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When you retired early, how did you resign?

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gypsy79:
This probably sounds dumb since I can google and find any number of articles on how to properly resign from various situations, but I have a bit of Stockholm Syndrome with my job and need help.

Situation: I plan to "retire early" sometime in 2018. I likely won't remain that way forever; knowing myself, I'm envisioning a full break for 6 months and then probably introducing some part-time self-employed moneymaking back into the picture. Regardless of all that, I have a well-paid VP-type job that I'll be resigning from in 2018 and I just don't know how to do it. The company has given me tremendous growth opportunities over a long work history there, and I love the type of work I do and my boss. They also love me. However, the organization also has issues that are harming my mental health and, frankly, I am both mentally burned out and have physical health problems from sitting and standing at desks for 21 years.

Complicating my resignation is that I have tried to resign more than once over the years and was pulled back in. It's almost embarrassing at this point, and advice to just be strong and stand my ground probably won't work because the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. I need a real "reason" I can give that sounds legitimate to others. Not health because they are so great that they will just offer to give me lots of time off. Not a break because they are so great that they will offer to rework my job to allow for a break. Not retirement since they will just beg me to stay and do anything they can to make it palatable. Etc. You get it.

I need out permanently and simply do not know how to resign from a great place.

Questions: Has anyone else been in a similar situation? And whether you have or not, if you retired early, what did you say when you resigned?

ysette9:
It sounds like you need to grow a spine. In place of that, how about something that forces you to leave the area, preferably the country, on a firm date and for a long period of time? Round the world cruise, hike the Camino de Santiago, some volunteer project to restore a crumbling chateau, something. Schedule it, but tickets, put your house up for rent, move your stuff into storage, and then hand in your resignation. Put up as many blocks as possible to falling back into your old life. If your stuff is in storage and your house is rented to someone else, losing $10k deposit on a trip of a lifetime while finding a hotel to live out of just to keep going to work should out a damper on any charitable feelings you have towards your workplace.

Hikester:
How about just telling them you need a change in your life. The fact that you can actually step away from your job is a personal accomplishment you should not be ashamed of. Maybe you can “try it out” and in the end don’t come back if you are having better results. To have the means to step away when your health is suffering and not do it because of embarrassment or because it’s a bit awkward, or you feel guilty, will pale in comparison to really harming your health and knowing you could have done something about it but were too afraid of what others think.  Most people don’t have that choice. Nobody in their death bed ever wished they had worked longer. If this is what you really want, do it and don’t worry what others think. It’s your life.

gypsy79:

--- Quote from: ysette9 on December 20, 2017, 02:07:01 PM ---It sounds like you need to grow a spine.
--- End quote ---

Yes, most assuredly. I used to have one before I started this job--not sure what happened.


--- Quote from: ysette9 on December 20, 2017, 02:07:01 PM --- In place of that, how about something that forces you to leave the area, preferably the country, on a firm date and for a long period of time? Round the world cruise, hike the Camino de Santiago, some volunteer project to restore a crumbling chateau, something. Schedule it, but tickets, put your house up for rent, move your stuff into storage, and then hand in your resignation. Put up as many blocks as possible to falling back into your old life. If your stuff is in storage and your house is rented to someone else, losing $10k deposit on a trip of a lifetime while finding a hotel to live out of just to keep going to work should out a damper on any charitable feelings you have towards your workplace.

--- End quote ---

You know, this really could work. I like the idea of a volunteer project, preferably to pet homeless kittens daily. :-) They would probably offer to have a job waiting when I return, but after a year of clarity and separation, it would be much easier to say "thanks, but no thanks" even if I were unable to do it in the moment. (Which I would still try to do--they are just so damn nice it's hard!)

ysette9:
I understand the personal connection. I have fretted about that as well when making job moves or considering my career development. My husband is a good remedy to that because he reminds me that this is cold business and the only person looking out for me is me. I am sure you are important and make good contributions but i am also just as sure that if you were hospitalized tomorrow they would find a way of carrying on without you.

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