While quitting the corporate rat race is often glorified on social media, the financial reality of life after a layoff can be far less glamorous. Five months after being let go from her role as a UX designer, a woman took to Instagram to share a brutally honest update on her efforts to earn income outside a traditional 9-to-5.
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(Hindustantimes.com has reached out to Ruyi. This report will be updated when she responds.)
How did social media react?
“Day 164 after leaving corporate,” Ruyi wrote on Instagram and then listed the things she had tried to do. She explained, “Tried dog walking and dog sitting (failed). Tried to be a yoga teacher and sound healer (made $0). Tried to sell jewelry (still procrastinating). Tried to be a content creator (made $0). Tried to be an Airbnb owner (no money to buy a condo).”
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At the same time, she added that she has spent thousands of dollars on teacher training and her dog’s surgery, adding that she has also developed wrist pain from “editing videos every day.”
“Dude this is insane,” she concluded and posted a video. The clip opens with a text insert that reads, “Everyone is talking about quitting 9-5, but dude how do I make money outside of corporate?”
In another post, she shared that she was laid off from her job. She posted, “Got laid off as a UX designer in Feb and have made $0 since. There are days when I feel like this is the best decision ever, and the next second I’m having a full identity crisis with no idea what I’m doing with my life.”
An individual commented, “Girl, you got this. Being a yoga instructor or content creator is a long-term path that takes time and commitment to build your community, and you are already doing it by showing up! In the meantime, get creative, find something that pays but isn’t taking you from the creativity you want to put out into the world! You got this.” Another expressed, “Omg I respect this angle so much!”
A third commented, “Hahaha, girl, you are ahead of me! I have done zero things to make money after my contract ended.”
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A fourth wrote, “Thank you for sharing. I can see you really run deep here, but can you kill the idea of failure? You’ve never failed, but rather tested what was & was not for you. And now you know with certainty. Sorry again about my crappy advice, okay.” Ruyi responded, “Wait, gosh, I love this angle so much!!!!”
