Ask HN: Anyone here climbed up from rock bottom? How did you do it?

Nearly all my team was laid off on Friday. I was talking to one of them, it isn't pretty. These are good people, good at their jobs and yet, were tossed aside without a thought (the company itself is doing well by the way).

Which brings me to : how does one climb up from bad situations? Not just career wise, but life in general. Especially if one is in their 40s and 50s with responsibilities (kids, mortgage etc).