Our Layoff Story

Some people have A Baby Story, others A Wedding Story, we have A Layoff Story. I group it along with happy things like babies and weddings because this is a positive thing in our lives. I know that when most of you read the word "layoff", you bite your nails and hyperventilate, thinking "Oh my god I could be next." When David and I hear the word "layoff", we think "freedom." It definately helps that we are DINK's (duel-income no-kids), or maybe I should say DINKNM (duel-income no-kids no-mortgage.) We are home free.

David has suspected a layoff for weeks now. The economy is obviously slumping, and the non-profit he worked for didn't score any new contracts. Not a lot of people want to invest in e-learning when they're not making any money. We told our property manager that a layoff could be imminent back in February. "We could lower your rent," they generously offered. This is another reason neither of us are worried about a layoff.

I know our viewpoint is very rare in this tough economy, but I think its important to spin something potentially negative into something positive. All we hear is about how layoffs wreck lives, how people lose their homes, how everything in life is ruined and ugly. This is a time for David to focus on building his own business and his website. It's a time for him to play tennis and practice his trombone, since he just joined a swing band and a large brass band. It's a time for relaxation and personal development, and of course, cooking me delicious dinners. I think all of us need a break from work once in awhile, to get out of the rat race and focus on what is truly important to our lives and to our future. Getting laid off is like taking a deep breath before jumping back into the pool. Sometimes I wish I was the one in that boat.

Another reason neither of us are worried is that we know work for David is on the horizon. He already has a couple of leads, and of course has to keep applying for jobs to get unemployment benefits. But I encourage him, "Enjoy this time, use this time for yourself, because before you know it, you'll be back at it, working 40 hours per week again." I know that at another point in our lives, David will return the favor for me.