I thought I was prepared for my layoff. I’d had more than a year’s notice, even helped train my replacements. But when the day finally came, the tears still surprised me — first in the office restroom, and later in a near-empty cinema. Because a layoff isn’t just about losing a job. It’s about losing rhythm, identity, and community. And busyness doesn’t erase that grief. This is my story of why feeling the loss matters, and the questions I’m now asking myself — questions that may help others going through the same.

I've been writing professionally for 20 years, but creating my own website felt impossibly daunting. Turns out, helping others find their voice is easier than finding your own. Here's why it took me two decades to stop hiding behind other people's brands.