Your Story Might Be Someone's Spark - Midlifehood Edition | Week 17 Post-layoff

My phone rang the other day, and it was our neighbor. We had previously talked about our tiny house plans and she'd seen our "For Sale" sign.

"Your story inspired me to stop waiting," she said.

She went on to explain how she'd been wanting to move her family back to her hometown for years but felt stuck because of her good-paying job here. Watching us actually take steps toward a different life—even with all the uncertainty—gave her the push she needed to start making her own plans instead of waiting for "someday."

Her exact word: "someday." The same word we've been actively fighting against in our own journey.

It's funny how you never know who's watching or what impact your choices might have on someone else's life.

This Week's Reality Check:

• ✓ Zero showings on the house (yes, zero!)
• ✓ Had dinner with a former corporate vendor that turned into an RV conversation
• ✓ Got a new potential bookkeeping client inquiry
• ✓ Kept the house "showing ready" (just in case)
• ✓ Our pollinator garden is absolutely stunning right now
• ✓ Still haven't ordered the tiny house (more on that below)

What We're Actually Doing:

When Nothing's Happening (Or Is It?)

Not gonna lie—this week was tough. Not a single showing since we went back on the market. Bryan and I have had more than a few conversations that start with "Is the internet broken?"

But then we remind ourselves of a few things:

1. Our realtor friend (not our listing agent) mentioned that her houses have few showings and are sitting longer than usual too
2. The market's weird right now with interest rates and economic uncertainty
3. We've had two super clean inspections, which is huge
4. Other houses in our area are also sitting, though some are going under contract (most don't have pools like ours)

We keep going back to the fact that the tiny house will take three months to build, and honestly? Every extra day we can stay in this house during that process saves us money.

Unexpected Networking

I had dinner with a former service vendor from my corporate days. When she found out about my layoff, she immediately asked why I didn't call her and if I was job hunting. I told her about our bookkeeping business, and our tiny house and travel plans.

The conversation took an unexpected turn when I mentioned our tiny camper. Turns out she and her family were huge RVers when their kids were small! We spent the rest of dinner talking about camping spots, RV life, and travel destinations. By the end of the night, she mentioned she might have bookkeeping referrals for us, and we could send tax clients her way.

It reminded us why we think it's important to stay connected with their network. Bryan has always told our restaurant staff that "you truly never know when a casual conversation might turn into something more, even a friendship".

Finding Joy in the Wait

Our front yard pollinator garden is absolutely killing it this year. While I was out there deadheading flowers and pulling weeds (because like other things in life, it's easier to chip away at in small chunks), I realized something: our garden might not have human visitors right now, but it's still serving its purpose for every bee and butterfly that stops by and makes me extremely happy looking at it.

Bryan keeps the lawn looking amazing, and I take care of the plants. It's become this weird meditation practice—keeping everything perfect for buyers who aren't showing up yet. But you know what? We always enjoy it this time of year and so do our neighbors. This year the colors appear to be especially electric.

The Big Decision

Here's where we've been a little stuck: do we order the tiny house now or wait for a buyer?

If we order now:

• It should be ready in three months
• We risk having to carry two housing payments, or potentially keeping and renting out our current home
• But we keep our timeline moving forward

If we wait:

• Less financial risk
• But we could be delayed by months
• And prices might go up

We've gone back and forth on this for a few months. We even made a pros and cons list (yes, we're those people).

Stay tuned for next week to see what we decided!

The Ripple Effect

That conversation with our neighbor really stuck with us this week. While we're sitting here worried about our house not selling fast enough, someone else saw our willingness to take a leap and found courage to pursue their own dreams.

We realized our waiting periods might matter more than we think. People need to see the real journey—complete with quiet weeks, self-doubt, and the decision to keep going despite it all.

Our neighbor didn't wait until we were settled in our tiny house to be inspired. She was moved by watching us navigate the messy middle—the part where nothing is certain and everything feels up in the air.

If you're feeling stuck in your own 'someday' thinking like our neighbor was (and we were), I decided to look back on our journey, up to this point, and put together a free guide called '5 Questions to Cut Through Choice Overload' that might help. It's designed for those bigger life decisions - like whether to finally make that move, change careers, or pursue that dream you've been putting off. I compiled these questions while navigating our own midlife choices, and they've helped me cut through the noise. Just drop a comment below or email us, (bryanandkathyc@gmail.com) and I'll send it your way!

Let's Talk:

Have you ever found out that your actions inspired someone when you had no idea anyone was watching?

What helps you stay motivated during those periods when nothing seems to be happening?

If you were in our shoes, would you order the tiny house now or wait for a buyer? (Seriously, we could use some outside perspective!)

Here's to choosing our own path together.

Note: This post is part of our weekly "Reinventing Midlifehood" series, chronicling our journey of working toward intentional living and rediscovering what matters after a midlife career transition. If this post was shared with you, we hope you'll join us as we explore the freedom that comes from choosing your own path rather than following conventional paths.