Returning to work after 7 years raising children
Listening to What the Body Already Knows
We didn't start with her resume. We started with her nervous system.
"Tell me about the last time you felt genuinely excited," I asked.
Her whole demeanor shifted as she described organizing a school fundraiser. "It was chaotic, but I loved it. I was problem-solving on the fly, bringing people together. I felt alive."
"Where did you feel that in your body?"
She pressed her hand to her chest. "Here. Like warmth spreading out."
For three weeks, we mapped what made her body lean forward versus pull back. What energized versus depleted her. Her body had been giving her answers all along, she just hadn't known to listen.
We discovered:
- Rigid hierarchies made her feel anxious and small
- Coordinating moving pieces made her feel powerful
- Deep technical focus drained her; connecting people energized her
- She needed to see the immediate impact of her work
Permission to Have Purpose and Standards
"What do you need in order to thrive?" I asked.
"I don't know if I get to have needs," Mariana said quietly. "I just need a job that pays."
This is the voice of every mother returning after a career break, conditioned to be grateful for whatever she can get. Together, we pushed past that.
Mariana's non-negotiables emerged:
- Real flexibility over her schedule
- Work that mattered work with purpose
- Collaborative culture, not competitive
- Room to grow
Writing these down, she cried, not from sadness, but from relief. She'd given her self permission to want something meaningful again.
Seeing What Was Already There
Mothers see seven years of "nothing." I saw seven years of evidence.
As Mariana described a typical week, I took notes:
- Mediated conflicts with diplomatic precision
- Managed complex logistics across multiple schedules
- Researched and negotiated, saving $8,000 on their renovation
- Built strategic relationships and support networks
- Organized that fundraiser, exceeding goals by 40%
- Adapted constantly when plans fell apart
"That's project management," I told her. "Stakeholder relations. Budget oversight. Negotiation. Strategic planning. Crisis management."
"That's just... life," she said.
"That's leadership."
We identified her true superpower
- Walking into chaos and seeing the path forward
- Reading people and adapting instantly
- Holding multiple priorities without losing sight of the goal
- Building trust and psychological safety quickly
These weren't soft skills. They were rare, valuable, and in high demand.
Finding Where She Belongs
Instead of starting with what she'd done, we started with what we'd discovered: where her nervous system said yes, her non-negotiables, what brought her joy.
Mariana was driven by visible impact and human connection. She came alive bridging people and ideas.
We explored industries that matched:
- Nonprofit operations
- Healthcare administration
- Education program management
- Corporate social responsibility
- Event and partnership management
"I never even considered most of these," she said.
"Most people don't. They only look at what they've done, not what they're capable of."
The Outcome
Three months later, Mariana accepted an offer as Education Program Coordinator at a nonprofit organization focused on youth development. The position was perfect, she'd be designing after-school programs, coordinating between teachers, parents, and community partners, and seeing the direct impact of her work on kids' lives.
She'd stopped apologizing for her gap and started talking about it as intensive leadership development. She'd stopped applying everywhere and started targeting organizations aligned with her values. She'd stopped wondering if she had value and started communicating it clearly.
"I keep waiting for them to realize they made a mistake," she told me.
"They didn't. You know how I know? When you talk about this role, your hand goes right here." I gestured to my chest. "That's your body's yes. You've learned to listen to it."
What Actually Works for Mothers Returning After a Career Break
Mariana's transformation didn't come from resume tweaks or interview prep. As a career coach specializing in helping mothers return to work, I've seen that real success comes from:
Reconnecting with her nervous system - Understanding what environments help her thrive
Naming her non-negotiables - Giving herself permission to have standards Recognizing where she shines - Seeing her "just life" as professional leadership
Understanding what drives her - Finding her true purpose, not what should drive her Identifying best-fit industries - Based on skills, values, and where she comes alive
If you're a mother trying to find your way back after a career break, you're not starting over. You're starting from hard-won wisdom, resilience, and capabilities most people never develop.
The question isn't whether you have value or purpose. The question is: are you ready to see it?