You lost the job. You have not lost your footing.

Before anything else, take a breath and know that this is a shock, not a verdict on your worth. Then start with the practical ground under your feet: work out your essential monthly costs, check exactly what you are owed in final pay, any redundancy pay and unused holiday, and find out what support or benefits you may qualify for. Once the money picture is clearer, tell one person you trust, gather your paperwork, and only then start looking forward to your next work. Doing things in that order, steady the ground first, keeps the panic down and the decisions clear.

Losing a job hits your routine, your income and your sense of identity all at once, so feeling anxious, angry or low is a normal human response, not a weakness. It helps to keep some shape to your days, to tell someone how you are really doing rather than carrying it alone, and to separate the things you can act on this week from the things you cannot control. Small, concrete steps calm the mind far more than trying to solve the whole future at once. This plan is built to give you exactly those small steps.

It depends on where you live, how long you worked there, and why the job ended, so we cannot tell you your exact entitlement and we are not financial or legal advisers. What we can say is that many people are owed more than they realise, and it is worth checking. In the UK, gov.uk explains redundancy pay and Universal Credit, and Citizens Advice offers free, confidential help. Wherever you are, look up your country's benefits service and a free advice charity, and ask early rather than assuming you do not qualify.

Yes, it is completely private. Everything you tick and type stays in your own browser and is never sent to us, saved to an account, or shared. We cannot see your plan, and closing the page clears it. You can print your own copy to keep, but nothing leaves your device. The Tribe is built on honesty, so we would rather give you a genuinely private tool than ask you to hand over anything personal to use it.

Keep it short, honest and forward-looking. Redundancy in particular is about the role ending, not about you failing, and most employers understand that completely, especially in uncertain times. You might say the role was made redundant, name one or two things you are proud of from it, and move the conversation to what you are looking for next. You do not owe anyone a long or painful story. Practising a calm two-sentence version out loud makes it far easier when you are asked.

This plan is a practical prompt, not financial, legal or medical advice. For money and entitlements, a free advice service like Citizens Advice in the UK, or your country's equivalent, is the right place to turn. If the weight of it is affecting your sleep, your health or your daily life, please talk to your doctor, because that is a sign to reach for real support and doing so is a strength. If you ever feel unable to keep yourself safe, contact your local emergency services or a crisis line right away, such as Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK and Ireland. You do not have to carry this alone.