I realized this morning that I am so happy today I must be the happiest person on the planet.
What does it take for me to be happy? I can answer that it’s “freedom”. After the incredibly upsetting last 38 days, I have found my feet and they are pointing firmly forward to the future. But this time I won’t forget to enjoy now, the moment, the present, even the process.
I am the poster child for planning a retirement but things didn’t turn out as I planned…bummer. I’ve had to face my Gremlins (definition: gremlins are your negative, self-limiting thoughts) especially around my age. What I started to see this week with the aid of the Concordia Cohort, Sylvie, Richard, Anita and Michel is that this is an opportunity.
For those who haven’t spent the last 38 days with me, a friend told me that no one would want to hire me because I am over 50 and that I would be lucky to get a job at $35,000. I had visions of me returning to my former employer as a cafeteria worker. This devastated me and I was found by my husband in the fetal position on the bed. This was 3 days after the termination. What I realize now is this was a gift, however it was intended. It’s taken a while to work my way around to that realization. The reason it’s a gift is because she simply voiced what I already believed and that is why it hit me so hard where I was vulnerable. I had to face it and deal with it. Gremlins don’t go away, they have to acknowledged and then move past them to go on to do whatever it was you wanted to do. I did a mind map of my Gremlins and it was very helpful. I have a small army of them but none of them can stop me from doing what I want to do.
I have now decided to go full throttle on my coaching business. Once I did the $$ projection I am in a better position than anticipated and can resume my original plan partly because I live very simply. When I could identify what is really important to me for myself, freedom is the number one priority. I now have the freedom to do meaningful work, freedom to set my own routine, freedom to enjoy all that I have worked for. On Tuesday, May 1, 2012 - I will officially retire from my aviation career as my pension starts on that day. I had originally planned a small get together to celebrate the milestone which I cancelled due to the circumstances but the party is back on!
The other lessons I’m learning is to enjoy the moment by being more present in it, and even more important I couldn’t be happy unless all of my family and friends were in a good place therefore I was never happy because there are too many of them and life doesn’t work like that. I wouldn’t allow myself to be happy. Now I see more where happiness comes from and that waiting until everything is perfect because it never will be and that it’s a choice.
So today I choose to be the happiest person on the planet and I’m going to enjoy every minute of it. For those who have taken this journey with me my heart is so full of love and gratitude there are no words.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Way to go Kay! Damn the torpedos and full speed ahead, or as they say in the cockpit “balls to the wall”!
Congratulations!!! Look forward to hearing all about your progress on your new journey x R & E
Good on ya, kid!
Go for it!
Thanks to everyone for their support and kindness. I am going full throttle at building the business but I can tell you it’s a lot of work! I’ll have to learn to limit my hours because I’m used to working until it’s done and that really wasn’t the concept. No surprise there eh?
Hi Kay. Under the circumstances that you describe I certainly salute your courage and your talent in seeking to bounce back successfully and with a big smile on your face. These scenarios remind me what happened recently to my Brother. After a lucrative 30 year career in aircraft mechanics and inspection for Air Canada/Aveos, he was one of the 1,800 employees that discovered ,without any prior notice whatsoever, that Aveos shut its doors and liquidated its assets. However despite the challenges he is now facing he’s an optimist, he refuses to worry or get stressed over what cannot be undone, he refuses to arouse pity, and always remains in a good mood and with a good joke. How I wish I could be more like him. However, reading about how you are picking up the pieces and marching forward with all your might, reflecting on my time working with Richard as my TM with his unshakeable confidence and flawless stress management, and seeing my Brother in his current predicament, I try to let that positive influence soak its way in.
All the best to you,
Amir
Amir, thanks for telling the story of your Brother. He is a winner, pure and simple. No company can take that away from him. I can tell you there are days when I don’t feel like the happiest person on the planet but overall my natural optimism does prevail. Please wish your Brother my very best wishes and good fortune in the future.
All the best, Kay