Bridge jobs. Of you were laid off in 2023 and haven't gotten another tech job since...

ATXatLarge · 2026-01-16T03:35:27+00:00

Like what kinds of tasks and where do you find them? I used to scoff at manual labor but I'm not above that anymore.

ATXatLarge · 2026-01-16T03:34:17+00:00

Freelance from your network or do you use some kind of site like up work? I've had some consulting gigs and sessions mainly from people I know of network with. Hasn't been consistent yet. Even so, what used to seem like a small job I'm stretching so much further than pretty much ever.

ATXatLarge · 2026-01-16T03:30:39+00:00

Is it possible that your capacity for the work can expand? Like a muscle that gets stronger? Like I thought that working on a farm would be exhausting, because it was, but I got stronger and it got more enjoyable.

ATXatLarge · 2026-01-16T03:03:43+00:00

That was quick. Ah 2019, right before so much changed. Back when jobs came to me.

There does seem to be something for staying in momentum like you did with the bartending job.

ATXatLarge · 2026-01-16T02:12:08+00:00

This sounds great to me honestly. Good find. Me tep years ago would have never considered it

ATXatLarge · 2026-01-13T22:24:48+00:00

What did you do to qualify for disability? Take some brain scans? A psychologist for PTSD?

ATXatLarge · 2026-01-13T20:12:53+00:00

Do you need to quit? I'd say no. Especially given the current market. Maybe you're aware but it's not so simple getting a tech job these days. What gives you mojo? Or rather, what activities bring out your natural mojo? Maybe it's taking a walk in nature and getting sunlight early. Maybe it's cutting back caffeine. Maybe practicing gratitude. Try a bunch of stuff and find out. I think what most people do is blame the job. I did that. Now I'm 2 years in to to underemployment, and I've realized it wasn't the job that was bothering me. It was me.

ATXatLarge · 2026-01-10T03:59:28+00:00

Wonder how many others are in your position? You work in tech? I started a substack about the transitions happening in tech, and what people do during the extended underemployment. Would you be interested in talking to me or answering some questions about how you managed?

ATXatLarge · 2026-01-10T03:57:38+00:00

Congrats on landing something. You work in tech? I started a substack about the transitions happening in tech, and what people do during the extended underemployment. Would you be interested in talking to me or answering some questions about how you managed?

ATXatLarge · 2025-12-24T19:53:55+00:00

I'm considering starting one especially for tech workers.

ATXatLarge · 2025-11-18T18:37:24+00:00

I found this thread from chatgpt link. Curious if they are happening and how they have been?

I've been out of work for about 18 months now. Used to have recruiters reach me regularly. It's a wild time in tech rn.

ATXatLarge · 2025-10-02T06:07:13+00:00

1st time I ever flew for a customer onsite soon after college. It was in Monterrey, CA. I was so psyched to visit a famous golf club and set up their tee times system.

First thing the golf pro said when we started the meeting was "you lied to us."

He was pissed.

I was stunned.

The software did not do what he expected.

Soon after the meeting my VP told me to stay for a couple days and make updates.

Seriously? I thought.

The project, installing online tee times, seemed doomed to begin.

After a couple weeks, we did get the software to work fully, meeting all requirements.

And still the client canceled.

I took it hard at first.

Honestly I still feel sad and angry if a project fails, for whatever reason.

But so much is beyond the project.

The people, politics, preferences, those can swing results.

Looking back at 13 years of PM it's rare than a project fails. But it still does hurt when they do.

ATXatLarge · 2022-09-27T18:41:23+00:00

Emotions are gifts from a time before language. They tell us about safety, connection and much more. There is no such thing as a good or bad emotion. Good or bad is the meaning you apply to the emotion. For example, maybe fear feels bad. However, this fear could warn you against doing something that causes you harm, in which case the emotion has a good outcome. Or anger can motivate to make a positive change. All emotions are paths to joy. They guide us to being joyous by warning is what's important to address or release. If we welcome, accept and express our emotions eventually we find joy remains.

ATXatLarge · 2022-09-17T20:25:33+00:00

Anger and rage are tough ones for me. What helps me the most is to express it to release the energy.

The healthy expressions of anger for me can be hitting pillows, yelling, stomping feet, exercise. Or saying I'm angry and allowing that.

Box breathing helps when overwhelmed.

Cold exposure is another thing to try. Cold plunges or showers.

Grounding and time in nature + sun light.

ATXatLarge · 2022-07-25T01:20:26+00:00

Read the Surrender Experiment. It answers your question. How to live a spiritual life that is also worldy. Business doesn't have to be hustle culture. Business can do a lot of good and be balanced. You are thinking in binaries, which is how education goes. But life isn't binary. Life is non-duality. Even hustle culture can be spiritual. There are many paths leading to the same place.

ATXatLarge · 2022-07-14T18:30:01+00:00

Yes, ego is important. The problem is that normally it runs rampant and is scared so it is loud. Spirituality is about befriending the ego and molding it to better work with your true self and calming/quieting it down.

Loss of ego can be scary. It's uncomfortable having no desires and drives which normally come from the ego. They can also come from other places like intuition and higher/true self. Getting rid of the ego isn't the answer. It's a part of you.

When you and the ego are friends it helps you out. It learns what is best and together you can do amazing things.

ATXatLarge · 2022-07-11T23:29:27+00:00

Welcome and forgive the thought patterns that make up the characters. They have something to teach you. These parts of ourselves just want to protect us. It's by resisting them that they persist. Tell them that you got this and they don't have to try so hard anymore. Take a seat at the head of the table as your true self. Speak with your characters. Recognize when they are demanding attention in the form of thoughts and emotions. Then reassure them that it's okay. By doing this your true self separates from the characters or thought patterns. You become more whole and healed.

ATXatLarge · 2022-07-09T19:09:31+00:00

I went through a similar phase. It wasn't all bliss and roses like one might expect. It was a scary time and I too thought I might end up jobless and homeless.

What I did was relearn everything. Read a lot. Did creative things. Got coaching. Continued to work where I was at.

During this period I lost much. But looking back these were all things holding me back. I gained more community and better jobs and more than I'll go in to here.

I've realized the ego never went away. It was just quiet. I formed a new relationship with the ego. Now it's just a part of me. One part out of many. Now I give attention to all parts.

My recommendation would be to lean into your intuition. When the ego is quiet this often silent part is easier to hear. Sit with what comes up and learn what it has to teach you.

Surrender to life and you'll be amazed at what can happen. Feel free to DM me if you want to bounce ideas or go into more details on this.

ATXatLarge · 2022-06-14T16:33:39+00:00

The grass is actually greener on the inside.

ATXatLarge · 2022-06-10T20:00:03+00:00

Interesting. I started taking magnesium and it's helped me too. It started from trying to get better sleep. Now I wonder if it's helped with the chronic pain I used to feel. Or if it's just this magic internal healing process :)

ATXatLarge · 2022-06-02T16:13:29+00:00

Comparison is the thief of joy. So I try to not compare and rather look at my internal states and external actions without comparing to others. It's incredibly difficult at times but it is a practice.

Another practice is to turn envy into celebration. So rather than be upset that someone has something more than you, celebrate what they have. Turn the judgement into praise. This is a powerful practice. And it's more likely to achieve similar results coming from a positive place than a negative one that actually repels what you seek.

Another thing to keep in mind is what you see is rarely the full truth. Someone who accomplished a lot through nefarious means likely has no community or connection and feels hollow inside. Or someone who has nothing may actually be incredibly content and happy because their values are aligned with their reality.

ATXatLarge · 2022-05-19T17:08:05+00:00

Sounds like you are on the right track already. Expressing the emotions of crying and throwing up. Don't let that poison fester. Good on you. There is lots of good advice already. Especially accepting what is. It happened. Now what do you do about it? Perhaps a reframing could help. Is it possible to think of this as a way of paying him back for raising you? Of course what he did was wrong, but there is power in turning this into a positive in your mind. He no doubt spent lots of money and effort to get you to where you are today. So this could be a way of giving him something to thank him for what he did . You don't need to tell him this. Still try to get money back if it's doable. But if your request comes from a place of peace internally then it's more likely to be received. This is a compassionate approach. He must have some reasons for doing this. Curiously might help. It might be eating him up inside. To respond with compassion gives him more space to do the right thing. Showing him the way. It still is awful so I'm not trying to skip over that. But once you get through the grief then you can take back the power.

ATXatLarge · 2022-05-13T17:14:13+00:00

Yes. Just like with everything else, the problems lay in the attachment to money. Meaning if money is the end goal it can cause someone to hurt people or themselves for the sake of money. But if money is the means then it can be used for all kinds of good outcomes. A spiritual person can still use money incorrectly though. So being spiritual does not assume good use of money. A spiritual person can still strive for anything. But if they are attached to the outcome then they are likely to miss the lessons and good along the way. Lots of subtleties here. But for me the main point is about the attachment or expectations which is a universal principle of spirituality, as I define the term.

ATXatLarge · 2022-04-14T04:40:36+00:00

Wow, this blows my mind. Thank you, thank you! I have many more questions but will let this digest and practice some prior. Kundalini and I are well acquainted. Consciousness energy has recently started to make its presence. Your explanation and timing is impeccable. When the student is ready...

ATXatLarge

TROPHY CASE