Laid Off, Burned Out, or Stuck? How to Find Purpose in the Pause
We’re at the midpoint of a turbulent 2025—and let’s be real: America feels like it’s on fire. Chaos seems like the order of the day, and many of us are feeling it deep in our bones.
There’s pressure to keep up, stay busy, and prove our worth. We’re burned out, disillusioned, and disconnected.
Many of us have been forced into career pauses—whether it’s through layoffs, burnout, or shifting family needs. Others are choosing to step back, seeking a life reset after years of running on autopilot.
Life as we’ve known it is on pause. And as we stand in this in-between space—whether it was forced on you or chosen by you—the question that’s fueling this series on the Life Unplugged blog is simple but heavy:
What do I do now?
This series is for anyone navigating a career transition, burnout recovery, or major life reset. It’s for those ready to stop chasing, step off the hamster wheel, and ask the hard question:
Is the life I’ve been building even the life I want?
We’ll explore what happens when the grind stops. We’ll talk about the emotional weight of life after layoffs, burnout, and caregiving. And we’ll uncover how to turn a pause—forced or chosen—into a powerful pivot for your life, work, and purpose.
What is a Life Pause? Understanding Life’s Unexpected Reset
You didn’t see it coming.
Or maybe you did—like a slow leak you tried to patch until it finally burst.
If you’ve been following my story, you know the last 12 months have been full of pauses in my own life.
First, I put my life on hold to care for my father in the final months of his life. Then, more recently, I found myself unemployed—standing at a crossroads I didn’t plan for.
I say “semi” back in the job market because, if I’m honest, I’m still standing in the in-between. Still in the pause.
What do I mean by the pause?
It’s like a life reset.
A space of uncertainty where the hustle stops, the striving slows, and you’re left facing the bigger, harder questions.
Not just what’s next, but what actually fits.
What’s worth chasing, and what you’re finally ready to release.
Before you can move forward with intention, you have to sort yourself out.
It doesn’t matter how you got here:
- Maybe it was a layoff.
- Maybe burnout brought you to your knees.
- Maybe a family shift forced you to reconsider everything.
- Or maybe it was a quiet voice inside saying, This isn’t working anymore—and you couldn’t unhear it.
Whatever the reason, however you got here—you’re here.
And the question is the same for all of us:
What do I do now?
The Hidden Impact of Layoff, Burnout, and Life Shifts
Here’s the thing no one tells you about a pause:
It doesn’t just affect your work. It touches everything.
A layoff, burnout, caregiving—these are never just career issues. They’re life resets.
Right now, we’re living in a world full of these shifts:
- Mass layoffs across industries—tech, retail, media, even government.
- The Great Resignation—millions walking away, searching for meaning, flexibility, and better mental health.
- Revenge quitting—bold exits from toxic workplaces, leaving people scrambling.
- The Great Detachment—a quiet crisis where people stay in jobs but feel mentally and emotionally disconnected.
And then there are the family shifts no one plans for:
- A spouse loses their job, and suddenly you’re the main income source.
- Aging parents need care, and your career takes a backseat.
- Kids need more time, attention, and support than you thought possible—and work no longer feels like the priority.
These life changes bleed into everything:
Your finances. Your marriage. Your mental health. Your faith. Your identity.
Suddenly, you’re not just managing a career pause.
You’re managing a life reset.
My Story: What the Pause Looked Like for Me
Rewind to January 2024.
I got a call that changed everything.
It was my mother—her voice trembling, urgent. My father, my rock, my steady guide—was weak. Failing.
And in that moment, my life flipped.
I became his primary caregiver—juggling hospital stays, doctor’s appointments, rehab centers, and eventually, hospice care at home.
Thirty-two days by his side.
The hardest days of my life.
Watching the man who taught me strength now needing me to be strong.
But those days also gave me something unexpected:
- A deeper connection with my family.
- An unshakable lesson in resilience.
- A reminder that this—the showing up, the staying present, the holding space in the hard times—is what matters most.
When my father passed, his last words to our family were simple:
“Keep going.”
Two words that became an anchor in my grief.
A quiet reminder that even when the ground feels like it’s crumbling, you can keep moving forward.
The Pause is Also an Invitation
In my grief, I felt my identity shifting.
I wasn’t sure who I was anymore—or who I wanted to be.
But here’s the thing:
This weight, this disruption—it’s also an invitation.
An invitation to pause.
To ask the bigger questions.
To stop running on autopilot and start living with intention.
That’s what I did. I stopped. I asked the harder questions.
That led me to PR4LIFE—an intentional step toward living my purpose, even with the uncertainty of what it might become.
So whether your pause came through a layoff, a career break, or the demands of family life—the impact is real, and it touches every part of you.
The challenge is to sit with the discomfort long enough for growth and clarity to rise.
And that? That’s a good thing.
Why a Career or Life Pause Could Be the Best Thing for You
Just when I thought I had made it through one life reset—just as I was starting to breathe again—another wave hit.
In February 2025, I was laid off.
After years of steady work, leadership roles, and building a life around my career, it all came to a halt.
And it wasn’t just about losing the job.
The questions crept in, even though I had seen it coming:
Did I do enough to prepare? How do I measure up in this job market? What’s my course forward?
That’s the thing about a pause.
It doesn’t come neatly wrapped with answers.
It arrives messy. It shakes your identity, flips your finances, and rearranges your family dynamics.
Whether the reset chose you or you chose it, it still stings.
Because in a world that glorifies constant motion, a hard stop can feel like failure.
Like you’re falling behind.
Like you’re losing your place in the race.
You question everything:
These aren’t just career questions.
They’re life questions.
Because when the work stops, you’re left staring at the life you’ve built—and wondering if it still fits.
The Questions You Must Ask During a Life Reset
At first, I did what most of us do:
I updated my résumé.
Refreshed my LinkedIn.
Tried to “get back out there.”
All while continuing to build my coaching practice in the midst of the layoff.
Fear kicked in: What if the coaching doesn’t work? I didn’t have enough time to build the business—so where’s that steady income going to come from?
I went into panic mode.
But then something in me whispered:
Slow down. Don’t rush back into what wasn’t working.
That was my invitation to breathe.
Not scramble for the next secure thing—but to stop, reflect, and realign.
My work. My life. My purpose.
It wasn’t easy. It wasn’t comfortable. Sometimes it just hurt.
But here’s the truth:
The pause is painful—but it’s also powerful.
It’s a reset button you didn’t ask for—but maybe, it’s exactly what you needed.
But in the pause, these are the questions you have to ask:
❓Are you living aligned with your values—or just chasing the next paycheck?
❓Is the life you’ve built the life you actually want?
❓What have you been ignoring in the name of success?
❓What do you need to let go of so you can move forward?
For me, it wasn’t about finding another job as fast as possible.
When I answered those questions, here’s what I found:
💡 I’m not the guy I was when I got into the television industry.
💡 I still love the work—but I need more.
💡 I want to do work that’s purposeful, useful, and meaningful.
💡 I want to live on my terms.
I’m not exactly sure what that looks like yet—but I like the vision.
Have you asked yourself those questions lately?
What answers are rising for you?
How to Move Forward With Intention: 5 Steps to Reset Your Life
So, what do you do now?
How do you find your footing when the ground beneath you has shifted?
Here’s what helped me—and what I now share with my coaching clients:
✅ Give Yourself Permission to Rest
Before you rush into action, pause. Walk. Journal. Pray. Let the noise settle.
Here’s what I learned: Rest isn’t weakness—it’s the sacred space where clarity begins.
✅ Do a Life Audit
Ask: If my life were a business, would I invest in it? What’s draining you? What’s driving you?
This is your moment to name what’s no longer serving you—and release it without apology.
✅ Get Clear on Your Non-Negotiables
What values do you refuse to compromise anymore? Write them down.
This is your foundation—because if you don’t know what you stand for, the world will try to decide it for you.
✅ Focus on What Truly Matters
Not everything is urgent. Not everything is yours to carry. Let go of the extra. Let go of the “shoulds.” Breathe.
You can’t carry everything—so stop, breathe, and trust that what’s truly yours will rise to the surface.
✅ Take the Next Step—Even if It’s Small
Don’t wait for the perfect plan. Finding clarity in life comes through action.
Make the call. Send the email. Update the résumé.
Momentum doesn’t come from waiting—it comes from moving, even when the path isn’t fully clear.
✅ Bonus: Give Yourself Permission to Change
You are not the same person you were before the pause—and that’s a good thing.
You’re not here to go back. You’re here to grow forward.
Final Thought: Why Your Life Pause is Part of the Process
This isn’t the end of your story. It’s a chapter.
Maybe you didn’t choose it. Maybe you did.
Either way—this is the space where you stop striving and start aligning.
This is your chance to ask:
Who am I now? What do I want next?
It’s not about rushing back to what was.
It’s about stepping forward into what’s next—with clarity, courage, and quiet resolve that says:
I’m not sure where the road leads… but I know I’m not going back.
So take a breath. Let the questions rise. Let the discomfort teach you. And when you’re ready—take the next step.
That’s the real work.
💬 What’s your story? Drop a comment below.
🎯 Ready to turn your pause into a pivot?
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