It doesn’t happen overnight.
One day, you’re confidently navigating boardrooms, leading teams, and making impactful decisions. The next, you’re juggling crisis management, personal health battles, or the transformative journey of motherhood.
And somewhere along that path, you realise: I’ve lost myself.
I’ve been there.
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was consumed with steering my business and supporting my clients through uncharted waters. The relentless focus on survival and crisis management dimmed my inner spark.
Later, facing a cancer diagnosis, my world narrowed to treatments and recovery. In the process, I overlooked the essence of who I was beyond the patient identity.
A client recently shared a similar sentiment. After reaching significant career milestones and embracing motherhood, she found herself questioning her identity. “Who am I now, and what do I stand for?” she pondered.
These are big questions. They take deep work. But they matter.
And this experience isn’t exclusive to motherhood.
Research from the Women’s Midlife Health Journal shows that women navigating midlife transitions – career shifts, health challenges, relationship changes, or caregiving responsibilities – often experience a significant disruption to their sense of identity.
Another study published in ScienceDirect found that stressful life events – such as including changes in work, family dynamics, and health (not just trauma) can lead to identity loss, which in turn significantly predicts increased perceived stress and depression, and decreased life satisfaction.
These findings highlight a broader narrative: many women, amidst life’s transitions, grapple with a sense of lost identity.
But here’s a fact: there’s no expiration date on your value or your contribution.
Leadership, purpose, and self-discovery aren’t confined to a particular age or life stage. They’re ongoing journeys, enriched by our diverse experiences.
In fact, according to Forbes, 80% of the women on their 2024 World’s 100 Most Powerful Women list are over 50—and half are over 60.
We’re not done yet.
We are playing the long game.
So don’t limit yourself because of where you’ve been or how long you’ve been away from “you.”
If you find yourself resonating with these feelings, know that you’re not alone. It’s okay to pause, reflect, and embark on the journey back to yourself.
Because rediscovering who you are isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity.
And the most powerful leaders I know?
They’ve done this work.
They’ve come home to themselves.