The first 90 days
On Tuesday, February 3, 2026, a few minutes before 8:00 a.m. CT, I got the phone call. Every Tuesday for the last three years, I waited anxiously from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. CT for that phone call. If I didn’t get it by 10:00 a.m., I anxiously awaited the last-minute “team meeting” to let us know who was laid off that morning.
So when it was my turn to get that phone call, it was relief.
The first 90 days of change are supposed to be the hardest.
In the last 90 days:
I’ve gained 15 pounds. In my case, that’s a good thing. Stress was literally eating me alive.
I’m sleeping better. I still need melatonin because I’m old, but I’m sleeping through the night for the first time in years. And I’m remembering my dreams again. Most of those dreams are about being in a new place that looks vaguely familiar, surrounded by a mix of people that I grew up with or from other stages of life, that I might know, and that I don’t know. It’s noisy. But I never engage in conversation. I just listen and observe and wonder where I am and why I’m here, with these people.
My overall health has improved. My seizures are becoming less of an interruption and seem to be spreading further apart.
The most remarkable: I’ve remembered that I am actually really talented. I’m finding a self-confidence that I didn’t even realize I had lost.
Month 1: February
I took the first two weeks “off” and thought about what I wanted to do next. I started my blog and talked to friends and family.
In week 3, I started to meet with friends who would help me in this journey: a financial advisor, a recruiter, coworkers who had been displaced. Sent updated resumes to recruiting firms that I had worked with previously.
I focused on LinkedIn and expanding my network outside of my former employer and building connections in St. Louis. I started to reach out to contacts on LinkedIn to set up some time and set up time with people who had reached out to me. I contacted editors of local publications and writers whose articles I liked to let them know and build that relationship.
I applied to a cashier position at a local grocery store. Within hours, the interview was scheduled for a few days later. The recruiter was about 20 years old and never made eye contact, just stared at his computer and typed dictation as I spoke. It took about 15 minutes. Two days later, I received the rejection. I laughed.
Month 2: March
I signed up to volunteer at a few non-profit events whose causes I care a lot about, like the Epilepsy Foundation’s annual walk in August.
I started to pay attention to events going on around the city, like St. Patrick’s Day. New restaurants opening. Concerts. Museum exhibits. Things that I used to do with friends and family but gradually stopped over time as work started to get worse. I signed up for a few networking events but never attended. I didn’t always follow through with those plans to network or socialize because depression was still an issue.
My displacement program started and I immediately jumped on the resources they provided.
Month 3: April
I connected with my first potential client, and the contract should be finalized in the next week. I accepted a board position for a local non-profit; my first meeting is in May.
Last week, I went to happy hour with a former manager who quickly became one of my best friends when I no longer reported to her. I told her how I was feeling: like I am starting to find myself again, and I forgot how talented I am. She laughed and said, “Yeah, you are. I’m surprised you stayed with them as long as you did.” She had been telling me for 10 years that I could be doing so much more, but I didn’t realize it until I was going to bed that night.
This Week: Week 13
Some of the webinars that I will be attending include starting your own business, exploring the gig economy, utilizing contract work, exploring independent consulting, considering a career shift, negotiating salary and payment.
I scheduled a phone call with other job seekers that I’ve met through these webinars to keep sharing stories, supporting, and maybe practicing interview questions or networking conversations. Maybe it’ll end up to be a recurring call. Who knows? It’s casual and just for fun.
I have a separate call with another connection that I’ve made through this displacement service, too.
I created a Calendly account last week to make scheduling these networking calls easier. I asked a coworker who was also displaced to schedule the first meeting. The default is Google Meet, which is a platform that neither of us are familiar with, so that should be an entertaining online meeting while we figure out how to use it.
I meet with a local banker to learn about my options with my 401K and what I need to be considering if I decide to set up a consulting business.
I volunteered for NAMI’s walk on May 16, and the volunteer orientation is this week.
It sounds busy, but I still have a lot of free time. Every week, I set goals like:
LinkedIn enhancements: Align skills on LinkedIn to jobs
Schedule one networking event or phone call for next week
Publish one blog
Complete one LinkedIn learning course
Sign up for one volunteer event
But I need to teach myself how to balance “work” with my personal responsibilities. For example, I need to set up my office in the basement and I’ve got work that I need to do for that. I haven’t been very good at my personal to-do list.
