something grounding about this season. It’s messy. It’s different. But it’s ours.

The Real Win

Here’s the thing: this switch isn’t forever. Life shifts again. But right now, it works. And in the process, I’ve learned something important — your role doesn’t define your worth.

Sometimes the best thing that can happen to a well-oiled routine is a hard reset. It shakes loose the stuff you didn’t even realize was weighing you down.

So yeah — getting laid off stung. But this new rhythm? It’s given me more time with the people and projects that matter most.

And honestly, I wouldn’t trade that.

If you’re in the middle of your own hard reset, here’s your reminder: the next chapter doesn’t have to look like the last one. Sometimes, it’s even better.