EARLY RETIREMENT
Don’t give up.
A little over three years ago I was stuck. Stuck with the same personal problems that have been following me for a lifetime. Stuck in a professional position that was sucking the life out of me. It was in a group chat with several of my friends (pictured below) that I first shared I was considering ‘Early Retirement.’
They told me to get it over with already…
Just kidding. I can joke about it now, but at the time, I was legitimately entertaining the idea. Life on this planet wasn’t something I wanted to do under the crushing weight of my circumstances. I was in a position where I woke up every day and I was absolutely miserable, outside of the short amount of time I got to spend with my wife, occasional hangouts with friends, and (of course) writing horror.
I was doing a job that left me with no life anyway, so what did it matter?
The allure of ‘the big raise’ to a regular guy who never went to college or seemed to have much promise had gotten me. Sure, after getting this new position at a bank I had gotten a hike in pay that moved me from about 45k to 70k. A number I NEVER imagined myself capable of. But after working my way up from the phones as a call center representative for about 12 years, the opportunity had finally arrived.
Finally, I would be able to secure my future financially.
Finally, I would be able to help the people I loved, and who had helped me.
Finally, I would never have to take another phone call and get cussed out again.
Finally, I would have a salary position where I didn’t need to put in OT for extra cash.
Boy, was I wrong. I was too foolish to realize at the time that the 70k salary I believed to be my golden ticket was not as simple as do the job and get paid. It was more like I was the property of this company now.
Don’t get me wrong, I am grateful for the pay and everything I was able to accomplish as a result, but I was just not prepared for the tradeoff. My mind was constantly immersed in complex information, crushing any creative thought. I was responsible for testing multiple HUGE applications, managing an offshore team, and countless other tasks.
In addition, there are many other personal things going on, compounding the stress of my situation as I work these 50-hour weeks with no life. Shit that I’m not sure if I’ll ever truly be ready to talk about in detail. But this combination of factors was pushing me to the edge. The fear, depression, stress, and hopelessness were at a full boil.
Early Retirement from work and this existence as a whole was dominating my thoughts.
I tried to get out of the position I once coveted and find something comparable that would allow me to hopefully pivot away from what felt like the darkest downward spiral, but that didn’t work out. I remained stuck.
Thankfully, I had my lifelong friends and amazing wife to lean on. I continued to grind it out, dealing with the depression and dark thoughts in my writing. After several years of pushing forward, I was extremely fortunate to find success in the world of horror and have never looked back.
Instead of my brains being ejected from my skull, I got to give the guys each one of these shirts. A huge thanks to them for being there for me. I love you all. Being able to take these photos, shortly after my birthday AND the 3-year anniversary of leaving my job was a magical moment I’ll never forget.
To anyone who is struggling with similar shit, I promise you, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Keep grinding. Keep doing what you love. Even though sometimes it seems absolutely impossible, stay positive. Think about where you want to be instead of where you’re at. Because I never imagined this would be my life. If a simple guy like me can do it, then so can you.
EARLY RETIREMENT SOFT TEES
If you enjoyed the story behind my almost ‘Early Retirement’ then I do have a tee shirt preorder up. If you are going to Scares That Care AuthorCon III this coming weekend in Williamsburg, VA, I should have some there (event details below). I wanted to launch these shirts at the event for the supports who come out to help us raise money for children/families in medical need. Those who preorder on my website can expect the shirts to ship late April or early May. Thanks again to everyone for your support. I would also be foolish not to thank the readers personally for lifting me out of this dark pit and allowing me to pursue my dreams. Without all of you, maybe I’m not here.
Stay strong.
2024 SIGNING DATES!
I’m excited to announce that I have quite a few different signings scheduled in the near future.
4/12 - 4/14 ‘Scares That Care AuthorCon III’ at DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel - 50 Kingsmill Road, Williamsburg, VA 23185 (Visit ScaresThatCare.org for times)
6/8 In store signing at Brian Keene’s ‘Vortex Books & Comics’ at 447 Locust St. Columbia, PA 17512
7/27 ‘Authors Against Abuse’ at Charlee Bravos - 9 Grove St Putnam, CT 06260 (1 PM - 5 PM)
8/2 Bucket O’ Blood Books & Records at 3182 N Elston Ave, Chicago, IL 60618
8/3 Books of Horror Presents ‘Books & Brews’ at the Double Clutch Brewery
2121 Ashland Ave, Evanston, IL 60201
8/9 - 8/11 ‘KillerCon’ at Holiday Inn Austin-Town Lake 20 N Interstate 35, Austin, TX 78701
8/15 - 8/18 ‘NecronomoCon’ in Providence, Rhode Island (Visit NecronomoCon for times)
9/12 In store signing at Brian Keene’s ‘Vortex Books & Comics’ at 447 Locust St. Columbia, PA 17512
9/21 - 9/22 ‘CT Horrorfest’ at the Connecticut Convention Center (Visit CTHorrorFest for times)
10/4 - 10/6 ‘Scares That Care AuthorCon IV’ at Marriott Renaissance Airport Hotel - 9801 Natural Bridge Rd, St. Louis, MO 63134 (Visit ScaresThatCare.org for times)
UNTIL NEXT TIME… KEEP IT 100% HORROR!
Aron Beauregard is the TWO-TIME Splatterpunk Award-winning author of such atrocities as The Slob, Playground, All Smiles Until I Return, Modern Hysteria, Yellow, and countless others.
CONTACT INFO
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Twitter: AronHorror
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I had no idea of the story behind the t-shirt when I bought it, and it makes it all the more meaningful. Glad you didn't retire early.
You're the perfect example of grabbing the bull by the horns, doing the work, and making it pay off, Aron. I've always admired your drive and work ethic as far as writing, promoting, and marketing are concerned. And I appreciate the excellent advice you've given me in the past (yes, even an old dude like me needs some every now and then), which has always paid off positively. Looking forward to seeing you again in a few days at Authorcon, brother!