“The universe has a plan for you, even if you can’t see it yet.” – Deepak Chopra.

If you had asked me last week, I would have told you I was retired and loving it. My days are rich with volunteering, exercise, spirituality, and friendship. I started this blog because I wanted others to experience the same.

All along, I had planned to make this the year that I would sell my house, downsize, and invest, hopefully managing to live off the available funds. I changed my approach a bit when we hit such financial turmoil, deciding instead to re-invest in real estate, keeping enough cash out to live for the next few years and hoping stability would follow.

Earlier this week, I saw my dream home: 2.5 acres between two small towns, surrounded by pine trees, backing onto a golf course. The house was only about 1000 square feet on a cement slab, insulated with bales of hay. It was stunningly simple, quiet, and just right for me, my dog, and visitors. I had found the place!

Yesterday, I talked to my local realtor about the next steps for listing my house. He, in no uncertain terms, told me that this is not the right market to sell, as listings are at the highest levels in history, and nothing is moving. Even though I was discouraged, a friend reminded me of Brene Brown’s wisdom—look at these setbacks as the universe’s way of opening new doors. Feel the pain, surrender, and move on.

I do believe that magic emerges from times of suffering. I also believe that how we feel is expressed in the world we see, so if I want happiness, I had better be happy. Today, I visited a nursing home, consciously deciding to spread some love. I returned feeling lighter, facing the same challenges but believing I would survive this, too.

I now view my time off as a mini-retirement. I have loved the freedom the last two years have provided and consider myself wiser, saner, and refreshed. These are all strong attributes I will carry back to the consulting world.

If I had been asked 30 years ago about the paths my life would take, I would never have been able to predict them. It’s funny how we think we control our existence when, in all actuality, we are the passengers in the universe’s car. I will trust its next steps and look forward to learning what new experiences await me.