Daryn Shares: "My Inspirational Job Loss"

[Daryn Kagan]

I know there are a lot of folks out there who are facing a big job loss. Trust me, I get how scary that can be. It happened to me 2 years ago when CNN told me they wouldn't renew my contract. I would've never chosen that in a million years. I can also share, it's one of the best things that ever happened to me.

I hope by sharing my story I offer to hope to anyone else who finds they need it.

You can watch it here.

Please let me know what you think and share any inspiring job loss stories of your own.

Thanks!

[Chris Fortner]

Hello Daryn. I have posted my thoughts on being laid off at http://chrisforliberty.blogspot.com/2008/12/are-you-going-through-l...

Glad you posted your video on dealing with job loss as it is certainly timely.

[Erin]

I lost 2 jobs this year - they weren't CAREER JOBS by any means, but jobs none the less. Of course, I freaked out for a while, refigured the budget 1000 times, figured out that if I really needed to, I could be out of work for a while, so I sat back and waited for something to change... and change it did. I now run my own business from home, and make (right now) about the same as I did when I worked outside the home. The best part is, the new year looks really promising!

[Ken]

It's never fun losing a job, but as one door closes, another door opens. And it also provides you with an opportunity to find out what you really like to do.

I've always felt I was a journalist at heart. I was in radio for most of my career and reported on news exclusively, but always liked sports. When I was laid off at my radio station, I was devastated, but then started to blog about sports and found that it's been liberating.

Through my blog, I've had the opportunity to meet so many people and without it, I certainly would not have found this site.

It's hurts so much when you lose the job where you have worked for so long, but I've also heard from friends who have told me that it was the best thing that ever happened to them due to the career paths they chose afterwards.

I wish anyone who has lost a job the best of luck. It's scary in these tough times, and it makes you wonder where the next paycheck will come from. But also know what it can lead to down the line.

[Randy]

Daryn ..

Thanks so much for sharing your story .. and for making a site like this available to people, affording them a place to learn, read, talk and share their experiences. It’s not that we can’t get there on our own, but it sure is nice to be able to share our thoughts, etc with others.

I’m not sure what CNN’s “logic” (?) was in not renewing your contract, but in my opinion, it’s their loss, not yours. One of your other readers (Ken) said, that “for every door that closes, another one opens.” He’s right. But it’s our choice whether or not we open that door.

“Losing” a job doesn’t always mean getting fired, or, as in your case, a failure to renew your contract .. “losing” a job can also be attributed to other factors. In my case, I “lost” my job (by taking a disability retirement) because of health issues (heart problems). I was no more ready to give up my job than anyone else that lost a job, but sometimes things happen in our lives that are simply out of our control.

Some may find comparable work in their field. Others, like me, may not have that option. Simply because I may not physically be able to do many of the things I did before, does not mean my life is over. It does not mean my usefulness as a person, is over. When that door in my life closed, I chose to “open” the next door. Maybe I can’t do things like before, but perhaps I can “teach” them instead. Maybe my story and experiences can help motivate another? There is strength and comfort in numbers.

We never appreciate things as much as we do until we’ve lost them.

Life is only what we make it. Beauty and hope can be found in the simplest of things. Starting over isn’t all that bad. For however devastated you may feel .. there’s always someone a little worse off. Remember the old adage: “I cried because I had no shoes, until I met a man with no feet.”

Randy

[Maureen Forbes]

Randy I agree with you. Life is what we make of it. There are people worse off than us. It is up to us to help other less fortunate. When the door closed in my life, I thought that was the end. I was not ready to give up and by opening the next door my life has changed for the better. I encourage people to move forward where ever I can.