3 Things I Learned When My Husband Retired at Age 39
My husband retired last weekend at 39.
After 20 years in the military, including 4 lengthy deployments, countless trainings, and 3 cross-country moves, retiring felt almost anti-climactic since the last 8 years were not fully active.
Especially since his day job isn’t changing. But after his party last weekend, spending time with friends and family, and reflecting on the last 17 years together, I had several aha moments that I’d like to share…especially since I was so focused on throwing a party that I told a joke about his need for caffeine instead of saying what I really felt.
1. I wouldn’t be where I am today without him.
There were a lot of tough times over the years. Lots of sleepless nights. Insane amounts of stress. And the reality is that we’ve spent more time apart than we have together.
But even better have been the really good times. He has supported me in everything I’ve done — trying new things like running half marathons (3 in 2019 and nothing since), building a business, and so much more.
And even though those moves aren’t easy, they forced me out of my comfort zone to learn new skills, meet new people, and learn how to take leaps.
I certainly wouldn’t have a successful business I’m proud of that allows us to have time with family and do the things we love.
2. Sticking it out was never a question.
One of the things he said was that he loved that I stuck out those tough times, and he knew it was hard. But the truth is not sticking it out was never an option. You may or may not know how stubborn I am. But that’s the truth in my marriage and in business. Once I set my mind to something, it’s all about figuring it out.
That means that every time something goes wrong, it’s a lesson and a learning opportunity. Whatever it is, I’m in it for the long haul.
3. The future is full of potential.
We may not know what it has in store, but we can do incredible things right now to make our future into whatever we want. If we’ve learned anything, it’s that life is too short to not do things that bring joy and fulfillment.
That’s why both of us are building businesses we love. His is a woodworking company — he started by building me a gorgeous standing desk.
And mine is CopySnacks, my brand messaging firm.
— — — — —
If you don’t know me, hi! I’m Erin Pennings. I’m a brand messaging strategist and copywriter who helps small businesses and startups build messaging and marketing strategies to successfully launch, pivot, or rebrand. I frequently share tips about marketing, messaging, and entrepreneurship. You can learn more about me and how I help client on erinpennings.com and get email updates at erinpennings.com/newsletter.