The work trip has started, and it is likely my last for a while, as today I also signed the end of my employment. It is kind of funny in Finland, as I am still going to visit customers. I don't think this would happen in most other countries. However, now that I have signed, I told the Salesperson the situation and asked if they still wanted me along, to which they answered - of course! My employment didn't end because of performance, it ended because of budget.
However, no matter the reason, I will soon find myself with a lot more time on my hands, during which I have a few options in front of me. While I have been full-time employed at this company for the last six years, I never stopped operating my small business consultancy, but I also didn't actively grow it. The senseless Covid restriction killed about 80% of my billable work, and it never recovered, even though I tried to go remote. Without personal connection, business relationships fade, as other tasks get in the way, other meetings, unexpected fires - and eventually, the habit to meet gets lost. So, my plan is to try and get things rolling again.
This is a challenge for me for a couple reasons. Firstly, the economy isn't great and layoffs and restructuring are common at the moment, This means that there are lots of unemployed, and the budgets aren't aligned to bring on additional sub-contractors. And of course, another reason is that the social landscape is not currently conducive to helping "people like me" build a business. This creates additional challenges, but I am hoping that I am able to activate some of my network and pick up a few small delivery pieces. If I can get my foot in the door, I can expand from there.
With the extra time though, I am going to spend effort on getting myself in shape. This will be a three-pronged approach, working on my physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. Since the stroke, I have neglected myself a lot, which seems counterintuitive. However, what the stroke taught me was that I potentially only have a very short period of time to prepare for all the times I will not be present.
The result night have been the same either way, but I like to think that the effort put in has provided a little extra up until this point at least. The inside of the house renovation is mostly done and the place is livable. The outside has progressed. My wife and daughter are okay. It hasn't been for nothing.
Yet, it also hasn't been for enough, because the change is going to affect our finances heavily. If I had perhaps worked a bit harder and made a few different decisions, maybe I could have got us debt-free in instead. We do t live large, so debt-free living wouldn't require too much. One of the things that I am going to do once I have finished up totally, is to work out exactly how much is "not much" to live off. Something I should have done long ago, with my wife.
The "prediction" is that 2025 will be good for crypto, and if it is, I will have to do something that I have refrained for doing for seven years - cash some out. If things go very well it would mean that I could be debt-free plus have a bit extra to live off, and maybe some to invest into something else to give a more stable return, but I am not putting my faith in that.
I have heard the story before.
What I am certain about is that while I might allow myself a few weeks to recover, this is definitely not going to be a holiday. I have so many things to reorganize in our lives, but at least now, I don't have to do it all in the middle of the night. My plan is to write more during the days, teach my daughter to cook with me before my wife gets home, and then spend the evening with them - going to bed early. I have been averaging five hours a night for over six years now - time to add an hour or two of more rest.
In some way, I am looking forward to this change.
As hard as it will be.
What I am interested in hearing is if anyone else has gone through similar experiences (this is my first time after thirty years of work) and what things worked for you, and what you would change if you went back and did it again.
Thoughts?
Taraz
[ Gen1: Hive ]
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Oh my! I was hoping this wasn't the change you hinted at a couple days ago. If anyone can find a creative and positive way through this, it's you. A little disruption, eh? I wish you the ability to see all your options clearly, without fear. You've got this!!!
Thanks. Yeah, not an ideal situation now, but is it ever? I am going to do my best to make the most of what I can though and go out on a few more limbs than I did in the past. If I am going to fail, it isn't going to be through lack of trying.
I look forward to your posts about it. These should be very interesting!
I don't know the context, but I know that you've been working extenuntly in the last years and for this reason, the break you are taking now and the major change in your life I think is welcome.
I don't have any advice, because I haven't been through anything like that, I worked all my life until retirement, but I know I dreamed and wanted to escape a lot, but I didn't have the courage.
I have no pertinent advice, I'm sorry, I just wanted to tell you that I admire what you want to do and that I wish with all my heart that it will be better, from all points of view, both health, time spent with the family and family income!
Advice or not, your words are welcome. Thanks.
If you were to go back, do you think you would have the courage knowing what you know now?
With pleasure! I certainly would have tried other opportunities and even emigrated. In my youth, I wanted to see Europe, but we were not allowed to travel to the West. Now more than 6 million Romanians are working in Europe.
I'm really sorry to hear that, though it sounds like you knew it was coming for a bit now. When I was laid off due to budget issues, they didn't fully lay me off, instead they cut my hours in half with the promise they "might" hire me back full time (it was actually a bit more complex than that, but too long to post about in a comment). It wasn't livable in my situation and I had to look for something else. I spent a lot of time and went to countless interviews before finally landing where I am now. Adjusting your standard of living is one of the big things. I didn't and ended up in a bit of debt for a while. I also settled for the first place that offered me a full time job and while it might not have been the smartest play, I have been here 20 years now and I met my wife here, so it hasn't all been bad! My buddy runs his own business and I know he wishes he had taken the leap a lot sooner. Most of the stuff that kept him from doing it ended up being non-issues for him. I wish you the best of luck!
That sounds like a very difficult situation, neither one thing nor the other.
It looks like it worked out okay :)
Yeah, it totally did. I remember how shocked they were when I told them I couldn't afford the gap insurance. They were like you aren't taking insurance? Duh, you are the ones that cut my pay in half, don't act so shocked!
There was a "slim outside possibility" if under certain circumstances. However, this isn't under those circumstances, so it was a bit of a surprise.
What would have been the thing you would have scaled back on financially back then?
I am looking forward to the challenge in some way, but also know that since the stroke, my motivation is a little different than before. I don't have as much drive as I did when I originally started - it dropped off a cliff over night. Still, there is the "gotta do what you gotta do" situation.
I'm really sorry, I can't even imagine having to start over, even if you do have a bit of a head start. I was with someone besides my wife back then and we did a lot of social things that cost money without really thinking about the impact.
Surprised to have heard of it mate! Seems the economic situation is the same everywhere and it will be collapsed to be rebuilt. I think you will rest your mind in this period and devote much more time to HIVE :)
I don't know about more time writing, as I already spend a lot - but definitely different times :)
Sorry to hear that you had stroke in the past. As far as if I have done something like this - the answer is: no. I have worked in the same place for almost 24 years, before that three years at Fujitsu Consulting. But my wife she left her high profile corporate job (VP, General Manager, etc...) about two years ago and started a completely new business. It has been really challenging for her in this economy, but she hit and even exceeded every single goal she had. She is an unstoppable force though :) She did have a consulting business about 11 years ago, but this new venture is a completely different thing, everyone told her not to expect anything in the first three years, but she is actually bringing some profits in. She has no regrets despite her income being about one fifth of what she was making in corporate. The best thing is that she can spend more time with our daughter and doesn't have to travel anymore.
Glad to hear! I feel that there are fewer of them these days. I wish I was one :)
At the end of the day, all my family really needs is to be together, right?
That is right, if everyone is together, safe, happy and healthy that is pretty much all that is needed. The rest is just a bonus.
You've worked hard and deserve more free time. First of all, make it liquid 100-200k. HIVE and wait for the pump. You will be able to exchange HIVE for HBD during the pump and buy HIVE again after 2-3 days. Or put a large amount into HBD staking.
As I said in the other post the other day - I have to be bolder. :)
I'm sorry to hear about you being laid off. I hope you are able to carry through these trying times. Like you said, the economy is struggling, but still we have to survive. I know you will survive this your present ordeal. It is good, like you said, to take this time to focus on other important things you've neglected for a while like your health. And by the time another job comes along you would have transformed your life considerably. Remember: when situations get tough, only the tough get going.
This is my hope too. At least, when I find something, I will be fit enough to make the most of it.
I've been into similar situations in the past and my experience is that although initially you can be slightly out of focus, you will enjoy your additional time with family and probably will use part of that time to have a bigger view of what you can do with all your experience to redefine your career.
Seven years may not seem a lot but there are plenty of online opportunities in the market for experienced professionals. Especially in the blockchain business. I can give you some links if you need to.
Big changes are usually new opportunity doors. Hope this is also true for you.
Did you find that you were able to reevaluate what was important to you?
I am not sure I am technical enough for blockchain dev work though!
I basically had the time to reevaluate life goals and that offered me new family and career options I had not thought about before.
The thing with blockchain is that many new projects are growing and they need more and more functions covered. Having professional expertise in an area and basic knowledge of the technology gives you an advantage against professionals who have never interacted in the field.
My advice is "Cut back your spending immediately". You'll be surprised how quickly you burn through your savings. Most people unconsciously spend as though they are still working, and only retrench when the money runs out - which is the hard way to do it.
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Three times, but I've always had a lot of control over it, it was never out of the blue. The last time, though, I decided I was never going to work full-time in a job again and I haven't. First I did four days, and now I do three. The reason was to maintain those other connections and links that lead to other (elastic) incomes when you need or want them. I worked full-time last winter for six months (it helped with the house renovations, it's not finished but I've minimal debt) and have resisted all other offers to do extra days each week.
There have been some lean times but I've found I can live on very little, even when I had a family to care for. The kids were great at researching the internet for things we could do that didn't cost any money. I grew up with packed lunches and picnics, so that wasn't hard either and my car is twenty years old.
I know I'm blessed, though, and I was thinking only this evening how lucky I am to have a warm house (it snowed here today, unusual in lowland England).
It will be okay :)
Thanks for the words here. Means a lot. I am also thinking that I don't want to do a 5 day week job again and want more flexibility than I have had. When it was me in my business alone, the "contact" hours were only about 30 a month, but it paid a full-time job. There was more to it than that of course, but there was a lot of freedom. I just have to rebuild to that point, and it will be okay. But, it will take more effort this time, as I have been "out of the game" a bit longer.
It is funny how you mentioned packed lunches. I grew up like that too. A couple times a year I got a couple dollars to get something from the school canteen. You brought back some interesting memories of those times :)
I think so. But, I don't think so well, so not sure what it is worth :)
Not what I was expecting to read and wonder if you had any inkling this was on the cards? All I know is you are resilient and think more out of the box than most and will find a way. Yes next year fingers crossed could and should change lives for the better
I had a "heads-up" a month ago that under certain conditions, I might lose my job. However, those conditions aren't on now, so it came as more of a surprise.
Come on 2025...
A proper punch to the guts and kind of unfair considering you put everything into your work. You would think they could of at least found a way to make it work for the value you offer. I think this is why I gave up on corporate life because I felt I was one of the few that actually cared about the company. Others just see it as a job and maybe stupidly I felt I could make a difference. Yes come on 2025 and lets make it a memorable year.
sad to hear about your situation. I would wish that my upvote would help you more...Hopefully 2025 will be a good year for us all. Right now I am also contemplating on taking a big challenge- becoming a digital artist. Initially it would cost a lot of money for buying a tablet and software. Also I would need time to adjust to this change...But in exchange I would no longer need to buy art supplies or worry about losing/ damaging my pieces while sending them.
That is a big step! Have you played around with any tablets yet?
No so far I don't think that I have ever touched a tablet.
I have been made 'redundant' twice, but I really had to work hard to get my third redundancy package.
What made it more difficult?
They didn't want to make me redundant.
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STOPBest of luck Taraz. As far as similar experiences go, I haven't quite experienced a major shakeup like this but I know one thing: when one chapter closes you should take a few days off before opening the next chapter.
I like your plans already and hope that when you decide to start your business again, you come with renewed energy and a clear strategy.
Am not really worried about what the future holds for someone like you because of the character I've seen here on Hive. I believe things definitely will work out well for you
Wow where to start? How about enjoying the last trip while you are on it as it seems you have a good plan already.
If you built business before, you will be able to do it again, a few years wiser. When you are a hard worker with the discipline to settle into a groove to serve your family and vision, the transition phases should be embraced like a gift.
Plus, you have a digital marketing department ready to help you promote your business.
Yep, I've certainly gone through similar experiences several times many years ago when I was younger than you but with the same obligations and responsibilities of supporting a family. But well, I guess you could already guess that knowing that I am not a wild colt that is easy to tame. };)
What worked best for me was being capable of getting more and better hours of sleep and rest during the hours that only I decided without having to submit myself to the schedule that others imposed on me. What always allowed me to give my best for 16 or 48 hours straight without sleeping if my own job required it without feeling tired or exhausted in the slightest.
And nope, I wouldn't change anything that happened from that moment on, when I was finally able to become independent, to be free to do what I really wanted to do and to be the master of my own time.
And well, I'm very glad that resting better and enjoying of more and better hours of sleep is part of your plans. As I mentioned above and I've told you so many times before. A truly sufficient sleep, without stress or pressures of any kind and truly energizing and restorative, will always be the best investment you can make for your health, well-being and economy. Definitely you should try that.
Don't worry, bro. Knowing you as well as I do, I have no doubt that you will be able to successfully recover and rebuild your own business as an independent consultant taking it to the maximum potential with all the experience and wisdom you have gained over all these years.
And of course mate, let's also hope that 2025 will be the year in which you finally become bolder. :)