hy has the millennial generation gone through so many ‘crises’ ever since they stepped into the job market? From the financial crisis of 2008, to the economic downturn in 2019 due to Covid-19, to what they’re calling The Great Layoff of 2022, which has crawled its way into 2023, we can’t get a break. Can we?

Of course, what I just mentioned are global triggers that are bound to affect our country. But brew these together with the show-stopping thriller of a Netflix show our political parties have been performing over the years; it’s been exhausting. What pushed me off the edge was losing my job.

Getting laid off isn’t an easy thing to deal with, given the current economic situation. Did I say current? I meant, with our forever-looming economic situation. “Pakistan is going through a difficult time.” The first time I heard this, I was a child. My mother dismissed the statement rather easily and said this had forever been the case. As the young patriot (that I still am), I didn’t heed to what she said and took the statement seriously. Twenty years on, we have not passed that curve and are still going through a difficult time. So remember, mothers know best.

As for getting laid off, well, it’s never easy. For me, I was bonkers to feel exhilarated by the situation. My colleagues stopped feeling pity for me as soon as they learnt how happy I was that I had been laid off. In my case, I hadn’t been enjoying the job. So when one fine day I was called in by the HR department and told not to come in the next day, I was just glad that they had done their paperwork swiftly and that I actually didn’t have to turn up the next day for ‘clearance’ purposes.

What kept me sane? Why wasn’t I shivering on my feet and asking the HR to reconsider? Why was it so easy for me to be fine with being fired from a job for which I had migrated to a new city? Faith and positivity. I know God has promised to provide, and that promise isn’t bound to a single job. My belief in this promise rather excited me.

I knew I was going to be provided for, but from where? While some may worry in that situation, and I did too, obviously, I’m human, but more so, I felt excited. What next? What has life in store for me now, what adventure awaits me now? You see, unpredictability and change are the only two constants in life that you’ll ever get. The sooner you become friends with these two, the better your life experience will be. It truly did happen to me.

No, I don’t want to paint myself as a ball of happiness and say I am the most optimistic human going around. I had my moments of sadness, worry and anxiety about what would happen and how it would happen. But whenever I felt consumed by these thoughts, I forced myself to turn to have the same belief again in myself and my destiny. It’s my own brain, so I had to convince myself, and I did.

That positivity paid off. I was provided in ways I couldn’t have imagined. During the very first month of being without a job, I landed a couple of side gigs that kept me afloat, and in the second month, I landed my next job, which was not only better than the previous one but something I actually enjoyed.

Now all of this didn’t happen to me just because of a belief system and positivity. Other factors were at play too. I know for a fact that consistency is key to getting anywhere, and that’s exactly what I did with my time. Make yourself productive. In today’s world, there are many options for self-employment. I took some of the skills I had polished over the past couple of months and took them to test by freelancing. I had my portfolio ready to show, which is important, and I landed a client on a freelancing website.

Another pivotal thing was my connections. Connections matter — not in the ‘nepotism’ sort of way, but to get information and pass information. If someone needed a freelancer, I was just one or two connections away from getting to that person and then getting my shot. I wouldn’t be hired because I know the ‘connection’, but at least would get a shot to showcase the value I could bring. It did work out.

The Great Layoff isn’t over, and life will remain unpredictable as long as you live, but it’s essential to stay consistent in your efforts, connect with people, and always have faith. Even in times of disbelief, you must play the game of faith. Act as if you believe. That is power; sheer power.

The writer is an ex-serviceman and a freelancer. He can be reached at shaafayzia@gmail.com