12 People Who Thanked Their Lucky Stars for Getting Fired

“You’re fired!” usually comes with a feeling of deep dread in the pit of one’s stomach, but rarely does it feel like a bath of relief, and on the times that it does, it’s amazing to see the reason why. From landing a better job, to discovering cancer, the end of these jobs became the catalyst to open doors, inner peace and remarkable revelations that never would’ve happened had there not been a drastic termination. Here are 12 people who were grateful to get booted from their jobs.

1. Hopeful dad

After a year at work, I was terminated. It stung and I am of course concerned about my finances. However, I am so grateful. Now, I get to go to every one of my son’s games, not drive for two hours a day, and get my dog back full time. I will get the best job I’ve ever had! © Vegetable_Bowler_372 / Reddit

2. A misfit’s relief

I wasn’t a good fit for the company. I worked hard, but didn’t relate to my co-workers. We needed money so my husband wouldn’t let me quit. After six months, I requested a transfer but was fired instead. I cried at night. But the next morning I was so relieved! I didn’t have to go there anymore. Jobs come and go. © CatsRock25 / Reddit

3. The joy of less pay

I never thought I’d say this, but getting fired felt incredibly liberating. It was like a weight I didn’t even realize I was carrying had been lifted off my shoulders. Sure, it was terrifying at first. Who wouldn’t be freaked out about suddenly losing their source of income? But after the initial shock wore off, I started to feel something I hadn’t felt in a long time: freedom.

I realize now that I was stuck in a rut, just going through the motions day after day, too comfortable (or scared) to make a change. If they hadn’t let me go, I probably would have stayed there indefinitely, even though deep down, I knew it wasn’t what I really wanted.

Getting fired was the kick I desperately needed to refocus on what truly matters to me. It forced me to re-evaluate my priorities and finally pursue the passions and projects I had been putting on the back burner. I’ve started working on things that genuinely excite me, and it feels amazing.

In a weird way, I’m grateful to my old employer for giving me the push I needed. Sometimes, life has a funny way of setting you on the right path, even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time. I don’t make as much money as I did at my previous job but I feel way better. © soydelmarrr / Reddit

4. Progress after failure

18 years with a company. I had joined them right out of school. I got let go in the depths of a recession. The best year of my life. I travelled, spent time with family, tried a start-up — failed — and eventually got a better job for double the money. © MrSnowden / Reddit

5. I would have never stopped working for peanuts if I hadn’t gotten fired.

I got fired recently from one of those massage chains. I have only been a therapist for 2 years so I don’t have that much experience. I tried looking for another job while still doing massages at clients houses. The first 2 months I barely made enough to get by. But this month, my business has been booming to the point where I don’t need to work anywhere but for myself. I made more in 10 days than working a month full time at a chain and I have so much more time for myself. I work half as much. I didn’t even have to market or advertise. I have to say, I am grateful for this profession, I love what I do, and feel lucky that it is even more lucrative than I had expected. © Efficient-Pension600 / Reddit

6. The dog whispered

I train dogs to help people with special needs. A client’s dog was always barking ferociously near me and the family fired me. I had a panic attack, passed out, and ended up in the hospital. When I woke up, I overhead the doctor telling the nurse I needed a biopsy. They discovered I had breast cancer, but in its early stages. After months of treatment and surgeries, I’m doing well! I went back to the family’s house to thank them for taking me to the hospital. To my surprise, the dog came straight to my lap, without barking. We investigated and found out that, before being adopted by this family, the dog had been trained to detect diseases like diabetes and cancer! I still can’t believe that dog saved my life.

7. Accidently discovered a new skill

After was I fired, I threw a pity party for about 4 months, hit rock bottom, my girlfriend cheated on me with a friend etc. Desperate to pay bills, I took a job at a parts counter making $11/hr. This company had an outside sales department, and apparently the owner saw the salesman in me that I didn’t know existed. I was in operations management before this.

14 years later, the company has grown 10-fold. The only employee that (maybe) makes more than me is the General Manager. I was able to buy a house in 2012, sold it in 2020, bought another one in the hills that is now worth one Million and I have a fantastic wife/mother, who is able to be a stay-at-home-mom, and the best son someone could ask for. © bee_ryan / Reddit

8. Sometimes the hardest moments just hide the good things that are coming.

My husband and I had a baby. I was on 12 months of maternity leave from my job. In August he got fired. I desperately didn’t want to return to my job, so I started applying to anything and everything. Had an interview for a role that was being created at a company I’d heard of but was not even close to my industry. Got the job basically the same day.

Now my husband is a stay at home dad and is happier and more fulfilled than he’s been in years. I’m working a job I’m enjoying and getting to make my own, in a workplace I’m starting to enjoy. Our son is thriving. Sometimes the hardest moments just hide the good things that are coming.
© FattoMcRatto / Reddit

9. I would’ve fired me too.

When I was young and very stupid, I lucked into a job as a financial advisor/banker for a now gone large regional bank. I was careless and didn’t take it seriously when they had me work the teller line, which was part of my job description, but I thought it was beneath me. Well, turns out my drawer ended up about $700 short one Friday after we closed.

I was audited by corporate security under the pretense that I stole the money. Being so young and terrified, I made tons of excuses and tried to throw co-workers under the bus. It was messy, embarrassing, and completely on me.

I was immediately fired. No one would even look at me.

It was a double-edged sword. A horrible experience but one that made me ego-less. I learned from my mistakes and built a much stronger work ethic and bond with co-workers. Today, in a bit of irony, I’m a senior investigator and manager in corporate security for a major bank. I can honestly say at this point now, I would have fired me too. © anuncommontruth / Reddit

10. Chance to redirect

I got laid off after the economy nosedived in 2001. I was recently married and had a newborn. I was devastated. I took the opportunity to go back to school to get my teaching certificate. I’ve been teaching for over 20 years and it’s my dream job. Being laid off was the best thing that ever happened to me. © GuntherPonz / Reddit

11. Feels good to be free

I worked at a call center many years ago and was abruptly fired over an angry customer’s review. Apparently, they listened to the call and took it as ’I didn’t care how he felt’ which was true, and that ’I didn’t try that hard to assist’. Which was also true. So he called back and complained about it and long story short, I came in one day and was asked to go to HR, to where I was then met with two people (manager included) just to tell me why I was being fired.

At first I was nervous and tried to play dumb like I wasn’t intentionally being mean to a mean person, but it didn’t work. Once they told me the meeting was not to discuss what happened but to discuss my termination, I suddenly felt this aura of peace and told them ’Thank you’ at the very end. I actually walked out like “Wow! I got fired?” But felt great about it. I then used the rest of the day to jog and focus on how great it is to be free! © UnlimitedAdvice / Reddit

12. When a disaster plays cupid

I worked as a teacher in a high school for almost a year. It was a difficult school. The learners were very disruptive and would bully the teachers and the school’s governing body wouldn’t do anything to help the teachers out. I would literally have anxiety every morning from just the thought of driving there. One day some learners were refusing to learn. They walked out of my classroom and the principal called me in and fired me immediately, because I wasn’t capable of disciplining the students.

I was in so much shock that they had to call an uber to take me home. I bawled my eyes out for the entire ride and the driver gave me some tissue, told me he knows what it’s like because he used to be in the teaching profession too and offered to fetch my car for me, the next day. That kind uber driver is now my husband and we co-own an outreach program for disadvantaged children.

Not all disasters end as disasters and the worst of tragedies can be the beginning of better days, so giving up can never be an option. Here are people who know exactly why that is.