RIF: Reset. Imagine. Flourish.

There’s nothing tidy about a Reduction in Force. It can be abrupt. Personal. Disorienting. And when it happens in a place like federal service where the work is tied to mission and identity, it can feel like more than just losing a job. It can feel like losing your place.

So let’s not sugarcoat it. If you’re in the thick of it, this is hard. It’s okay to say so.

But it’s also not the end of the story.

Reset.

This part may not feel empowering at first. It may feel like everything just stopped. But in that stillness, there’s room – room to reassess, to reflect, to breathe. Not everything has to become a productivity sprint.

This is not about building a better résumé overnight. It’s about pausing long enough to ask:

• What part of that last chapter truly fit me and what didn’t?
• What assumptions have I been carrying about what I “have to” do next?
• Where do I want to feel steadier, not just financially, but emotionally?

A reset doesn’t mean fixing everything. It means noticing what needs fixing, and what doesn’t need carrying anymore.

Imagine.

In government work, careers often follow well-worn tracks: same agency, same series, same structure. That’s not a flaw. It’s part of what makes public service reliable.

But a disruption – even a painful one – can force open what routine often obscures: possibility.

Let yourself imagine, not because you’re supposed to “reinvent” yourself, but because you’re allowed to:

• Consider a different agency or role that better fits your life now
• Explore flexible or project-based work that gives you breathing room
• Reconnect with skills you haven’t used in years—or never got to fully develop

Imagination here isn’t naïve. It’s a survival tool. It’s how you reclaim authorship of your next steps.

Flourish.

This word can feel too aspirational right now – like something reserved for people who’ve already landed on their feet.

But what if flourishing doesn’t wait until everything is resolved?

Sometimes it begins the moment you stop apologizing for being in transition. When you recognize that your value was never determined by a clearance level, a pay band, or a job title.

Flourishing might look like forward movement. But it might also look like:

• Less anxiety when you wake up
• More alignment between your time and your values
• A slower pace that lets you actually feel your life, not just chase it

Final Word

If you’re still working, newly laid off, or floating in that strange in-between space, this is your reminder:

A Reduction in Force may disrupt your role, but it does not reduce your worth.

The process will be uneven. But the possibilities are real.
Reset. Imagine. And yes – eventually – flourish.