It wasn't my health, it wasn't my family, it wasn't my friends, it wasn't my fake fur coat from Topshop.
But I loved my job. And when I lost it, if my world hadn't fallen apart it had certainly been rocked to its foundations.
Yet the good things which have come out of what was at first a terrible shock have been quite astonishing. However awful it seems at first, being made redundant is not only something you can deal with, but something which can turn out to be positive in ways you never expected.
So how do you cope with it, both practically and emotionally?
First, you really must not blame yourself. At first I was convinced it was my fault, and raked over every tiny little thing I thought I could have done better during the years I'd worked at the company. But as Bill Clinton said, it's the economy, stupid. Redundancy does not mean that there was anything wrong with your work - if there had been you would have known about it before now. You're not at fault, just unlucky.
Second, refuse to look upon it as a setback. It's a chance to meet new people, try something new and challenge yourself. However much you enjoyed your job, you probably didn't want to do it forever, and there are probably other things which have always attracted you as much, if not more. Now's the time to go for them. Living abroad, retraining, doing voluntary work, starting your own business ... the world is full of opportunities which are yours for the taking.
Remember also that the economy has slowed down, but it hasn't stopped. Open any newspaper or go on the internet and you'll see there are still plenty of jobs around - and plenty of employers who will be only too pleased to benefit from your skills. Because of the slowdown you might not find a permanent job immediately, so get some temporary work to keep you going, stay positive and keep applying, because you will succeed in the end.
And in my case, an exciting new job was far from the only good thing to come out of redundancy. Because boy does it show you who your friends are. I knew my friends and family would be there for me, but I didn't know quite how amazing they'd be, and I came away feeling luckier than ever to have such great people around me. And I certainly didn't expect colleagues I didn't know that well, contacts I'd never met, and even virtual strangers to offer me words of advice, support, kindness and encouragement. It sounds crazy to say that losing your job can make you more confident, but in some ways it's true. There are a lot of kind people out there, and they reminded me that the world really isn't such a bad place.
You don't think it's going to be you, you hope to goodness it won't be, but if it is then turn it into something good. To have been doing the job you were doing you must have skills and positive qualities, and it won't be long before another employer realises how valuable you are. Think of all the good things you still have to be thankful for and don't lose heart, because every day could be the day that your dream job comes along.
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