Golden Handcuffs

The term Golden Handcuffs was first recorded in 1976. Chances are you've heard of a golden handshake, which is a particularly tempting severance agreement offered to an employee in an effort to induce the person to retire early. Golden handcuffs is used to describe a situation in which someone is offered a special inducement to stay. Golden handcuffs are also defined as a collection of financial incentives that are intended to encourage employees to remain with a company for a stipulated period of time. Golden handcuffs are offered by employers to existing key employees as a means of holding onto them as well as to increase employee retention rates.

The term golden handcuffs can be applied to personal relationships as well as business relationships. If you are with someone you do not necessarily like or makes you miserable, but you stay because they support you or hand you a credit card, you are wearing golden handcuffs. If you are in a job or career, and you are not happy or you do not love what you do and/or you dread Mondays but you stay because it pays well, you are wearing golden handcuffs. I took my golden handcuffs off exactly two years ago. Fortunately, I was in a situation that allowed me to do that, nonetheless, I do not regret it at all. Ironically, I loved the job itself. I just did not like the people I worked with, nor was I a fan of company politics and all the other baggage that came along with the job. Most people would think I was crazy to give up the salary I had but something I learned in dominoes, not all money is good money. I was miserable. Stressed out, suffering from insomnia, I was angry and even struggled spiritually. It literally ruined my relationship and turned me into a very cynical and paranoid person. I ultimately turned into the worst version of myself. It has taken me a while to match the golden part, but I could not be happier. I love what I do and the people that I work with. I have the time and freedom to tap into my creative side and I sleep better. I have healthy relationships and my relationship with God has been restored. There were times I lost sleep thinking about finances but those have been few and far between and thankfully I am past that.

If you are currently wearing golden handcuffs and you want to break them, you can get out of them. The key to those cuffs is taking the risk and believing that you can and will do it. Obviously you have to be smart. If you are not in a place to just walk away right now, then prepare. Budget and save to give yourself a cushion so that you can break those cuffs. The second part is sticking to it and not running back when times get tough. I will say that in two years I only entertained the thought of running back once and it was for all the wrong reasons. I am grateful that it did not pan out. Not everyone is meant to be an independent entrepreneur. It could be as simple as being in the wrong field or maybe you are in the right field but you are working for the wrong company. If you are in a relationship wearing golden handcuffs, that one is a lot more difficult. Either way it boils down to deciding what means more to you. If the security of the cuffs means more to you, then stay where you are. If you are like me where you are just completely losing yourself and all joy then run and do not look back.

For some, your handcuffs might not be golden at all. Meaning you are happy and you like what you do and you are just not making enough. It is time to plan a move. Maybe it is looking at a different company or pursuing other ways to generate income. You can have it all if you really want to. I did an interview on Omeditation Radio on Stationhead and she made a good point. She called golden handcuffs a prostitute. She hit the nail on the head. They make good money but the line of work and all of the insane baggage that comes with it is horrible. Don’t be a prostitute, you deserve better than that.

If you want to break those golden handcuffs and don’t know how to, go to my website tornadotorres.com, click on contact and send me a message. I just might be able to help you.