Retired @ 40

Life After 40: Between Dreams and Deadlines

I always imagined it this way—retired by 40, free from the grind of corporate life. No more clocking in, no more answering to bosses. Just me, working at my own pace, on my own terms, through consulting gigs. It felt cool. Liberating.

But I never expected the quiet to be so loud.

Without a routine, the days felt long. Without steady work, the financial uncertainty crept in. I found myself brainstorming ways to raise funds just to cover recurring expenses. Still, I’m grateful. This freedom allows me to care for my aging mother and my fast-growing niece—especially since we don’t have househelp.

It’s been over three months since I’ve had a formal job. Thankfully, the last quarter of 2015 kept me busy. I conducted a series of trainings for the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP), under the Department of Agriculture and funded by The World Bank. I worked on the I-REAP component, helping build the capacities of people’s organizations across Regions 1 and 3, Mindanao, and Visayas. I landed four contracts in total.

I was confident I had saved enough to cover my car loan amortization. I was also expecting payments from those training engagements. But waiting for collections is a test of patience—and nerve. This is the reality of consultancy: feast or famine, and a lot of waiting in between.

To stay professionally active, I gave teaching another shot. I took on an 18-unit load at St. Dominic Savio College in North Caloocan City. The pay was modest—₱150 per hour compared to my ₱1,000 training rate—but it kept me engaged and grounded.

January was a slow, gray month. I turned 40 with a simple house party, surrounded by immediate family. Ironically, we were all sick that week—doctor visits, prescriptions, and another dent in my savings.

Still, I kept moving. I drafted a proposal for the Provincial Government of Palawan through its Economic Enterprise Development Office. The plan: a six-day financial management training for municipal waterworks systems, tentatively set for March or April 2016.

Then came a surprise opportunity with DSWD Region 8, tied to my previous work with the Kalahi-CIDSS Project. This new contract focused on Organizational Development and Management for completed income-generating projects in select municipalities. I even assembled a team of experts, with myself as Team Leader—a challenging but exciting endeavor.

And yet, I was still waiting.

More prospects trickled in. I collaborated with my former mentor, Ma’am Stella, to assist water service providers in crafting their Business Plans. I also picked up small jobs with another mentor, Ms. Nene.

While waiting, I poured myself into preparing lessons and test questions for my college classes. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was purposeful.