Laid off at 34. Do I still need a day job?

I’m 34 and was recently laid off from my remote job ($120k base + bonus). I’m expecting about 6 months of severance (I was at the company for a long time), which I plan to mostly park in a HYSA for liquidity.

I also have a performing arts career that reliably brings in about $55k/year (mix of W-2 and 1099), which is ongoing.

Financial picture:

• $200k brokerage
• $270k 401k
• $70k Roth IRA
• $20k traditional IRA
• $35k HYSA
• Total: Approximately $600k

I also own an apartment. I was able to buy it at a significant discount because it’s part of an affordable housing program. Comparable units in my building are currently worth around $600k, but I can’t sell at market rate until I’m 54.

• HCOL city
• Mortgage: $1,100/month
• Maintenance: $750/month
• It’s small, but very affordable
• I live there with my partner

Liabilities:

• No student loans
• SBA loan (COVID era): ~$19k remaining at 3.75% interest. Monthly payment: $150
• Mortgage: 26 years remaining at 2.5% interest

Spending:

• Currently around $7k/month (includes travel ~3x/year)
• Could likely reduce to ~$4k–$5k/month with fewer trips and tighter spending

Partner:

• Makes ~$130k/year
• Has less saved than I do

Complicating factor: health insurance

My partner and I were already discussing marriage this year, but now it’s likely we’ll move that timeline up so I can get on their insurance.

I don’t love that losing my job is forcing that decision earlier than planned, but it feels like a practical reality in the U.S.

Goals:

• Early retirement around age 52 to 55
• Travel 2 to 4 times a year
• Potentially buy a second home with my partner in a MCOL town / city
• Likely no kids

Where I’m stuck:

Before the layoff, my plan was to stick it out another ~2 years, get to around $1M invested, and then feel much more comfortable coasting.

Now I’m trying to reassess.

Main question:

• Do I still need a “day job” to hit my goals, or could I try to make things work with my performing arts income + lower spending? To me, it seems like I have about 3 options ahead:
  • Don't get a day job
  • Get a day job but maybe part-time, contract, or less demanding (aim for $60k a year)
  • Get a day job that pays as much as, if not more than, my previous job

Other questions:

• Am I anywhere close to CoastFIRE, or still too early?
• What FIRE number would you target in my situation?

I’ve run a bunch of calculators and get wildly different answers depending on assumptions, so would really value real-world perspectives.