Archive · 7 Oct 2026
Semini Kulathilake Says Layoff Prompted Life Beyond 9-to-5
Semini Kulathilake lost her job and felt scared about how she would pay her bills.
She was also getting ready to get married.
After some time, she had a chance to think about what she wanted from life.
She said her old work routine had taken much of her attention.
Since losing her job, she got married, travelled to Sri Lanka and India, and spent more time with family.
She is also trying to build a way to earn money independently.
She said she is still looking for a job and would not have chosen to lose hers.
She believes the difficult experience may have pushed her toward a life she had wanted.
Semini Kulathilake, a 27-year-old Indian woman living in Canada, discussed her layoff in an Instagram video nearly 10 months after losing her job.
She said the job loss initially left her terrified and confused as she faced bills, financial responsibilities and wedding preparations.
Kulathilake said the time away from work helped her reconsider her career, identity and what she wanted her life to look like.
She said she married, travelled to Sri Lanka and India, met her in-laws and spent more time with family.
She is working to build an independent income stream, said she is still looking for a job, and stressed she would not have chosen to be laid off.
- Who
- Semini Kulathilake, a 27-year-old Indian woman living in Canada and social media creator.
- What
- She described how being laid off prompted her to rethink her career and personal priorities.
- When
- She reflected on the layoff nearly 10 months after losing her job; no exact date was given.
- Where
- Kulathilake is based in Canada and shared her account on Instagram.
- Why
- The loss of her regular income gave her time to reconsider her goals and pursue an independent income source.
Layoff as a catalyst
Layoff as a hardship
What losing a job meant
Layoff as a catalyst
Kulathilake said the experience gave her time to reconsider her goals, focus on family and pursue independent income.
Layoff as a hardship
She said she initially felt terrified and confused while facing bills, financial responsibilities and wedding preparations; she would not have chosen the layoff.
- Age
- 27
- Location
- Canada
- Platform
- Reflection timing
- Nearly 10 months after losing her job
- Personal milestones
- She got married, travelled to Sri Lanka and India, met her in-laws and spent more time with family.
- Career plans
- She said she was pursuing an independent income stream and still looking for a job.
- Her qualification
- She said she would never have chosen to be laid off and was not suggesting unemployment was easy.
