This was a difficult post to read. So sorry you're in this situation and feeling depressed. Are you alone? Do you have a mortgage? Do you have debt?I
As of today, I am unemployed. First time I have ever been laid off. If the economy had been going swimmingly like it was in February, I would have said Hoorah! because I had already planned to hang it up in October, sell the house, and take a long trip to the west coast to figure out where to live.
I work, or should I say worked, in HR, so I do know that there is already a bias against candidates who have been laid off, so I will have a strike against me.
I’ve decided to get the house up for sale; maybe I can sell before the market falls apart, and take advantage when prices drop in the part of the country that interests me.
But if I stay put and prices plunge, I’ll be stuck in an area I hate. But is being someplace I hate with an affordable roof over my head better than living in a higher cost area when your retirement portfolio has just collapsed?
You mentioned sitting on cash and bonds later in your post. I run a similar scenario in my head, if my DH passed. I'd be lost. It's more the emotional toll, I can reduce my spending in a heartbeat. That part is easy. Being alone scares me more than anything.
Your career is in Human Resources, so you must have experience with dire situations. I'd say, use your instincts. Human resources has a variety of challenges in human nature.
This might sound weird, but we live in a major university town. So much activity, students everywhere. I took a walk through the campus yesterday. Ghost town. Strangely, I enjoyed it. All by myself. There are silver linings if we look for them. The simple things get me through.