Laid Off by Meta, Designer Says "I Can Finally Breathe

Asha Raval spent four years exceeding expectations at Meta, earning accolades and equity as a product designer. But when she received her layoff notice in May 2026, she felt something unexpected: pure relief.

"I got laid off from Meta today and honestly, I feel so happy and free like I can finally breathe again," Raval shared in a viral Instagram video. She was among 8,000 employees cut as the tech giant restructured around artificial intelligence initiatives.

The San Francisco designer had consistently performed well, receiving top marks in every review. But something deeper was missing.

"No amount of equity, cash accolades can fix the feeling of your soul slowly dying," she explained. The corporate role had drifted far from the creative work that originally drew her to design.

Raval described the layoff as the wake-up call she needed. She had been stuck in what felt safe rather than what felt right.

"Sometimes it's a job. Sometimes it's a relationship," she reflected. "Sometimes it's a version of yourself you have outgrown, but you are still stuck in it because it feels safe."

Before joining Meta in May 2022, Raval identified as an artist first. She loved fashion, maximalist style, and creative storytelling.

Those passions had been sitting on the sidelines while she built slides and attended endless meetings. Now she's going all in.

Raval immediately joined Fynd, a fashion AI startup, as a founding creator. The role combines everything she loves: creativity, technology, fashion, and innovation.

"I was never meant to build someone else's dream while ignoring my own," she said. Her new position feels "infinitely more aligned" with who she actually is.

Why This Inspires

Raval's story resonates because it speaks to a universal struggle: staying in situations that look perfect on paper but feel wrong in your soul. Her honesty about corporate burnout, even at a prestigious company with excellent pay, gives permission to others questioning their own paths.

"Before tech, before corporate titles, before Silicon Valley, I was always an artist first," she wrote. Thousands of people responded with encouragement, many sharing their own stories of choosing authenticity over security.

The video struck a chord online, with viewers applauding her courage. One commenter whose husband also worked at Meta wrote, "I know the grind. I'm glad you're out and can focus on ASHA MODE!"

Raval's next chapter is just beginning, filled with more fashion, art, storytelling, and entrepreneurship. Sometimes the thing that looks like an ending is actually the permission slip you needed to start.

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