24 year career-1st time resigning before having a new job lined up

[PhoenixAttain]

Hello Greek Family!

I was wondering if anyone out there has experienced anything similar to my situation and has any words of encouragement or advice.
I am nearing the end of my 24th year in education and have worked my way from the classroom to the state dept of education. Long story short-my section was dissolved, I was placed in a new one with a VERY different team philosophy. It was obvious early on that I was not a good fit for their group and they began to make life VERY hard for me. I could see the writing on the wall and turned in a resignation effective at the end of my contract before either being non-renewed or being given the resign or be non-renewed talk. So, for the first time in my career I am resigning from a job without having a new one lined up.

The upside is I have made many contacts through my work at the state. The downside is the question has already come up in one of the two interviews I have gone on “Why are you looking to go back into a school? That’s unusual for someone who has moved to the level you’re at now?” My answer for that so far (which IS part of my reason for leaving is that the work was not a good fit for me in terms of the change to more virtual work and only dealing with selected district leaders when I’m more of a hand on person). Regardless of whether or not others ask the question, I know they’ll be thinking it and the group I’m leaving is heading up one of the “trendy” education movements so they are very much in the field and I don’t trust all of them not to spread gossip or the leadership to say bad things about me. I want to go back into school counseling which I haven’t done since 2010 which will actually bring me a salary close to what I was making when I started at the state because I am National Board Certified.

Again, it’s an unusual and anxiety filled time for me to be in this boat at almost 46 with 24 years experience in. Any encouragement or advice would be appreciated.

Side Note- I was in a local sorority in college and became an Alumnae Initiate in 2014. If I were around 30 I would totally try to go back to school and get into student affairs at the college level. I love the NPC experience and hearing the story of those in my Alumnae Chapter who are in graduate school for that. If you made it to the end of this post, thanks for caring.