I was laid off from my role in Film Curation back in 2021, and looking back, it seems like it was the market finally adjusting itself. After the layoff, I went through the typical post-layoff process: updating my LinkedIn, rewriting my resume, and trying to craft a coherent ‘career narrative.’ I applied to various jobs, often facing questions from younger HR representatives about where I see myself in five years. Eventually, I took a step back and evaluated my finances. I realized that my trailer was paid off, my expenses were minimal, and I had enough savings to consider not needing a job anymore. So, I decided to stop looking for work altogether. It's now been over five years. During this time, I invested around $280k into Treasuries, which, along with my low burn rate, covers my basic needs like food, utilities, and internet. My lifestyle isn’t about adventure or building a brand; I simply wake up, make coffee, check the yields, play games, and read online. I’ve come to view employment as a forced obligation filled with endless emails and meetings, often about things that seem trivial. Initially, being out of the workforce felt like falling out of society, but over time, I’ve come to see it as a kind of freedom. While I wouldn’t recommend getting laid off as a strategy for financial stability, five years later, I’m still not convinced I should have fought harder to return to the workforce.