If you have never been let go from a job at some point during your career, consider yourself incredibly fortunate.

I recently wrote an article, “It’s Okay to Fail Sometimes – Your How-To Guide After Getting Fired or Let Go,” because a few friends of mine have recently lost their jobs and their news brought me back to the important lessons that I learned as a result of being let go myself. The article goes into what to do right after it happens and then the days and weeks afterwards. 

I really want those of you who are going through a tough professional time right now to keep telling yourself that just because it didn’t work out for you in one position doesn’t mean that you are doomed for your entire career! Sometimes it’s just not the right fit or it’s out of your hands. Or it’s a blessing that fate intervened to get you out of a toxic situation. Whatever the case, what’s done is done and you can’t change things. You must stay positive in order to put your best self forward in order to find a new job and because it’s just healthy for your well being. You will be okay and you will look back on this time in your life as a pivoth growth period.

It’s important to remember that each mistake that we make teaches us important life lessons such as resilience, adaptability, self-awareness and most important, empathy.

Being let go is awful, but you can emerge as a stronger, better version of your professional self and make better career and life choices – just like I did. Here’s what to do if it happens to you.