Greetings all,
I'm in the privileged position to say I don't HAVE to work! I get my own pension plus late husband's pension/annuity for the rest of my life. I also have a couple of other small income streams coming in too. It's just me and one cat, no kids. Thanks to dear late husband, I have lifetime health, vision, and dental insurance, all of which is top tier, so no worries there, either.
However, I have to admit, not working ratchets up my anxiety, and my Protestant work ethic that's been bred into my family for generations does not like being unemployed. I fully admit this. I'm grateful I got to retire three years early, but still. I'm a bit bored and restless.
I have held and quit a few jobs now that I'm back in my home state here in the Deep South. Partly I had never had the ability to just walk off from a job before, and I admit it's been very empowering to say no thanks, I quit. The first time was the very dysfunctional food pantry job; loved the work, HATED the gossip and backbiting, which apparently non-profits can be known for. Live and learn.
More recently, I took a job being a career counselor mainly for high school seniors, as well as mentoring for grades 6-11 to get them thinking about what they want to do in the future, and expose them to different career paths. I loved being back in school (total comfort zone after teaching for 26 years), and I loved talking to teenagers. I quit because I was given all of about three days of training, then told all information is online. Direction came in dribs and drabs of information, and no one ever really communicated openly and fully. Having all information online didn't solve the problem of knowing who to contact in the real world, or what information I was supposed to ask for at schools, or how to implement the information. I know for a fact as a retired teacher that the whole "just look it up" can be weaponized against workers, and it's bad leadership. I quit that one with regret. I told the person who collected my laptop that I expected a lot more job shadowing for a lot longer and turning me loose just a week or two into the job was overwhelming and under-supportive.
Given that the place I am here in the Deep South is a medium-sized town, there aren't that many jobs. More than likely I'd be under-employed, given that I don't want to teach; been there, done that, and I'm bored with it. I have also considered doing a cash-only catering business, since I can easily create food art and would specialize in charcuterie boards. Information online about how to create a business and what food is allowed is minimal and not helpful at all. It would be a lot easier to just take cash and not worry about incorporating.
Anyone have any advice or ideas? I am not trained in business, so learning how to set up a business would be a very steep hill to climb. Overall, I'm just looking for something to get me out of the house a few days a week, ideally part time with no to few weekends, so I can be around people for a bit, and also feel helpful and productive. Thanks.
Volunteer at your local hospital or woman's crisis center. Thank you for considering spending your time on things that matter!