A few lessons learned

One year ago, I closed the longarming side of my business with only a few exceptions. I spent a year “retired”. Monday, Jan 6, 2025, I reopen that side of the business to customer orders.

Did I expect to return to customer work when I stopped? Quite frankly, no. I was dealing with some severe physical limitations and I was looking forward to being able to work on “whatever I want, whenever I want” and “ on my own stuff”.

And that’s where a year later lessons have been learned.

Let me address the physical limitations. For many years I dealt with various pain and conditions that have now had the root cause found, and I’m in treatment. And doing excellent! I have an autoimmune condition, I’m under the care of a rheumatologist, it is being treated with medication, and I FEEL BETTER THAN I HAVE IN 15 YEARS! That issue is put to rest in my mind.

Now that “retirement” thing. It doesn’t suit me!!!! I know, everyone says “just wait until you can retire” and “retirement is so great”. And maybe it is for most. But I need to work. Those projects of my own that could be done “anytime”? Well they didn’t get worked on hardly at all!

And why didn’t they get worked on? Because I need deadlines. I need schedules. I need challenges and meeting with customers and the satisfaction of a job well done. Without these, days just blend together, and for my personality that isn’t good. The more I sit and “relax” or “rest” or whatever you want to call it, the less satisfied I am. The more I sit and “relax” the more bored I get and it spirals into stagnation (mental and physical). Case in point , I have been up for three hours and have done nothing except feed the chickens, drink a coffee and scroll social media. And I’m getting antsy to get something done.

I am a list person. According to my chiropractor I am a type A. I know I’m high energy and now that I feel good, I miss all of that.

So Monday, I return to the studio full of new ideas. And I can honestly say that right now, retirement isn’t for me. Perhaps it never will be. And there may come a time when I need to become a caregiver again, or my physical condition may force me to retire, but for now that’s not the case and I can’t wait to go back to work.

And on that note, I have a do list of things to get done this weekend to be ready to return to work Monday, so I’m going to get started.