Losing a Job Can Be a Winning Experience

What I Learned from Being Laid Off
With millions of people being laid off and unemployment at its highest level in 15 years, it’s hard to believe that anything good could come out of what seems like such a dismal situation. But as the old adage says, “Everything happens for a reason.” To that end, here are stories that tell of the good side of being laid off.
Click through Beliefnet’s gallery of inspiring stories from our community users on how getting laid off changed their lives…for the better!

Continued on Slide 2: Material Things Don't Define You »

I have my own story that is kinda long and complicated, but basically I left my job as English Learner Coordinator in LA to move to San Diego and plan my wedding. My future husband allowed me to take time off so we could fix up the house.
The following school year I started subbing as it was looking like I was not going to get a full-time job. I also started looking into Graduate School and, after talking to my husband, decided to go after my dream and get an MFA in Creative Writing. I would write the novel I have been carrying around for almost twenty years.
I finally got a job just before my husband's favorite house went up for sale. We bought the house, but I lost the job just before we moved in. Our realtor convinced my husband he could handle the payments. Plus he got a great price on his bachelor home.
I did take one more full-time job before realising that I could not run a household, do my writing and work full-time (actually, teachers work about 60 hours a week). I was miserable to be around everytime I got a job, but I also was having a hard time justifying a life without teaching. For the third time, I went back to subbing and this time I will stick to it.
Hopefully, I will get my book published and do the coaching and maybe even have the opportunity to teach adults, but until that happens, I will continue to sub and enjoy my time in my beautiful home with my wonderful husband.
My own lesson is that life doesn't have to be difficult. We can find ways to make our dreams a reality and mold our life into the life we love.

Let me know if you have a story like this. I could tell you others. My father and my brother-in-law both discovered that everything happens for a reason.