Al115's journey

I was laid off at the beginning of May after nearly 10 years at my previous company, and the job search has been incredibly tough. I've been applying to almost every position that fits my skill set, and after a long and hopeful process, I finally landed an interview for a role that seemed perfect for me. It involved three interviews and a work assessment over about a month and a half, and I received positive feedback throughout. I was really excited about the possibility of joining this new team, feeling like I had it secured. However, I received an email today stating they chose to go in a different direction. I'm devastated. With only two weeks left of unemployment, I feel completely lost and defeated. My only option now seems to be going back to retail, which is disheartening after working so hard to move away from that. It's embarrassing, and I feel like I've failed myself. Everyone around me keeps saying it's just a bump in the road, but they don't understand the weight of this situation. I'm exhausted and frustrated, and it feels like no one truly gets what I'm going through right now.