Today I have officially started my unemployment. I think it may take a while for it to sink in that I don’t have a job, as it just feels like a regular day of today.
Just over a month ago, I was informed at work that in the new year, I would have to change my availability (I was working 8-4, Monday to Friday — bascially unheard of in the retail world), and that I would not be guaranteed my forty hours a week. After that conversation, I knew a change had to be made. I was dead set against working evenings and weekends, which I know may make me sound spoiled, but I did that for about 9 years of my working life, and have really enjoyed the last year of Christopher and I having the same work schedule. Our first year of marriage, we were both in school and working and it was rare to spend more than two hours a day together. I have no desire to ever go back to that.
I had a few interviews at other jobs, but none of them worked out. I can now see that that was actually a blessing in disguise. A few weeks ago, Christopher and I were talking about my situation, about what I was going to do (because I wanted to quit my job before Christmas). We talked about my frustration with my job, the frustration of not finding something. Then I just had thought, why don’t I go back to school in January? The more we talked about it, the more it made sense. In April of 2013, I decided to take some time off from school for numerous reasons, and was unsure of whether or not I wanted to go back. But for about six months now, I have had this nagging feeling that I needed to finish my degree. Regardless of my future career, I need to finish what I started seven years ago when I started my bachelor of arts.
I am really looking forward to being able to focus on my education for a while. I have always loved school, but anxiety, work and other distractions took the enjoyment out of my last two years.
I feel so blessed to have such a supportive husband who just wants me to be happy. We are incredibly lucky that we are able to live off of Christopher’s income right now (though it means I have to cut down my trips to Sephora down quite a bit). And bonus, for the next month I get to live out my dream of being a stay-at-home wife.
