After 20 years in tech, Ceres Chua found herself asking a question she couldn't ignore anymore: "Is this all there is?"

She had built the career. Climbed the ladder. Earned the titles. Made the money.

Then she got laid off, again.

In this episode of Pink Slip Pavilion, host Ashley Waddington sits down with Ceres to talk about her third layoff, walking away from a 20-year corporate career, rebuilding her sense of purpose, and learning to trust herself outside of the structure she'd known for decades.

Ceres had already survived three rounds of layoffs when she finally received her pink slip in 2023.

She thought she was mentally prepared.

Instead, she found herself moving between relief and panic.

One minute, she was grateful to be free from a stressful job that no longer felt meaningful. The next, she was wondering: What do I do now? What is my purpose?

For the first couple of weeks, the freedom felt incredible. Then the days started blending together.

Ceres realized she needed a routine.

Running. Walking. Journaling. Reading. Connecting with friends. Giving herself small things to accomplish each day helped her regain stability and eventually created the mental space to ask bigger questions about what she actually wanted from her life.

Today, Ceres works for herself.

Looking back, she sees the layoff differently.

"This is a sign. Take it."

After 20 years in corporate, she had become accustomed to other people influencing her trajectory through promotions, titles, and opportunities. Building something of her own required her to relearn how to trust herself.

In this episode, we cover:

• Getting laid off after 20 years in tech

• Surviving multiple rounds of layoffs

• Feeling both relieved and terrified after job loss

• Losing your routine and identity after a layoff

• Creating structure when you no longer have a job

• Asking "Is this all there is?" after career success

• Finding purpose beyond titles and salary

• Leaving corporate life behind

• Learning to trust yourself again

• Building a business and online community

• Making meaningful connections online

• Why self-compassion matters during a layoff

• Rebuilding resilience when life feels uncertain

Ceres's advice for someone navigating a layoff is to give yourself compassion while believing you're capable of creating something new.

"The story we tell ourselves will determine how resilient we are."

Your next chapter may take longer than you expect. You may not know exactly where you're going yet.

Trust that you're more capable than you give yourself credit for.

CONNECT WITH CERES:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cereschua/

Email: ceres@themoneymindsetlab.com

Pink Slip Pavilion shares real stories about layoffs, job loss, career transitions, career reinvention, and what comes next.

New episodes every Wednesday.