I Got Laid Off, and I’m Finally Doing Something That Matters

Posted on Monday, August 24, 2009 by Frank Roche

My friend Donna, who runs Sheer Brick Studio, led me to The Lemonade Movie. The trailer here tells the story of a few of the 70,000+ advertising professionals who have been laid off in this economy and what they’re doing with their lives. My favorite line is the one in the title of this article: I got laid off, and I’m finally doing something that matters. It’s wonderful when people find their bliss.

Are you doing what you were meant to do? If so, why not?

User Comments

Sylvia Lafair

Aug 25th, 2009

Lemonade Productions brought tears to my eyes. As I grew up my mother would always give the lemons to lemonade speech to me until I would screech “Stop, I just want a Hershey Bar!”

I have not been laid off in this round of fiscal mess. I own my own company that consults with organizations around leadership and resiliency. Years ago, right at this time of year I was told funding was cut for my soon to be fabulous job in the family therapy department of a major medical school.

I walked the streets on sunny days, the mall on rainy ones figuring out my next step. That was all the energy I had. Funny how each step leads to the next if you breath, walk and don’t panic. And I finally realized my real dream, to write a book. “Don’t Bring It to Work” with its blue cover is out there for the world to see. Thanks for the reminder that lemonade can taste great. I’m sending clip to my clients, whether they have a “safe” job today or not.
Frank Roche

Aug 25th, 2009

@Sylvia Congrats to you and your wonderful story. It is so great when we do what we love…and each of us has so much potential. I feel so great when I see stories like the Lemonade ones…those people are wonderful. Continued success to you. Thanks for the smiles.
Bill Strahan

Aug 31st, 2009

Frank – do you think that this is something bigger? Is this part of an changing economic / social landscape that will be different after this recession? Maybe this is more than just individual and personal transformation? Think about your posting on the work “crisis”. If I remember correctly, “crisis” is from the Greek and means a time of choice. Getting laid off is in one sense a crisis. I wonder if you have been thinking about any broader social implications of so many people making so many choices.
Frank Roche

Sep 1st, 2009

@Bill I spent a healthy chunk of time thinking and talking about this question based on your prompt. I wonder about this a lot, but haven’t put enough structured thinking into the implications. Now I am. I’m reading more about it…and wondering about what happens when people are permanently displaced from work. Is there a new economy that opens up? I would love to chat about this over coffee some day.