I’ve been hearing from my clients and friends that there are a lot of layoffs and new graduates are struggling to find a job. It's heartbreaking to hear that the fear of layoffs are mentally making people stressed out and anxious.

Here are some tips from me:

1. Your self worth is not defined by your job. You have intrinsic value just by existing. There’s a lot of people who tie their identity to the job they have but it's a trap, don’t do it! Try to separate and find your value outside of your career and job.
2. Stressing about what you cannot control is beyond your pay grade. If you are going to get lay off, you will get lay off no matter what, so just surrender and let go of control. If you spend nights stressing and worrying about your job security, you will go crazy and need to see me at this rate. Focus on what you can control, which is sleeping, eating, and going to work.
3. Just accept that everyone is replaceable and there’s not much you can do or change that if it were to happen. Do the best job you can do now and don’t burn bridges with coworkers.
4. There is no loyalty, I’ve seen and heard people getting laid off during maternity leave. So make sure you have time to touch some grass, pet your animals, and eat lunch.
5. Save some Fuck You money, make sure your cushion is thick, put money into savings and reduce your spending, this is the real secret to feeling power, you can leave and be okay.
6. Don’t give up and don't blame yourself. If you are out of a job, don’t give up on applying to new jobs, it's a numbers game, and also don’t blame yourself, use this as an opportunity to try new things and learn new things. Don’t let it stop you from enjoying life. Find free, and cheap ways to enjoy life.
7. Survivor Guilt, sometimes if you survive rounds and rounds of layoffs, you may feel bad and low morals at work. This is called survivor guilt, it is normal to feel this way.
8. Learn to separate the past from the present anxiety, how much of the fear and anxiety is coming from having a traumatic experience of being laid off in the past? How much of the fear and anxiety is coming from the present? Sometimes when we experience layoffs in the past, we have residual trauma and our body and nervous system remembers the pain of losing a job. It's important to take a breath and separate that.
9. Focus on what’s true now. What’s true now is that you still have a job, or you recently got promoted or a raise, your supervisor just gave you a good review.
10. Don’t live your life in constant fear, sometimes it's worse to be in-between, your coworkers are laid off and you are still here but you are worried and living in fear all the time, in high cortisol.
11. Worst At Self vs. Best At Self, Sometimes when a lot of rounds of coworkers and supervisors get canned, the morale are low and people are scared and working out of fear, that is what I call Worst At Self, you are performing at a lower frequency. Best At Self is when you are collaborative, creative, and efficient and open!
12. I just want to point out, there’s also immigration and validate people’s feelings, especially if your ability to stay in the country is tied to your job. If your job is sponsoring your visa, that’s another layer of fear and anxiety, because you don’t want to get kicked out of New York.

Everyone deals with uncertainty differently, some people find new opportunities while others shrink and live in fear and get haunted by their past experiences of poverty, and scarcity mindset. If you read this blog and really resonate with what I said, please reach out  book a free 15-minute phone consultation for help as I am a Asian American Therapist in NYC that understands and a free consultation with me, you shouldn’t live in fear and struggle with financial and emotional instability because fear is not rational, let me help you calm your nervous system and teach you tools to cope with your anxiety so you can have a peaceful night of sleep.