Laid off at age 44. Many fears. How a 4-word advice from his 5-year-old daughter helped corporate professional to start all over again

Losing a job at 44 can be extremely demoralising for most people. It is not easy to search for a job, get one at this age and there’s always the stress of pending bills. However, for a LinkedIn user, layoff became a cause for celebration. Taking to LinkedIn, Himanshu Jha revealed he was celebrating his first layoff anniversary.

He revealed that being fired 12 months ago on June 2025, enabled him to start his journey as an entrepreneur. “I chose to build something of my own, Sutra Academy. I chose to follow the path that gave me meaning, energy, and purpose. And today, I truly love what I am doing…” he wrote.

He also shared five life lessons he learned from his journey:

Having A Supportive Life Partner Is A Must

When the going gets tough, having someone who understands doesn’t judge you and provides emotional support can be a gamechanger. He thanked his wife Arzoo for giving him the strength to move forward.

You Can Restart At Any Point In Life

He wrote: “A layoff is not the end. A career setback is not your final identity. Sometimes life pushes you out of comfort so you can finally build the life you were meant to live…”

What His Daughter Taught Him

One day while playing Scrabble, his daughter urged him to follow his dreams. This made him think of the importance of taking decisions strategically but fearlessly. “One day, while playing Scrabble, she said something very simple: “Do what you love, Papa.” Simple words, but they carried the deepest truth. Her belief reminded me that we should not only teach our children courage; we should also show them what courage looks like…” he wrote.

Not Everyone Stays

He also shared a brutal truth. When you undergo a crisis, not everyone you consider a friend will remain by your side. “Some friends and relatives may be the first to disappear when you need them the most. But that also teaches you who truly matters, who genuinely supports you, and who deserves a place in your journey…” he wrote.

Health Is Our Biggest Asset

Like any corporate professional, he was busy chasing deadlines and forgot to focus on himself. Being laid off gave him a golden opportunity to concentrate on his health and well-being. “This one year gave me time to focus on myself, my health, my routine, and my inner peace…”

He concluded that for him, the layoff was not a loss but a turning point.

Jha’s story went viral on the job-sharing platform gaining over 900 likes.