Lifestyle change

[Lakers Fan]

We often hear about people who give up their jobs in mid life to start a totally different career .

We know a woman who was a successful bond trader in NY and moved to Mexico where today she is an artist with her own gallery .
Several years ago a friend who was a Social Worker left to open a restaurant .

Have you ever made a dramatic change in your lifestyle ?

[Queen of Oakville]

I'm seriously contemplating (well, not really) openning a cupcake shoppe.

I've started taking cake decorating classes and will probably do nothing better than my kid's birthday cakes.

[Haimia]

In 2001, I had been working for a specialty construction company for 21 odd years. Things were not going well within the company (ownership vs management, drugs, sales dropping, etc.) and I decided to leave the company and do clerical work from my home. I had one client for about five months prior to leaving. In April, 2001, I found my second client and jumped ship!

I have done okay - two clients morphed into my current five (with some tiny jobs in between). Most are small, needing minimal work over the course of a year. With a senior and freshman in high school in 2001, I found it more rewarding over the last ten years to be available to them during their college years and post. I am not a major bread-winner in any form, but it works for DH and I.

The company I worked for prior to my quitting has since gone belly-up. They owed me money for options I had to sell when I left. The company, owner and manager (yes, three separate entities) had all signed agreements to pay me and all went bankrupt! Glad I got out when I did; just wish I didn't lose the money owed to me, but I had no choice.

[ToddDH]

Interesting note: Years ago I remember reading that those who make a complete career change in the middle of their working years are on average, overwhelmingly successful. If I remember correctly, it's because such a change requires so much thought and planning and an extraordinary amount of guts, not to mention drive, that to take such a plunge is an extremely difficult and stressful decision to make.

Again while that was not just years, but probably decades ago, I have no reason to believe that such does not remain the case today.

Todd