3 Months In

I officially began my retirement transition 3 months ago, and I’m sure you all know this did not go according to plan. I’m pretty sure no one’s life has gone according to plan lately. I did not expect the pandemic to play out like it did. I did not expect a lot of things that have transpired over the last 3 months. So here is what was supposed to happen and what has actually happened-

My first step was to call every client and explain what was happening, and then set appointments to go over the transition in person with the client and my replacement. I had no idea the calls would be so horrible, or so wonderful. I heard clients express their fear and anger- it was painful. But I also got the kind of compliments one only usually hears at a funeral. The difference I made in someone’s life, the mistakes I saved them from and more. It was humbling, and gratifying. Sometimes the angry calls and grateful calls were one after the other. It was disorienting to say the least.

And then the week we were supposed to begin meeting with clients, everything seemed to fall apart. The company I work for forbade us from meeting with clients. Then my mom got sick with COVID-19. Very sick. Everyone else in my family got sick too, but not like my mom. I thought she was going to die. That one I wrote about, but other family problems, I didn’t. It seems like my whole family was poised to fall apart as soon as I had time to worry about it. Marriages falling apart, a major move, mental and physical health issues, and teenagers- it hasn’t been smooth.

After mom got sick, I stayed home because I’d been in contact with my mom for the requisite 2 weeks but then attempted to resume my former work schedule. It was pretty futile. I was twiddling my thumbs with nearly nothing to do. For the first time in my career, there was someone else to take care of all the tasks I was previously needed for. It was weird for a bit. I could hear my assistant passing my clients off to someone else. She only gave them to me when they would talk to no one else. It was strange. My clients didn’t need me anymore. Even worse, after a month or so of my assistant putting them through to my replacement, they didn’t even ASK for me. I became redundant.

And then, it became a wonderful thing. I was free. If I was gone, somebody else could do it. Heck, even if I WAS there, somebody else could do it. I became a consultant. I LOVE this. After 23 years, I know a ridiculous amount about my field. My replacements are doing an apprenticeship with me- every time they find themselves in a situation not covered by “the book” or corporate training (which happens nearly every day) they call me in for advice, and we have a lesson. One of my replacements has a notebook and she WRITES DOWN EVERYTHING I SAY. LOL.

I began working about 3 hours a day. I am enjoying the heck out of this. Before I go in the work I have TIME- time for a leisurely cup of coffee. Time to pull a few weeds in my garden, to do a few Cinderella chores (you know, laundry, dishes, cleaning, etc), and generally, not be in a hurry. I took my morning exercise in a nearby pitcher plant bog (above photo was taken there). I have time to have coffee with my neighbors. After enjoying this and receiving a few pass along plants after walking through THEIR gardens, I organized a plant swap for this fall.

I probably wouldn’t have been focused on retiring early if this had been my schedule for the last several years. I still want to retire completely, because when the world goes back to normal, I want to travel, and I want my time to be completely my own.

A few clients have extended “friend” invitations. These were clients I enjoyed very much, who suddenly invited my husband and I to social events. Surprising, and… welcome. I think. Of course, it all got shut down by the shutdown. I’ll keep you posted on how the “former client” friendships go after we’re free to explore them- or not.

I’m not going to tell you about the work issues. There have been some issues I could never imagined, not even relating to the pandemic. A lovely mental separation is happening though- it has sort of become “not my problem.” Some of it is still stressful, but some of it just seems like something you’d see on TV- you experience it mentally, but not emotionally. Thank goodness. I can’t believe how much better I sleep at night. I had no idea the extent to which my clients’ problems had become my problems till it didn’t happen anymore.

Several times in the last few months, clients have asked me how the stock market closed and I didn’t even know. Or care. I had either left work at noon and hadn’t checked again, or was off and didn’t even look. And I think I am going to be even less stressed when I stop going in at all. Whenever that happens.

There was a conference call today (that I didn’t attend) about when we will be able to meet with clients again and all that. Probably not till September. No corporate events till there is a vaccine. I can’t really stop going in to the office till I’ve met with every client who wants to. So I thought I would be done July 1. Maybe Dec 1 now? And saying goodbye to my colleagues at a final party or meeting? I don’t think its going to happen. But you know what? I don’t regret it much. The freedom is worth it.