I wanted to get hot in my 40s. Getting laid off from Meta strengthened my resolve.

Before being laid off from Meta, Jonathan Yang underwent cosmetic procedures to help him feel better about his appearance. Courtesy of Jonathan Yang In his 40s, Jonathan Yang decided he wanted to get hot — and stopped feeling ashamed to say it. His paycheck funded hair transplants , a nose job, and GLP-1s, which he continued post-layoff. As his body changed, he said he felt more confident and also noticed that people treated him better. This is an as-told-to essay based on a conversation with Jonathan Yang, who was laid off from Meta in late 2024 after more than three years on the office design team. The 43-year-old shares how his job, cosmetic procedures, and weight loss shaped his confidence. The following has been edited for brevity and clarity. At Meta, I worked really hard. I had golden handcuffs . I did not prioritize my health.