To Retire or Not to Retire…That Is The Question!

I’ve always had this “sixth sense” about when it was time to move on.  I’m not exactly sure when I came to the conclusion this time to retire from my current situation.  After all, I’ve left positions before.  However, what constitutes “retirement” has more to do with age than with simply leaving full-time employment.  Eight years in one career; sixteen years in another; and just finishing up thirteen years in my most “recent” pursuit (not to mention those 7 years of full- and part-time jobs that put me through high school and college) have all been an integral part of who and what I am today.

In all three careers I’ve loved what I was (and am) doing.  I left my first career to spend a year house-husbanding while taking care of my two young daughters.  I left my second career because of major changes in the ownership of the business (which led to major negative changes from what I was initially hired to do).  As for my current situation, I still love the kids.  However, I find myself growing increasingly weary of the extensive demands of prepping, grading and teaching four different subjects to 200+ students each semester.  I doubt that these overwhelming demands will change in the immediate future.  It’s no longer just about being a good teacher and role model for young people.  Yes…I know it is time once again for me to move on.

Given my age, my next engagement will not be so much about adopting a new career as it will be about evolving into a new phase of my life.  Some may call it retirement.  I think the term "Phase 4" is more fitting as I have yet to develop any kind of plan, ambition, or initiative toward which direction to take.  All I know is that something wonderful is waiting for me to make my next move.