have nice coworkers to work with. That’s a lot better than working with bitches or idiots or idiot bitches. And you are free to keep looking for a better job while working for Chico’s.
Try not to think of yourself as completely starting over at 56. You still have Social Security benefits from your previous jobs. Have you gotten an estimate of how much you’ll get in SS benefits? At some point, they started sending me an annual statement estimating my benefits based on my work/earning history so far. That is still there. You’re not starting over on SS. But you probably have about 10 years until you can start receiving it. It will be tempting to take it at 62 instead of 66. But try not to do that unless absolutely necessary because, if you do, your benefits will be reduced (I think by 30%) for the rest of your life.
You also still have whatever pension/retirement plan you got from the bindery and hopefully some inheritance (including the house?)You do have some light at the end of the tunnel. But it will take some time to get there. Whatever retirement plans you had planned on — they are not gone. Try to think of yourself as building on that, rather than starting over.
