I was on a business trip in Spain when my entire career flipped upside down.<\/p>\n
I got a Zoom invite from our company’s CEO. In a brief meeting, I learned that our publication had been sold and our whole staff of journalists was laid off, effective immediately.<\/p>\n
Coming to terms with being newly unemployed took me a while \u2014 maybe even a little longer than it should have. Like many others who work in my industry, the lines between my career and my identity were blurred.<\/p>\n
Losing the security of both my income and the idea of who I thought I was proved to be a disorienting experience. I’m a writer. Who am I if I’m not writing?<\/p>\n
It didn’t take me long to realize that the joy I found in writing didn’t vanish with the layoff, but I’d be lying if I said I had a concrete plan about what I was going to do next. After putting my emotions on the back burner and thinking logically about next steps, I knew I needed a fresh start.<\/p>\n
I picked the high-risk choice over a false sense of safety<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Some of my friends warned me that I was making a risky choice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sukhman Rekhi<\/p>\n
I was living in Oakland, California<\/a>, and working remotely when the layoff happened; however, remote opportunities in my field have become increasingly rare.<\/p>\n In order to stay in my industry, I felt like I had two options: New York or Los Angeles. I’d always pondered the idea of moving to LA, and maybe this was the right time to bite the bullet.<\/p>\n When I started telling people about a potential move to LA, reactions were mixed. The friends that I had in Southern California<\/a> were excited about the possibility of spending more time together, but my loved ones in Northern California were a little more wary.<\/p>\n Most people were concerned about one thing: Relocating to an expensive city<\/a> without a stable income or even a job offer wasn’t a financially smart decision.<\/p>\n Technically, they had a point. I’d be paying more for rent, gas, and other bills if I moved to Los Angeles. It would probably be more responsible to stay where I was, stick to my usual routine, and secure full-time employment before making any big life changes like moving away.<\/p>\n I was lucky to have funds saved up and some freelance work, though, and I was going through a time where I felt like I’d lost every ounce of emotional stability. I figured that if my life was already in shambles, I might as well rebuild it in a place that came with a clean slate and new opportunities.<\/p>\n Staying put out of fear wasn’t going to bring my job back, but maybe leaving would help me find something better.<\/p>\n I had some doubts when I first got to LA, but I quickly adjusted<\/p>\n There were times I worried I’d made a mistake, but the benefits outweighed the downsides.\u00a0<\/p>\n eelphoto1\/Getty Images<\/p>\n I was hopeful about the move, but I wasn’t extremely confident about my decision when I was making the drive down to LA. After all, I was going to be living alone and paying a significantly higher rent there on a freelancer’s salary<\/a>.<\/p>\n Once I settled into the new apartment, though, I began exploring LA and trying to build a community. Luckily, several of my college friends already lived in the area.<\/p>\n On the days we couldn’t get together, I went sightseeing on my own, started volunteering at a dog adoption center, and joined a local journalists’ chapter so I could meet other creatives. Emotionally, things quickly started looking up.<\/p>\n Financially, however, there were ups and downs. During those first couple of months, I had weeks when I had enough work not to worry about my bills<\/a> \u2014 but there were other days when I was too afraid to check my bank account. Those were the times I feared the naysayers were right.<\/p>\n However, there have been tons of benefits, too. In LA, I’ve been able to connect with a strong community of writers and find new work opportunities.<\/p>\n Plus, I’ve actually had time to enjoy my new city. Back when I was working in a full-time staff position, I wasn’t stressing too much about finances \u2014 but I also had to wake up and work East Coast hours.<\/p>\n Not to mention, the hustle and bustle of my work also didn’t allow me the freedom to take a break during the day, grab lunch with a friend, or even just go for a walk outside.<\/p>\n Ultimately, my intuition led me exactly where I needed to be<\/p>\n I’m so glad I listened to my gut and moved to LA.\u00a0<\/p>\n Sukhman Rekhi<\/p>\n I’ve now been in LA for a little over six months, and I’m glad I followed my gut.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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