Tender payout from previous job - thinking of doing multi year sabbatical
Long story short, last year I received a 7 figure payout from a startup I worked at for 4 years. After taxes, I paid off my student loans, got married and we just purchased a house.
Not endorsing this idiot, but the changes in taxes from the BBB and being able to file jointly meant that my refund was 6 figures.
I have about 500k in a brokerage account, and 200k in savings now. Over the last several years, I have suffered tremendous loss (COVID deaths, loss of best friend from alcoholism, murder of a family member). My nervous system is shot. I have worked in tech for the last 15 years, and honestly I'm burnt out. I went to school for data and analytics, and everything is AI now.
I want to take at least 6 to 12 months to reset and ride out this wave of BS in tech right now. However, I'm also worried with the breakneck speed of tech that I can quickly become irrelevant.
I see the job market and the struggles everyone is facing. Is it worth continue working, albeit maybe at a slower pace? Or is it worth talking this leap without anything lined up?