So I Quit … What’s Next?

Yesterday I revealed that I quit my job because of my health and explained that a little bit more about that situation. Today I’m talking about my plans for the next couple of months.

Essentially, I’m starting what I’m kind of fondly referring to as Project Kate (feel free to make fun of me for that one). The goal is twofold. One, I need to get my health under control. Two, I need to create a life that is meaningful, makes me happy, and allows me to keep my health under control. Here’s what I’m looking at in the next couple of months:

1. I’m moving back to New England (permanently) within the next few weeks. I’ll be a legal resident of Boston and split my time between my parents’ place in Boston and the family home in Maine. Is it ideal that I’m basically moving back home? No. But it’s what needs to be done right now, and it isn’t permanent.

2. Have surgery on my knee and recover from said surgery, which will be interesting because my arthritis could potentially flare from having surgery. This is the biggest reason why I’m not aiming at getting my own apartment immediately after moving. I’ll need a LOT of help recovering from the surgery.

3. Overall physical recuperation. This means physical therapy, regular long yoga classes on top of my regular practice, hopefully getting back at exercising regularly in other ways, etc.

4. Finish one (or both) of the books I have started. One is a book of short stories and the other is a novel. I’m seriously considering pulling a mini-Walden and isolating myself in the Maine woods to get a large chunk of one of the books done.

5. Get my arthritis treatments squared away. It’s hard to tell if the current state of affairs is working or not, since my arthritis has essentially been in panic mode with my knee issues. By that I mean that the trauma of dislocating my knee/etc. seems to have majorly freaked out my arthritis, which is freaking out everywhere and not just in my knee. Good ol’ autoimmune diseases.

6. Applying to (and hopefully attending) graduate school. I’ve known for a couple of years that this step was in my future, but this seems like a pretty good time to go ahead and make it happen.

7. Hopefully work as a tutor and freelance writer. That being said, if you live in Boston and are looking for a tutor for your kids or you know someone who is, I’m a certified teacher of English for grades 7-12, so …

This is an unfinished list, but it contains what my general plans are for the next few months. Like I said, I really need to focus on building a meaningful life for myself that still allows me to not, well, destroy my body. I’ll be posting regularly about this entire process, and will be including the label “Project Kate” on any of those posts.

Thank you all for the kind and encouraging comments on yesterday’s post and on social media. I feel so lucky to have the support network that I do, off and on the Internet.