When your career doesn't go your way

Ambika M.

Leaving graduate school early, job loss, poor fits - all traumas I've had to navigate through. Whatever nebulous point represented my dream career now has a circuitous route to get there. Add to that the mental toll that professional, financial, and social shifts take on our well-being, especially when we don't learn "corporate speak" in school! I'd love to share ways that I've handled these setbacks - such as becoming a content creator - as well as practical ideas for job seeking. As important as our careers are, they don't represent our entire identity.

Leaving a job that was hurting your mental health while parenting alone

Carleen H.

In 2021, I completely broke down. I was a single mom raising a 9-year-old, managing a demanding job, and trying to pretend I had it all under control. The truth? I was crying behind closed doors, forgetting things, losing sleep, and snapping at the people I loved most. I was barely surviving and felt like I was failing as a mom and a professional. One night, after yet another meltdown in the kitchen, I knew something had to give. I quit my job with no safety net—no partner, no backup plan, and very little support. It was terrifying. But that leap gave me space to rebuild. I started a company focused on helping parents teach their kids life skills for the real world. I had to learn to believe in myself again, redefine success, and accept that doing it all perfectly isn’t the goal—doing it with presence is. I’ve also been able to support others through similar struggles. A close friend of mine, also a single parent and startup founder, hit a deep depression recently. I sat with him in the darkness, shared my story, and helped him start seeing a way forward.

Getting your finances together (no judgment, just real talk)

Christine D.

I didn’t grow up talking about Roth IRAs or credit scores at the dinner table. What I knew about money came from watching the people around me survive—not thrive. I learned how to stretch, hustle, and make do. But budgeting? Investing? Understanding my paycheck? That came later… painfully, and mostly through trial and error. For a long time, I carried shame about what I didn’t know. I thought I was behind. I thought I was bad with money. But the truth is, I was never taught. And that’s not a personal failure—it’s a systemic one. Eventually, I got tired of feeling anxious every time I checked my bank account. I started reading, asking questions, unlearning toxic money beliefs, and building systems that actually worked for me. I’m not a financial advisor—but I am someone who understands what it’s like to figure it out as you go. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the idea of “getting it together,” but deep down you want to be more in control of your money—you’re in the right place. We can start wherever you are.

Being a single mom after a divorce

Dawn K.

I’m a mother to a 16-year-old son, and through all the twists and turns of life, I’ve learned how strong I really am. Growing up, I was impacted by the tragic loss of a neighbor due to domestic violence, and it lit a fire in me to support women and families in crisis. When I was married, I became the sole breadwinner in our home—but just as our marriage was ending, I was laid off. It was one of the most challenging moments of my life. Suddenly, I had to figure everything out on my own. And I did. Since then, I’ve built a life I’m proud of. I believe I’m an excellent mom, and I’ve worked hard to provide stability, love, and support for my son. My journey has included every kind of relationship challenge you can think of—from heartbreak to healing—and I’ve come out of it with compassion, resilience, and a deep desire to help others.

Holding on to your purpose during professional uncertainty

Francisca B.

In 2023, I lost my job—unexpectedly and without warning. It was more than a career disruption; it felt like a deep personal loss. My work had always been tightly woven with my identity and purpose. I wasn’t just clocking in—I was leading, building, and championing inclusion at the highest levels. So when it was gone, I found myself questioning everything: my direction, my worth, and what came next. That season forced me to slow down. As someone who thrives in high-performance spaces, sitting in stillness was uncomfortable. But it also became one of the most sacred times of my life. I leaned into my faith, embraced rest, and got honest about what I needed—mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I surrounded myself with people who reminded me of my value, even when I couldn’t see it for myself. And over time, a new vision began to take shape. Not immediately, not perfectly, but with clarity rooted in who I was, not just what I did. I know what it’s like to be a high-achieving leader brought to an unexpected halt. To grieve what was, while trying to believe in what could be. If you’re navigating professional loss or uncertainty, you don’t have to do it alone. Let’s talk.

Surviving homelessness and rebuilding your life from the ground up

Holley B.

There was a time when I had no home — no safe place to sleep, no privacy, and no idea how I was going to survive another day. Homelessness stripped me of everything I thought defined me. It left me exposed, judged, and emotionally wrecked. What most people don’t understand is that homelessness isn’t just about losing a roof over your head — it’s about the crushing weight of invisibility, the constant danger, the trauma of not knowing where you belong. For me, it came after years of abuse, addiction, and heartbreak. And it was one of the most humbling, terrifying seasons of my life. But it was also the beginning of a rebuilding I never thought possible. I clawed my way back — through recovery, healing, faith, and sheer grit. I rebuilt my life brick by brick, not just externally, but internally. Today, I carry the strength of someone who’s been at the bottom and made her way home — to herself. If you’re in that place now — or trying to heal from what you survived — I want to talk with you. I see you. I believe in your ability to rise.

An unexpected job loss

Jessica B.

I had worked with the same company for 25 years. The Owner decided to retire and close the company. Suddenly, I realized my future where I thought I would continue working until retiring was closing the doors. I had been with this company since I was in my 20s. What am I going to do? How can I restart? I have no idea. Anxiety and stress consumed me. All day I only thought about the "what's next" and "starting over". It had been years since I went to school or learned anything knew. The world was more advanced than I was and how could I catch up? I was not sleeping. I was having physical symptoms from the stress. I had been the breadwinner of my family, how can I let them down? The guilt of not continuing to promote myself through the years and the fact that I had put all my eggs in one basket was heavy. It was a heavy burden to carry around and carrying it alone wanted to make me give up. How can I reinvent myself? What if no company wants me? Financially, I was watching the money in the accounts get smaller and smaller. I didn't just want a paycheck, but a career. Ever step forward, felt like a step back. I had a good career, high up in the company and now to start over is scary, isolating, insignificant, ashamed.

How to set a budget, keep to it and manage debt in this uncertain financial times

Katrina N.

I'm as prone as anyone to press the buy now button as anyone else, but for a while there, I found myself using the instant uplift of online purchases to avoid thinking about difficult topics. This thankfully didn't put me into debt, but as someone who never had much income to begin with due to becoming disabled early on in life, impulse purchasing quickly made life much more difficult than it needed to be. Not to mention the gathering clutter around my home. The only reason it didn't put me into debt was due to my credit card use as a young adult, so I couldn't get a credit card, not even the prepaid kind. I even had to have my grandmother cosign my first utility bill. luckily after paying my bills ontime I was able to get a prepaid card and have recovered my credit score.

Surviving the job market and navigating career ups and downs

Micah L.

I graduated from college in May 2020, right into the pandemic-era job market. I felt lucky to land a job just a few months later, but it quickly revealed itself to be a toxic environment. I was laid off that October, and a long stretch of underemployment and instability began. I didn’t find consistent full-time work again until September 2021. That second job felt like a lifeline, but after about a year and a half, I was laid off again—only to be re-hired a week later when they realized they needed me back. In the brief window of that layoff, I had already started interviewing for a new role. I kept going with the process and, after multiple rounds, landed a better job: one that came with a raise and opportunities to grow. I was then able to leave the company that had laid off and re-hired me. Since 2020, I’ve experienced firsthand how chaotic and unpredictable the job market can be. I’ve learned what it takes to stay afloat through layoffs, rejections, and burnout, and have developed strategies for applications, interviews, and finding the confidence to keep going. If you’re feeling defeated by job searching, know that you’re not alone. I’m here to share practical advice and remind you that your worth is not defined by your employment status.

Side hustles, burnout, and building income streams around your interests

Micah L.

From October 2020 to September 2021, I was unemployed and navigating a really tough job market. To stay afloat during that time, I tapped into the gig economy and explored side hustles. I started with Shipt deliveries, then leveraged connections from college to land freelance work in PR and copywriting. Once I landed a full-time job in September 2021, I stepped back from side hustles to focus on my new role. But when I was unexpectedly laid off again (and then re-hired a week later), I jumped back in. I began freelancing in social media for a skincare brand—work I kept doing for a full year, even while transitioning into my current job in May 2023. These days, I also post my own skincare content online, which lets me combine a personal passion with creative work. I’ve learned that side hustles can be a powerful way to make progress toward your financial goals (whether it’s saving for a car, building an emergency fund, or just having extra money for travel or fun purchases). They can also be an outlet for creativity and personal interests that your full-time job doesn’t fulfill. While side hustles can be great, balancing everything takes strategy, boundaries, and self-awareness to avoid burnout. I’d love to help others find that balance and build side income in a way that feels sustainable.

Breaking into the 9-to-5 world as a first-gen college and corporate worker

Micah L.

As a first-generation college student and first-generation corporate worker, I had to figure everything out on my own, from applying to schools and building a resume to opening a 401(k), choosing an HSA, and learning how to navigate the world of corporate benefits and workplace etiquette. Watching my parents hustle through the 2008 recession taught me early on that I deeply value stability—and for me, that has come from a 9-to-5 job. That stability has allowed me to take control of my finances and start building the kind of security I’ve envisioned for years. Now, at 26, I’m often the youngest person and only woman in the room, especially in my male-dominated corner of tech. It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s pushed me to learn how to advocate for myself, make the most of every opportunity, and be proud of how far I’ve come. I’ve become the friend who loves to talk openly about jobs and money, and I’d love to help others just starting their own path (especially those going to college and trying to break into the 9-to-5 world with no roadmap!)

Parenting/caretaking through financial hardship

Monique G.

Watching single moms (including my own) navigate financial hardship while raising children was never easy, and experiencing it as a child wasn’t either. Now, as a mother myself, I’ve lived it more times than I can count. Relationship choices set me so far back that it’s taken everything just to return to “starting over.” Today, I’m rebuilding. I’m going through a divorce, raising children (some with disabilities), breathing through uncertainty, and working toward my degree. The bills still come. The anxiety didn’t disappear when the relationship ended; in some ways, it got louder. But I’m still here. Still showing up. And I know what it feels like to be unemployed, underemployed, a stay-at-home mom trying to find work and school, and carrying others through it. I've lived through crises as a child and as an adult. I can hold space for you as you walk through your.

Navigating financial stress as a single parent

Sarita B.

Financial stress first hit me hard when I became a single mother. The emotional and physical demands of parenting alone collided with the reality of limited income and rising debt. I often felt paralyzed by the weight of financial insecurity. It wasn’t just the logistics of paying bills—it was the feeling of being trapped, of falling behind while others moved forward, and of constantly being reminded of childhood poverty I had hoped to leave behind. At my lowest, debt felt like an 800-pound gorilla sitting on my chest. I shrank in social circles where others had more financial stability, and struggled to feel like I belonged. But over time, I began to face things head-on. I made one small step each day—checking my bank account, making hard phone calls, asking for help. I learned that the fear of doing something was often far worse than the task itself. Though financial stress still lingers, my mindset has shifted. Even though it can still feel hard, I’ve seen my own strength in action. I now understand that money doesn’t define me—my values, my efforts, and my love for my child do. That clarity allows me to move through challenges with more grace, confidence, and self-worth.