I came from corporate life and have felt like a cog in the wheel of a huge corporate structure. At the time I had a work-to-live mentality, so it didn't matter that projects I worked so hard to push through were suddenly "discontinued" or postponed until later. The flexible hours were enough to justify the balanced life I lived. But soon it became frustrating.

After a while all job transition stories sound like BS. Forget the fluff -- it shouldn't take longer than 30 seconds to explain that the company downsized and you're gone. Put yourself in a hiring manager's shoes. They've heard it all before.

People think they need to go directly from one job to the next, but in my experience we all need a little decompression. Have a staycation, go to the movies in the afternoon, sleep in, and get over the fact that you left or lost your job. Grieve a little. It's natural.