Get Out of Your Comfort Zone! Break The Gen X Mindset of The 9-5 Tradition -

Spread the love

This post is written by guest blogger, Daphne Reznik.

Daphne is a very inspiring woman and her blog posts really captured my attention. When she agreed to write this guest post on the topic of getting out of your comfort zone, I knew it would be great! Check it out below.

Get to know Daphne –

She is the creator of the Free At 50 blog, which focuses on life after corporate, how to transition into professional freedom, and resources to create income streams.

Daphne has a diverse background having worked in state government, small business, and most recently, a large corporate entity. Her experience supporting businesses and leading a national staff training program, provided her with a skill set she is using to design a lifestyle as a blogger and to inspire others.

Connect with her: https://linktr.ee/DaphneFreeAt50

Who am I to speak?

I’m a Gen X gal.

I did all the “right things” for 30 years. Started working in what came to be my full-time job when I was in college. I paid taxes and never took more than a week off (and let’s be honest: I was always a phone call, text, or email away!). Then in 2020 I was laid off and getting out of my comfort zone was necessary.

RELATED: Read my story here, where I shared how my Covid layoff was a blessing on my Free At 50 blog!

Living life as a GenXer during Covid brought a mindset shift.

I’ve never been a “woo” type person, but shifting your mindset is a real thing. Especially for those of us in midlife, who were brought up to do the “right things.” We were the first ones in and last out at the office. Many of us went to college and got degrees. (spent a lot of money on it actually!).

Now, outside the bubble of 9-5 life, I had to pivot. Believe me, I’ve done it professionally over the years, but one thing I never went without a paycheck.

For the first time ever, I was filing for unemployment. And you know what? I felt no guilt.

Why? I’d done my time, paid my taxes from age 19-49, and earned big bucks – for OTHERS. Since my layoff was due to budget constraints and happened during Covid, I had time to dig deep and do a mindset shift.

I’ve gained skills. I can do this entrepreneurial thing, which for me was the Free At 50 blog- bringing my concept of owning my time to life.

You can use your skills to own your time too.

Get over your fears: you can use your skills, experience a mindset shift, and enjoy the back half of life.

You have skills and they can be married with your passions.

When I was laid off, people were so “sorry” and offered assistance in finding something else, another corporate job!

No thanks.

The truth was I was mentally ready to own my time. I knew I had skills but was unsure where to start. I just knew that semi-retirement and being able to get to my aging parents without having to ask for time off was vital. So was leaving Michigan, where I wasn’t loving it, and moving to my favorite vacation spot.

My friend Diana got it. She understood I didn’t need help throwing my resume around the industry. She heard me. Not everyone in Gen X does get it because we’re conditioned on the 9-5 tradition.

Diana recommended The 4-Hour Workweek. I downloaded it from the library on my Kindle and within hours, ordered a hard copy so I could highlight and bookmark passages!

In short: it was an affirmation that not only could I break the 9-5 tradition, but I could use the skills I’ve gained over the years, marry them with my passions, and create a business and a lifestyle that makes me happy.

It actually eliminated the term “retirement” from my brain. Why wait until some “age” that our culture has said is appropriate to start enjoying life?

What if I don’t make it to that age? Let’s be honest, I was watching Gen X leave us too soon.

I had a former colleague pass away from a heart attack at age 50.
I have a good friend who was waiting for her last kid to leave high school and would “someday” start a freelance business to semi-retire. She was in a horrible car crash and began on a path to a long rehabilitation. When would someday come?
The alcohol and opioid deaths- I am certain we all have been or know someone affected over the last few years.

Ok- I’m not trying to depress you all, but instead: INSPIRE YOU. Life is precious and I was reading this book and KNEW I was going to take my skills and use them for building a “next chapter.”

Mindset shifts are possible, even at midlife!

Simply put: the 4-Hour Workweek was my first mindset shift in my journey out of my comfort zone. It gave me the realization that I can change the way I view myself and my future.

And that happened for me at age 49.

Take action: it’s the final step on my 6-steps to escape the 9-5 but a constant in getting out of your comfort zone anytime.

As a blogger focused on sharing inspiration and resources to build your next chapter, working on it myself, here are my 6 steps:

Find your why.
Shift your mindset.
Narrow your options.
Research the best fit.
Build your toolkit.
Take action.

Taking action is vital all the way through your journey. I have it as step 6 to remind you all that you need to move forward constantly.

Find the right people.

At this point in life, it seems strange I’m asking you to step out of your comfort zone of your friends and family, but I am.

Join Facebook groups.
Hire a coach.
Build a peer tribe.

Invest in yourself so you can use your skills to build your next chapter.

I’m not saying ditch your friends and family, but make sure you have people around you that understand your goals and can assist you in reaching them.

My call to action for you!

Grab my checklist by using the link in my bio.

No matter your situation, start with Step 1: your why. Midlife is the time to really focus on what’s important to us.

Don’t let the fear of leaving your comfort zone hold you back from enjoying every moment you have left on this amazing earth! If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be living in Colonial Williamsburg, I’d still be in Michigan.

Follow Daphne Reznik:

https://linktr.ee/DaphneFreeAt50

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone! Break The Gen X Mindset of The 9-5 Tradition