Usually, the Shaffer RULES Podcast leans into humor, chaos, and the lighter side of life, but this episode marks a shift in tone.

Episode 4: “The Dismissal” is the first in a new monthly series of special episodes focused on deeper, more serious conversations. No bits. No distractions. Just an honest discussion about experiences that leave a lasting impact.

In this episode, Corey reflects on being dismissed from his job and opens up about the emotional aftermath that followed. Through that experience, he walks through the five stages of grief, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance, and how each stage showed up in real time, both personally and professionally. He then discusses how this experience led to a renewed perspective on life, an awakening that reshaped his priorities, his outlook, and how he views what truly matters moving forward.

Dismissal can take many forms: being let go, written off, or told, directly or indirectly, that you’re no longer needed. Sometimes it happens quietly. Sometimes it’s abrupt. But no matter how it occurs, it often reshapes how you see yourself, your work, and what comes next.

This episode is a candid conversation about loss, identity, perspective, and what it means to move forward when the decision wasn’t yours to make.

This is “The Dismissal.”