Finding Thyself

Years ago, I made it a goal to leave my workplace I had known for the last 30 years.  It was a tough decision but I felt my mental & physical health was at stake and I needed to go. I chose retirement. I figured between my pension and a new job, I’d be alright. So for the month of October 2018, my retirement was celebrated with work friends. It was a grand party with a spectacular send-off to my journey into unchartered territories.

I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with my time after I left but assumed I’d readily find work.  Those who love me kept saying, something would come along. I thought I would cook more, clean more, write, read lots of books. Unfortunately, the glamorous life of cooking and cleaning dimmed within a month. My life became a routine of working out in the morning, applying for jobs afterward and going to the grocery store.

We couldn’t afford much, I was trying desperately to hold onto what savings we had. My back up plan was to hit the 401k. I knew I could access the 401k without a penalty but would be taxed remarkably. So we held off and our savings dwindled. We only bought the necessities. The grocery store became my new Dress Barn.

Traveling to fun destinations was not possible so I was extra grateful I traveled right after my retirement to Florida to see my Aunt Irene. I reminisced those days. The sun, the warmth, oh how I missed it as I looked out the windows to see brown grass, and an occasional wet or snowy day. Maryland weather was depressing but oh how I enjoyed wearing my boots and scarves.

Right before I left work for good, I met a new friend, Monica. She asked what I’d be doing after retirement. I said I wasn’t sure, but would write a novel and find another job to supplement the finances. She said well, you should check out Susquehanna Workforce Network. She said I’d be able to take some assessment tests to possibly determine my destiny. So I visited and was thrilled by what I saw. They had workshops on resume assistance, job hunting help and could help me sharpen my interviewing skills.  I thought to myself, why doesn’t everyone know about this wonderful resource?  The assessments said I was a mentor/planner and that didn’t surprise me. I couldn’t wait to see what my next chapter would be. Finding my passion was my mission.