After 25 Years at Cisco, a Layoff Led Me to a Mushroom Retreat in the Netherlands
The Highest Point in the Netherlands
A year after being laid off from Cisco following a 25-year career, the author reflects on the emotional aftermath, the dehumanizing process of corporate layoffs, and his journey toward healing. He describes the shame, anger, and identity crisis that followed, and how a psychedelic mushroom retreat in the Netherlands—the country's highest point, as his facilitator joked—offered an unexpected path to acceptance and self-compassion.
After 25 years, not a single thank you received. I’m aware that wanting a thank you from a corporation is like wanting a hug from a vending machine. I wanted it anyway.
- hangrybear666
I live in Germany and right next to the highest point of the (European) Netherlands, it's only a 5k walk and you barely notice the elevation change. It's not necessarily underwhelming but definitely not overwhelming, in fact it's just whelming - so I'm glad OP got more out of the experience.
- glimshe
A well written piece. I achieved financial independence and left the rat race. Very glad I did before I got guillotined like many of my friends. While sometimes I miss being around smart people, I never want to see the inside of a giant corporation building again. I hope Ole Trøan finds peace in his post-Cisco life.
- hypfer
That was weirdly and unexpectedly vulnerable, which is nice I suppose.
Would've been even nicer without glorifying substance abuse, but, well.
- CalRobert
Strangely, mushrooms are illegal in NL, but truffles are not.
- anal_reactor
> And of course the exclusion. Inside a group, then outside it. People I ate lunch with went quiet. The chats went quiet. I became a story other people told carefully.
This is why I don't rely on workplace being the place where friendships happen. Whenever I feel like there's friendship growing, I add that person on some app, and then we meet outside of work. In that way even if we part ways professionally, we can still be friends privately. I spam people with game screenshots, pics of food, and racist rants. I invite them to gatherings and outings.