Four years
Four years ago yesterday—April 3rd 2020—I was laid off from my job. I worked in software for the travel industry. COVID was affecting people’s health and finances strongly at that time and few wanted to travel. The company I worked for needed to cut costs to survive.
I had been expecting the layoff might happen, but it still was a blow. I was 62 years old and had a neat little plan to work until I was 68, continuing to save diligently for retirement. That would net me the magic amount I thought I needed to retire comfortably and safely.
My initial response was a small panic. I didn’t feel prepared. I knew I needed to get my head on straight to handle the situation well. To help myself, the following day, April 4th 2020, I began this blog. I knew I needed a greater perspective to understand my best course of action.
As my unemployment ended into weeks and months, I realized I was feeling healthier and stronger than I had in some time. I was still feeling stressed about money, but had evolved a practice to help me reevaluate my life and what I wanted. See Angelic Pathwork Grid – Starlight Consulting LLC (thesharing.co).
When summer arrived and I was informed my position at work would be terminated, I wasn’t as upset as I expected I might be. In fact, I felt somehow a bit relieved.
Then I remembered. About 10 years previously, I had briefly entertained a pipe dream. I would find a way to retire at 62 and engage in more of the activities I loved. I put a lot of thought and feeling into what that might look like for a brief period of time. Then dream faded and my financial plans took over. I forgot about my once cherished goal.
Somehow, Creation hadn’t abandoned my dream, even though I had. It delivered on my retirement age goal a couple of months prior to my 63rd birthday.
Although I don’t have the magic number of retirement dollars I thought I needed saved up yet, I believe that will come. Meanwhile, although we’ve had to be a bit more selective and careful about spending, we’ve done okay. We haven’t felt deprived and we’ve always managed to pay all the bills while chipping away at our debt too.
I have had much more free time, too. I can do more of what I love in between the usual daily tasks. Key has been more time for self-care. I take much better care of myself on all levels than I had previously. I have the freedom to do so.
Today’s message reminds me that even a brief but intense period of visualization can yield results years later. I’m encouraged to dream of what I want with gusto, knowing that it is within my eventual reach. I also know my daily blog keeps me on track and clearer. Thanks for sharing that process with me!
Please reflect and share. What was your life like 4 years ago?