Wow, I really appreciate each of your responses! Thank you for being so encouraging. I was expecting to hear a lot of criticism and questioning of my judgement for thinking about taking a sabbatical. But then again, this forum values the choices/freedom that come along with financial responsibility and mustachian spending...it's just so different from the people in my real life. Another reason I'm so glad to have found this community!
CheapskateWife - Thank you for your detailed responses to my questions - I have definitely reached a point where it's time to step back and re-evaluate my life and figure out how the next stage is going to look. You also gave me some additional things to consider...rolling over my 401k, and that it's not necessarily a right or wrong situation, that I need to figure out what's best for me right now and then move forward on that path.
Vikb and BarrettSun - You gave me some great ideas about how to respond to future employers about an employment gap. I also tend to sell myself short in the interviewing process, so some time away to think and figure out what I'm willing to accept or not accept in a future job is a must in my next job hunt! The key is to wordsmith it to avoid sounding like a complainypants
Tulip - I hope that you can also utilize some of these mustachians' great advice in figuring out your plan for a mini-retirement!
Retired To Win - Thank you for the reality-check - I really like the word sabbatical - it seems more structured, like it's purposeful. And you're right, I can't just sit around doing nothing, it will be critical to put together a structured plan to keep myself from wasting this precious window of time. Your insight is invaluable - my sister said that I could stay with her and watch her kids for the summer in exchange for free rent, and now I'm debating whether or not I should do that because maybe I really need to spend some quality "me" time working on myself, figuring out what I really want, learning about a new field, and getting back in shape. You gave me some great food for thought.
HenryDavid - Your response is really reassuring, that after some time off you were able to remember why you liked your job, but now you are doing it in a way that is more on your terms. Thanks for the encouragement to take the leap...it's really scary and so against the grain - my coworkers and boss are going to think that I've gone crazy, but I'm really starting to think that it's the best path for me right now.
ohana - That's something to consider...although I feel like I may be past the point of being willing to negotiate. They are planning to hire someone, but it will take more time to hire and train them. Your suggestion helped me to realize that I'm leaning more and more towards taking the time off, so thank you for that!
bacchi - It's good to hear that you enjoyed your time off without regrets. great resume insight - thanks!
deborah - thanks for sharing your experience. I'm glad to hear that Retired to Win's advice resonates with you and mirrors how you spent your time off. I need to remember that it's not a several-month vacation, that I need to use this time wisely, and work on improving myself while I'm on sabbatical.
Thank you all for taking the time to respond...you have given me lots to think about. I'm hoping/planning to make my decision by the end of the month so I'll check back in then and give you an update.