Well 2014, you did not live up to what you were supposed to be. Unfortunately, I lost my job in a round of layoffs last week. Yes, apparently layoffs still happen in this economy. We’re still in a recession, people.

It doesn’t take a genius to know that I wasn’t very happy at what I was doing (Excel — I’m talking about you), but it’s always a true shock when your livelihood is ripped out from under you. And when you’re a Type A personality, you don’t really know what to do with all of your newfound free time (and limited budget).

In an attempt to not fall down the angry, dark hole that I so badly want to crawl into, I’ve been training myself to look at the silver linings. In no particular order —

1. I didn’t have to go to work Monday morning, so I got to really enjoy myself at a Super Bowl party. Which was helpful because it was such a boring game to watch without the aid of mimosas.
2. I had been on 3 dates with a man that I had determined I did not like by Date #3. Turns out, telling a guy that you won’t date him anymore because you are unemployed and may move cities is the perfect, “I’m not an asshole, I just have bad circumstances” way to get out of dating him.
3. I can pursue any and all work crushes who were previously off-limits.
4. I still get to go on vacation and now I don’t have to return to 2,000+ work emails. Thailand, see you in 6 days.
5. The sky is the limit.