How to "Crush It" After Being Laid Off During COVID 19

*warning: this article encourages devouring large amounts of Nutella. If this would prove to be a health hazard to you (for example, if you are allergic to nuts), please disregard.

**another warning: I am not a doctor of the body or brain, so take this advice to heart at your own discretion.

Now that the above disclaimers are out of the way, here’s how to totally be your best self after receiving the news that you’re now unemployed:

1. Hey, so you ugly-cried when HR was speaking with you, it happens…well, it happened to you so, that alone, is prove that “it happens”. Anyway, brush that off. Take it as a note to yourself to throw that shirt you used as Kleenex out, and to always have a packet of Kleenex on your person. Remember in March how you were telling yourself to do that?

2. Go ahead and treat that poor swollen face of yours to a soothing facial.

3. Get one of those cooling, under-eye cucumber sticks- those eyes and sinuses can get tired after all that crying. Maybe some vaseline for your raw nose...don't forget that skin care, people!

4. Plan a Zoom meeting with good friends and watch something funny. (I HIGHLY suggest “The Goes Wrong Show” that is on Amazon Prime.) Then play some pointless online games with said friends.

5. Splurge on some Seamless or Grubhub

6. One word: Nutella

7. Know that you can do hard things. The most annoying thing about all this is that you’ll have to update your resume. AGAIN. Apparently we were born to update our resumes. But that’s ok. You can do this.

8. Finally get that gold MacBook Air you’ve been wanting, since you’ll have to turn in your work computer. Silver was so pre-COVID.

9. Wear glasses so that if you’re tempted to cry throughout the week, and you happen to be around people, you can just blame the moisture from inside your mask and say that that’s why your glasses are wet, sticky, and fogged up. Crazy how the fog leapt from the glasses into my eyes!!

10. Have company paraphernalia that’s too nice to get rid of? Doctor that shiz up with some markers and stickers! If you get weird looks about your water bottle that you “fixed”, to cover up the company name that you're no longer a part of, just pretend your niece decorated it for you!

11. File for unemployment ASAP! Take note that there are most likely only certain hours that you can apply. I kept sitting down to apply at 8pm and the applications were already closed for the day. But remember, you can do hard things!

12. Nutella. Try putting it in a recipe with other things! (Or not….)

13. Get a haircut. Maybe not bangs (something I caught myself considering), but a nice trim. This is only if your city has put Covid-safe procedures into place. If you don’t want that drastic of a change, try a new pair of shoes…or whatever symbolizes a fresh start to you! New underwear! There’s no judgement on what fresh might mean to you…

14. Avoid wanting to soak in the hurt and “make them sorry”… Or the really fun: “You aren’t firing me, I quit!” sentiment. I really wish that these helped but they don’t. Work the situation to your advantage. Have everyone’s attention because they’re all sad you’re leaving? (You’re not leaving by choice, but you're working on not being bitter about that- YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS!) Tell them about your Etsy page, your vocal.media account, that tutoring, or coaching business that you're starting up! Go ahead and announce your next (or current, but not so well known,) endeavors! (I have to admit, my therapist helped me come up with this one.)

15. Think about what it was that you really liked about the job. Can you look for jobs that will also let you be a part of the aspects that you loved? Also vice versa... what will you look to avoid during your job search?

16. Volunteer. Feeling like you’re helping others is medicine to the soul. Do it.

17. Eat Nutella.