I took a 50% paycut when I got laid off from Meta and started a coaching business. The transition was hard, but I feel better all around.

"I'm building a life I don't need to escape," says Chikara Kennedy, who launched a coaching business and moved to Mexico after her Meta layoff. Courtesy of Chikara Kennedy Chikara Kennedy worked as an HR manager at Meta before her layoff in 2023. She started a coaching business in 2024 and now earns about half of her old salary. Moving to Mexico helped her reduce expenses and improve her overall quality of life. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Chikara Kennedy, the 43-...