Day: October 5, 2025

• Just weeks after my husband retired, he was diagnosed with stage 3 kidney cancer.
• We’d always prioritized living fully — traveling, building traditions, and making memories.
• It was a sobering reminder that even if you don’t put your life on hold, time is never guaranteed.

When my husband retired at the end of March, I thought our “golden season” had finally arrived. We weren’t the type of couple who waited for retirement to live — we had already raised our kids with adventure, built traditions around sports and travel, and carved out time to make memories long before “someday.” Retirement was supposed to be an extension of that, a slower, sweeter chapter where we could do even more of what we loved.

Then, just weeks later, my husband was accidentally diagnosed with stage 3 kidney cancer. We were at the hospital where he had a scan for possible appendicitis. When they confirmed that, the nurse then said, “And you know about the massive tumor on your left kidney, right?” We did not.

The news stopped us cold. One day, we were planning trips, and the next, we were sitting across from doctors, navigating medical terminology, surgery, and treatment plans. Even with a lifetime of choosing presence, I was reminded again how fragile time really is.

Since his diagnosis, we’ve been living in uncertainty

A cancer diagnosis is a roller coaster you never want to ride. Some days you cling to hopeful words from a doctor; the next, you’re spiraling over the delay of scan results. The waiting, the not knowing, it’s almost unbearable.

We’ve lived in that constant back-and-forth since the day we got the news. Optimism collides with fear on a near-daily basis. You try to keep moving forward, but the ground never feels steady.

His diagnosis was a reminder of a lesson I thought I’d learned

I’ve written before about losing my dad before he could retire and how that shaped everything about how my husband and I chose to live and parent. We built our family life on the philosophy that “someday” isn’t promised.

That mindset gave us rich experiences — from turning our son’s hockey tournaments into family road trips, to creating mother-daughter holiday adventures in New York City, to building a second home in our college town, where our kids grew up steeped in football tradition. We lived intentionally, knowing time wasn’t guaranteed.

But even after years of living in the present and not postponing joy, my husband’s cancer diagnosis was a jarring reminder that there might not be more time. Retirement was supposed to give us that cushion, but suddenly, even that felt uncertain.

We’re focusing even more on living in the present now

Since my husband’s diagnosis, we’ve doubled down on living in the present, not in the sense of chasing bucket-list extravagance, but in truly seizing the everyday moments.

Morning walks. Floating in our pool. Dinners out. Laughter with friends. Calls with our kids. These things were always important, but now they feel sacred. We still dream and plan — but we don’t put things on hold. If we can do something now, we do it. If we can’t, we find something to plan to look forward to.

We’ve let go of the idea that retirement was a finish line we were racing toward. Instead, we’re focused on presence, gratitude, and connection in every way possible.

What I thought would be our golden season began not with freedom, but with fear. Yet even in that fear came a powerful reminder: no matter how intentionally you live, time is still fragile.

If there’s one lesson I hope people take from our story, it’s this — even if you’re already living fully, don’t assume you’ll always have “more time” to do the things you dream about. Retirement isn’t a guarantee. Neither is next year. Neither is tomorrow.

Live now. Deepen traditions. Make memories. Hold the people you love even closer. Because even when you think you’ve made room for joy, life can change in an instant — and what matters most is what you choose to do with the time you’re given.

• Homeschooling is on the rise across the US.
• Sarah Nagle, who was homeschooled from the age of 10 until college, excelled academically.
• She said the experience allowed her to avoid student debt because her parents didn’t push for an elite college.

Growing up, Sarah Nagle recalled constantly hearing that homeschooled kids will fail once they enter the real world.

Speaking from experience, Nagle can confirm that’s not the case.

“My parents did pretty well preparing me academically for college,” Nagle told Business Insider. “And I have to say I never found college particularly challenging in any way. I’m not even sure I found it socially challenging.”

Nagle was homeschooled by both of her parents in California from the age of 10 through college. Now self-employed in jewelry design, the Gen Xer said she’s grateful for her homeschool experience because her parents tailored her lessons to meet her learning pace and interests, and she said the personalized curriculum led her to excel in national testing.

In addition, her parents didn’t push for an elite college as a step to success later in life, which empowered Nagle to attend the University of Texas at Austin on a scholarship in the late 90s before transferring to San Francisco State University instead of taking out student loans to pursue a more prestigious school. She said the lack of student debt is a defining characteristic that separates her from many of her peers, and she’s grateful that she didn’t have the pressure that students at public schools often face to attend more expensive colleges.

“My parents always told me that you shouldn’t make college the be-all and end-all of your life,” Nagle said. “I realize my life is really different from a lot of my friends who went to their dream school and have just still tons of student loan debt.”

Nagle’s jewelry business has generated nearly $29,000 in sales in September and just over $115,500 year-to-date, according to documents reviewed by Business Insider. She made $121,000 in sales the year prior. She said that hers can be an “erratic business” and that her sales fluctuate, with August, September, and March typically being her busiest months. She says she prioritizes reinvesting in her business — like buying new equipment — over paying herself. As a result, she said, her annual income is in the high five figures.

Homeschooling in the US is on the rise. During the pandemic, the number of parents choosing to teach their kids at home surged due to dissatisfaction with remote learning, and that trend never went away.

The growth in the school voucher movement and the increased availability of federal funds to use for education other than public school, like homeschools or microschools, are contributing to the increased interest in alternative forms of schooling. Still, public school enrollment remains dominant; 49.5 million students were enrolled in public schools for the fall of 2023, compared to the approximately 3 million who were homeschooled that same year.

Prior to being homeschooled, Nagle said she attended a public school briefly, but her parents were dissatisfied with the quality of the local schools. She said it was difficult to hear criticism of homeschooling and the notion that kids like herself wouldn’t have the skills to succeed socially or academically, but looking back, she’s glad she’s able to prove those critics wrong.

“It made me really think things through,” Nagle said, “and realize that sometimes, even though everybody’s saying one thing, they can all be wrong.”

‘It’s not a fringe decision anymore’

Data compiled by Johns Hopkins’ Homeschool Research Lab found that 17 states have so far reported increases in homeschooling in the 2024-25 school year. It follows 19 states that reported homeschooling increases in the year prior.

Angela Watson, creator of the research lab and senior research fellow at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy, previously told Business Insider that “now we see that people who choose to homeschool their children are slightly younger than their private school or public schooling parent peers.”

“And so it could be that this is kind of a younger generation thing where it’s not stigmatized for them in the same way,” Watson said.

Some states do not report homeschooling data, and since each state has different homeschooling laws — including whether parents can receive federal dollars to homeschool — it can be difficult to regulate. Even so, Nagle said, the rise in homeschooling among the states that do report shows that it’s a type of education that’s become more accepted in the US, and less stigmatized.

“It’s a minority decision, but it’s not a fringe decision anymore,” Nagle said. She acknowledged that the social components of homeschool were challenging; she said she was nervous to go to college and felt unprepared to make the transition into a traditional school environment.

Once she settled into college life, though, she found she didn’t have the social shortcomings that she expected. Had she not been homeschooled, she doesn’t think she would have had the confidence or financial means to step out of the traditional mold and pursue self-employment.

“My homeschool experience really gave me the confidence to go my own way,” Nagle said. “I think it really gave me a better focus on life.”

• Business Insider spoke to four Gen Xers who turned to unconventional jobs after struggling to find full-time work.
• One Gen Xer took on a two-month internship making $20 an hour alongside a high schooler.
• Some have monetized hobbies like ice hockey, and others have taken mission-driven roles.

Dionne Foster, 52, built a steady career as a business analyst contractor before losing her job in April 2024. A year later, she found herself taking on an eight-week summer internship at an IT company, where she made $20 an hour and worked alongside a high schooler.

“I haven’t made $20 an hour since I was in college,” Foster said.

Foster accepted the internship offer after roughly a year on the job market, where she cast a wide net of applications for both full-time and contract opportunities. She said she’s never struggled to find work prior.

“I’ve never been rejected like this before,” Foster said, adding that, in the past, when one contract ended, another one began shortly after.

For seasoned Gen X professionals like Foster, the job market is especially brutal. Many recount frustrating experiences with résumés screened by algorithms, routine ghosting, and the blow of being labeled “overqualified.”

In such a tough market, some Gen Xers are taking whatever unconventional roles they can find to stay afloat while they search for jobs in careers they spent decades building.

Monetizing hobbies

William Simon, 49, had always heard that his job in medical equipment sales would be safe. But after losing his position at a startup in April, he hasn’t been immune to the struggles other job seekers are facing.

“The hardest part of looking for a job in this economy is the competition,” Simon said, adding that he thinks “a lot of employers are looking to go the younger route” so that they can pay less and have a greater ability to mold their employees.

In addition to relying on his savings and unemployment insurance, Simon said he sold his boat and cut back on recreational activities to meet expenses.

He’s also turned his hobbies into jobs, officiating ice hockey games and picking up shifts at a friend’s indoor golf lounge whenever he can.

“What was a fun hobby that I fortunately got paid for, has now turned into a lifeline and helping me stay afloat,” Simon said.

Cathy Valentine, 60, has faced similar challenges. After losing her six-figure job in November 2023 as a coach who helped guide companies through change, she’s been searching for work. She had a two-month stint as a government contractor, but continues to look for a higher-paying job. In the meantime, she’s taken a job as a prep cook and pastry chef at the Garden Cafe at McKee Botanical Gardens in Vero Beach, Florida.

“I get to be creative in that job,” Valentine said. “That’s one of the reasons I love it.”

Valentine said she enjoys her coworkers and the garden walks before each shift, but the $15 hourly rate isn’t enough to get by. She said she is behind on rent, has sold off valuables, and misses seeing her grandchildren, whom she can’t afford to visit. While she’s had a few callbacks recently, the long hours at the café have clashed with interviews.

“I worked until 2 or 3 in the morning, got home at 4, and then had an interview at 9 that went terribly,” she said.

Waiting for the right opportunity

Julie Jordan-Wade also just marked two years of unemployment after working in meeting and event planning for over a decade. During that time, she’s turned down two offers, unwilling to settle for roles she doesn’t see as long-term careers.

While she continues her job search, Jordan-Wade, who is Gen X, has pieced together part-time work in communications at a church and, recently, as an outreach educator at the Dallas Holocaust & Human Rights Museum.

The museum job, she said, allowed her to make a little more money with a low time commitment. Plus, she said she values working with nonprofits.

“I don’t think we have to get all of our fulfillment out of what we do, but I think there needs to be something about it that we look forward to doing,” Jordan-Wade said.

• Kyle Ray turned his window-cleaning side hustle into a six-figure operation.
• As his client list has grown, so has his number of employees.
• He requires his sales reps and techs to read specific leadership and mindset books.

Kyle Ray turned his window-cleaning side hustle into a six-figure business, thanks to a unique pricing structure and providing what he calls “unreasonable hospitality.”

However, if you asked the business owner what he does, he wouldn’t mention windows or home services.

“We’re not a window cleaning company; we’re a training facility that develops people,” Ray told Business Insider. “My main goal is to make anybody who comes to work with us really successful.”

The career development process starts on day one.

Ray said he sits down with every new hire to discuss their goals and five-year plan: “I always ask them, ‘You don’t ever get into an Uber or get onto an airplane without knowing a destination or where you’re going, right? Why would you start a job where you don’t have some kind of plan?’

And, if I’m a stepping stone for them to go do something that they’re really passionate about, hopefully, I can teach them a lot of skills that will help in the long run.”

Ray, who started Geek Window Cleaning in 2007 while bartending and waiting tables, now services hundreds of members in Houston and Austin. His two main hires are sales reps and technicians.

Each new hire starts at “Tier 1” and has the opportunity to work their way up to “Tier 4.”

“As you progress up this ladder, it affects how much money you make,” said Ray. “You’re paid more as you gain skill, and our goal is to get you to Tier 4 as fast as possible.”

In addition to gaining specific skills before jumping tiers, Ray shared the books each employee has to read before getting promoted. The book list is different for sales reps and technicians.

Technician Tier 1: “Eat What You Kill” by Sam Taggart

The first book Ray has his technicians read is actually a sales book. The author, Sam Taggart, started his career as a door-to-door salesman selling solar and alarm systems before building his own sales training business.

“Just because you’re a tech and you’re cleaning windows does not mean that you shouldn’t know how to sell,” said Ray. “They’re still at a customer’s house, there are still opportunities for them to add services if the customer needs it, and earn commissions on that, so we want them to know how to sell.”

Technician Tier 2: “Raving Fans” by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles

Ray believes in providing “unreasonable hospitality,” and trains his technicians to go above and beyond when interacting with customers.

“Raving Fans” is meant to further instill that core value into his employees, he said.

“It helps you understand how to create customers that are so satisfied and so happy with the service that they want to refer you to everybody.”

Technician Tier 3: “Extreme Ownership” by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin

Another core value at Geek is ownership, said Ray: “When you’re on the job site, it’s your job site, and you’re the one responsible for doing a good job.”

With “Extreme Ownership,” which is written by two Navy SEAL officers, Ray hopes to empower his Tier 3 techs to take responsibility and lead by example.

Technician Tier 4: “The Culture Code” by Daniel Coyle

The last book Ray requires his technicians to read analyzes some of the world’s most successful organizations and reveals how they build and sustain culture.

“We hire for culture fit and core value alignment, and we want people who are Tier 4 and higher up to help and mentor anyone who’s a Tier 1,” said Ray, adding: “If they get through all the tiers and they decide to go somewhere else, reading this book is really going to give them a leg up on whatever positions they go to in the future.”

Sales Tier 1: “Inner Excellence” by Jim Murphy

“Their first book is a mindset book, because door-to-door sales is a tough job,” said Ray, who knows from experience. “You can be wildly successful, but it’s all a mindset game.”

Sales Tier 2: “Eat What You Kill” by Sam Taggart

The one book that makes an appearance on both lists is Sam Taggart’s guide to closing deals.

Sales Tier 3: “The Illusion of Money” by Kyle Cease

“We’re trying to not only change their mindset and show them that they can do hard things by knocking doors, but change their mindset around money,” said Ray. “You can make a ton of money selling door to door, and we pay our sales reps very well, but ‘The Illusion of Money’ really helps with the idea of purpose, instead of just chasing money.”

Sales Tier 4: “Dare to Lead” by Brené Brown

Tier 4 sales reps, who work their way up to managing their own team of reps, read Brené Brown’s bestseller on what it really means to lead and how to be an effective leader.

Ray says his list is constantly evolving. For example, he’s reading “Unreasonable Hospitality” by Will Guidara for the first time and may replace an existing book with Guidara’s if he thinks it’s a better fit.

He reads at least one book a month, and considers it a key to entrepreneurial success: “Every business owner should be reading as often and as much as possible.”