I’m another user who left during this and came to Lemmy. As a non-tech person, though, it really wasn’t the easiest migration, and I do think you can see through Lemmy’s content sometimes (love for Linux, well-upvoted IT memes, programming humor, etc.) that it is a different crowd that was able to make the migration in general.
My city’s subreddit is incredibly active, very human, and still gets a ton of traffic. I usually check it once a week just to keep up with what’s happening locally, but I don’t log in and just scan the feed titles. That type of valuable local platform is unlikely to ever exist on Lemmy, which is sad.
Thank you for addressing the emotional aspect so well. This is good stuff and was part of my saving grace, too.
I disliked the advice to simply “show no emotion” in the meeting because it’s not often that this is a lucid choice in the moment. So OP, if you did get choked up or visibly frustrated in the meeting, please be kind to yourself and know that that is completely normal and anyone who has fired individuals has seen a very wide range of reactions to the news. It’s grief, and while some can go through it shocked and numb or stoic-at-will, it’s more common for people to have an emotional response of one kind or another. Obviously, it’s good advice not to have a verbal outburst that can have consequences (like threats) or a physical response that causes destruction, but don’t feel like you should handle this like a robot or a neutral person above it all.
You are more than your job title and more than your work. Spend time with the people who know you and can affirm the beautiful parts of your identity that have nothing to do with an occupation. Give yourself a little time to grieve before you go at the logistics of it all, which others have given solid advice about (unemployment benefits, subscription cancelling, etc.). You are not alone, and you will find work again; best wishes to you.