Expect the Unexpected -flexibility is the key

I walked through the store with head down and blinders on so as not to be distracted. I had my list of necessities and I was sticking to it. Now was not the time to sucumb to temptation and purchase items because they were a "good deal". The reality is I didn't need anything, except the money I was trying to stretch until next payday. I did not plan to get layed off within 7 years of my target retirement date. Nobody expected a global pandemic and the financial fall out that followed. I did not expect my investments to lose $70k within the last year, yet here I am trying to make the best of it. Of course I am working, just not earning near the salary I made before. I tried to find a similar job with similar pay, but after 140 applications I think I felt defeated. Im 56 years old..competing with Gen Y for well paying jobs. It took me almost 10 years to reach acquire the "well compensated " status I'd earned in my previous company. of course its not all about the money. Truth is I was stressed out, my health was suffering and I had not taken my kids to the dentist in over 2 years even prior to the pandemic shutting the world down in 2020. I feel less stress am spending more time with my kids and tryin to help my oldest learn how to "adult" with some resistance, I might add. she entered the pandemic 16 and came out of it effectively 16.5. The pandemic did not provide the usual opportunites to learn basic "adulting" so we are playing catch up. I hope she steps up quickly. Now that I have grounded myself in whats important, Ive also realized the two part.time jobs I have cobbled together are not sustainable if I want to pay my bills without living paychexk to paycheck. I need a happy medium at a place I can be myself now that Ive managed to shed the corporate persona I carroed for far too many years.