Member-only story
The day I lost my job
When reality comes knocking
Today is my job anniversary, 22 years with the same company. Instead of getting a congratulatory letter, I got a P45 — the official document that states that my services are no longer required.
For those 22 years, I’ve been receiving a regular paycheck that allowed me to live without luxuries but comfortably.
Now all that is gone.
Forever.
It’s scary. I see the situation around me, people are losing their jobs, the economy is in dire straits and big black clouds appear on the horizon.
I’ve even seen colleagues talking about suicide on social media. I’m pretty sure this crisis is going to kill more people than the virus.
I should be panicking.
But I’m not.
For most of my adult life I’ve had a cozy job in a big corporation and now that security net has been pulled out from under my feet. But, to my surprise:
I’m actually excited!
Weird, right?
The thing is, although I enjoyed my job and was comfortable, deep down I knew it wasn’t my thing. I never felt passionate about it and, in the back of my mind, there was this nagging feeling that I was selling myself short, that I could do better.
