Not Career Advice is a monthly podcast and a̶d̶v̶i̶c̶e̶ coaching column that asks and answers questions about "making it" in your career—and what that even means.
You can submit your own question here.
The career question
I love this idea Taylor and I have a question that’s been eating at me for awhile now but I’ve been too scared to sit down and get to the root of it, so here goes!
I started my blog back in 2015 right at the height of the Girlboss era! I was a struggling actress at the time, and having a creative space that I created all by myself was exhilarating! I got my power back and didn’t have to ask for permission to be seen, or audition or create.
After that I started a podcast and did both blogging and podcasting for years. That spawned into a coaching business and now a stationery business. I’ve loved doing it all. I LOVED the hustle of it all. That all changed in 2022 when I gave birth to my son. I still like the idea of my little digital empire but truth be told, I’m starting to finally acknowledge the shift that’s happening. Motherhood is a whole new identity for me and because of that it’s making me question whether or not I truly still resonate with any of my past identities—“GirlBoss” entrepreneur, content creator. I can’t tell if I’m tired because I’m a stay at home mom now to a very energetic two year old. Or if I’m tired tired of the hustle. Of being “business owner” “girl boss” so in the words of Adele my question is “should I give up? Or should I just keep chasing pavements?!”
I’ve tried to show up in different areas that were new to me (YouTube) and also without trying to be an advice giver or guru. Just as an avenue to document my life/ business/ motherhood etc. but even that is starting to feel a little meh to me. Am I outgrowing something that’s been apart of me for almost a decade now?!? Huh! Such a tough question I’ve been scared to answer
- Jess
The not career advice
Jess,
Most of us have a question we’ve been afraid to answer. You were brave enough to ask it. Bravo!
Can I share a hunch? It sounds like you’re grieving. Not grieving becoming a mother, but grieving projects, ambitions, and identities that don’t feel the way they once did. Even if you went back to blogging like the OG you are, it wouldn’t be the same as in 2015. You’re different. Your life is different. Even the internet is different.
Before you try to answer the question, “What’s next?”, have you given yourself space to grieve what was?
That might look like honoring what you’ve built for nearly a decade. Read podcast reviews and notes from past clients. Revel in the impact your work’s made. Or maybe you mourn the dreams you had for your little digital empire, acknowledging that they won’t come true in the exact way you expected. You might even narrate the story of your blog and subsequent businesses from the beginning to the present moment.
As you grieve, ask yourself: What have these identities—blogger, podcaster, YouTuber, entrepreneur—meant to me? What do I lose if I lose those identities?
Grieving is clarifying. The raw honesty of the process surfaces what you love, what you miss, what you’d rather not repeat, and what you want most for the future.
Let yourself grieve, and see where it leads you.
One thing I know about you, Jess, is that you can’t help but inspire others. You’re simply figuring out what that will look like in this season of your life.
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