Tim: Adjusting to Retirement
A Guest Post from Tim Hudson, my hubby: His Thoughts on the Role of the Breadwinner Six Months Into This Nomad Retirement
When we talked about this adventure, I was knee-deep in my career, working 50+ hours a week. Who wouldn’t want a permanent vacation? Time to breath, time to relax, and time to remember why we live life. Then, about 3 months before we launched, the fears set in. You know, the ‘what ifs’ of life. My overarching purpose was to provide enough income to pay the bills, save for retirement, and allow us to enjoy life!! What if I couldn’t do those things? What if we get to the other side of the world and money runs out? What if bills start appearing from nowhere draining what we saved? Of course, none of that has happened (fingers crossed). However, those thought still periodically venture into my thoughts.
Then there were all the warnings friends threw out about medical emergencies, not speaking local languages, spending 24/7 with one person in a small space i.e. cruise ship cabin for 30 days. Truthfully, that did require a little adjustment, but after the first month we have been on cloud 9 (ok 8.5) ever since. I have an incredible wife who understands me better than I understand myself. She makes it easy to talk and discuss how we can make this work, finding our own space while being together.
In my career, I was pretty successful. Patients and doctors sought me out to work with them. My skill and opinion mattered. On the road, no one seeks my skills (unless a fellow traveler learns of my prior profession, then everyone has a need). My opinion seems futile at best as my experience traveling the world is somewhat limited. I can’t wait to try using a washing machine in a foreign language--nothing is better for the ego than being the newbie!
So the question is, do I actually miss my work? No, not the work--I remember 50-plus hours a week was pretty exhausting. The respect of peers after years of experience? Okay, maybe a bit. Everyone likes feeling special and respected. Actually, there is a little internal push to develop expertise in the logistics of our travel. My personality does have a tendency to push me to be better at whatever I put myself into.
To date, the hardest part of this life-changing adventure is simply finding me. Who am I? What can I do to express myself, emotionally, physically, and intellectually (ok…no wise cracks). All my hobbies were always hands-on building/making things. Whether building furniture, working on cars, blending whiskeys, or brewing beer; I was a doer. I always had a project to tinker with. These projects also helped me keep work frustrations at bay. Now there are no tools, no 3-liter oak barrels, and nowhere to keep a fermentation tank. Instead, I have taken up a YouTube channel, filming, editing, and producing our life adventures. Honestly, I find that it is very satisfying and fills that hobby need. Now, if I can only solve the bad connection/slow speed/no Wi-Fi problems, I will be set!
