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We have several baby boomer friends who are small business owners. During the past week, we got an email from one who has a marketing business, sharing that he rebranded his business and will work from home. We also learned of another friend in the insurance business who is moving his business home. In addition to them, a couple friend who are in the building business appeared at our door to tell us they are moving out of their home, they will rent it to a family, while they downsize and move to a small apartment.
These are just a few friends who are making changes due to the economy. I could list several more, but you get my point. While all of them appear to be handling these changes fairly well on the outside, we never know what’s going on inside, but we have an idea that it isn’t all pretty.
My friend, Carol Orsborn, Ph.D. worked as a senior executive in a global marketing firm. Her numbers were dwindling, and unless she could bring them up, she knew her pink slip was coming – and it did. In her book,
Orsborn’s life without her job, her purpose, sent her into a tailspin, the same tailspin many baby boomers are experiencing. After living in the pits with her own negativity, she bravely chose to dig deep, soul search and place her future in God’s hands. In addition to this choice, she drew nearer to her husband, friends, therapist, and attended a couple soul searching retreats. She surrendered to her spirit and embraced His power that enabled her to capture a new attitude: “I meet your challenge and raise you one. Whatever you send my way, my spirit will be greater.” This is the new mantra that saved her dignity. She learned that our worth should not be tied to a successful job, but should be connected with what we are being called to do for our God.
Baby boomer job security isn’t what it used to be. Boomers are finding themselves without the retirement packages once promised and without health care. The baby boomer generation is being forced to find a way to work longer because we are going to live longer without the benefits we once thought we’d have. So much for the safety net called seniority.
I highly recommend Orsborn’s book. Whether you are experiencing your own downsizing, or the downsizing of your friends, it will certainly give you the compassion and direction needed for another baby boomer life stage.
