When Plans Change: Plot Twist | Week 5 Post-layoff

🎵 "The Jeep is Gone" 🎵 - we've been singing the last few days (to the tune of Glenn Frey's "The Heat is On"), and surprisingly, there's no sadness in our remixed lyrics. Just the sound of another intentional choice falling into place.

This week, news about tariffs forced us to rethink our vehicle plans. What started as a frustration ended up pushing us toward choices that better supported our goals of simplifying life and making thoughtful, long-term decisions. Remember that Ford Maverick we ordered back in November? Sometimes the best laid plans lead you to even better destinations.

This Week's Reality Check

• Days since corporate layoff: 38
• New clients this week: 2 (one monthly, one project)
• Hours spent researching vehicles: Too many to count
• Cars in the garage: 1 (plus one very cozy camper)
• Cars in the driveway: soon to be 0
• Times we've sung "The Jeep is Gone": Approximately 27
• Worst-case scenarios imagined about sharing one car: Stopped counting at 3
• Actual past situations requiring two cars simultaneously: 1 (and it was manageable)

What We're Actually Doing

The potential impact of tariffs on Mexican-made vehicles sent us back to our original criteria:

• Enough towing capacity for our camper
• Had to fit in the garage
• Hoped for good fuel efficiency
• And now: considering long-term implications of parts and maintenance

What emerged was a lesson in letting our long-term goals guide our choices.

After a weekend of research and Monday test drives, we welcomed a 2024 Subaru Forester Wilderness to our simplified life. The pearl white exterior with black accents, rugged styling, and all-terrain capability make it perfect for our camper-towing future. Not the hybrid we originally wanted, but a vehicle that checks our most important boxes while aligning with our goals of intentional living. Bonus: The timing worked in our favor - with 2025 models about to arrive, we negotiated a solid deal on our 2024.

Inside the garage, our Runaway camper waited to meet its new companion. It's amazing how these two pieces of our new life fit together - both literally (the garage clearance was a major consideration) and metaphorically. The camper's clean white exterior and thoughtfully designed interior, with our convertible bed setup, remind us that sometimes the best things come in simple packages.

The decision to go down to one car stirred up more emotions than I expected. Having grown up around cars and learning to keep them in pristine condition, I found myself wrestling with the idea of sharing a vehicle with someone who... let's say... has a more relaxed approach to car cleanliness.

We've done the one-car thing before, during our Chicago years, but that was different - I took the train to work downtown while Bryan handled most of the driving. Dallas? That's a whole different story.

But here's where intentional living gets real: When I actually sat down to count the times we've needed two cars simultaneously, I could barely think of one instance - and even that could have been coordinated differently. I realized that sometimes our "needs" are really just comfortable habits in disguise.

What We're Learning Along the Way

• Sometimes the best decisions come from being forced to question your original plans

• That anxiety about sharing one car? It's amazing how quickly "what-ifs" dissolve when faced with actual historical data

• Freedom often looks different than we imagine - sometimes it's parked in your garage wearing a Subaru badge

• The path to working less might temporarily mean working more (hello, three new clients in two weeks!)

• Pro tip: If you're trading in a paid-off car, don't waste time removing the lienholder from the title. Ask us how we know

• Reinventing midlifehood isn't just about big decisions - it's about questioning every "that's just how it's done" moment

• The universe has a twisted sense of humor: Nothing makes you more paranoid about your car's safety than waiting to sell it (more on that adventure below)

Community Corner

While we're busy questioning old assumptions about cars and possessions, our virtual bookkeeping practice is teaching us its own lesson about timing. Each new client relationship we're building now - one last week, two more this week - isn't just about income. It's about creating something that can travel with us, supporting other small businesses while building our own path to freedom.

What We're Working Through

• The reality check of "living full" dreams versus first-month demands (those dreams of decluttering, getting my life organized, deep cleaning and relaxing? Still dreams for now)

• Finding moments for small progress: picking out camper flooring and lights between client meetings - we have lights!!

• Learning to celebrate the busy season while holding onto our bigger vision

• The art of letting go - of a second car, of old routines, of the need to control every scenario

• The nerve-wracking wait to sell our CRV (while we unnecessarily wait for lienholder removal paperwork): Picture this - Bryan helping a friend with a doctor's appointment when the car in front of them at a stoplight suddenly throws it in reverse! No damage done, thankfully. Then, just blocks later, another car cuts right in front of them. Bryan's face when he got home, trying to decide whether to tell me about these near-misses? Priceless. Nothing like trying to keep a car pristine when you're ready to sell it!

Let's Talk

When was the last time a change in plans led you to a better destination? We're reinventing midlifehood one decision at a time, and we'd love to hear your story of when life's redirections worked in your favor.

Looking Forward

As we work toward the CRV sale and settling into life with one car and a cozier garage, we're reminded that every small choice is a step toward the life we're building.

Next week brings more camper projects (those beds are begging for us to install that cozy lighting and soft flooring), more client work, and probably a few more verses of "The Jeep is Gone." 🎵

The Subaru and camper sit in the garage like a perfect pair of puzzle pieces, both literally and metaphorically fitting into our vision of a simpler, more intentional life.

💌 We're a tiny but mighty community reinventing midlifehood together. Hit reply to join the conversation - we read and respond to every email.