From Constriction to Creation
Why I’m Writing This—and Why It Matters Now
There’s a moment, somewhere around our fifties, when achievement begins to feel like a cage. Or as I call it, the Teflon Business Suit.
A lot of time people assume we feel restriction because we’ve failed. That just isn't the case! We often feel restricted because we’ve succeeded - but in systems, companies, cultures or relationships that no longer fit who we’ve become.
For years, I believed I was doing everything right—climbing ladders, building teams, checking all the boxes that defined “success.” Yet underneath the glossy LinkedIn headlines and endless meetings, something in me was whispering no. Ok - it was actually whispering hellz no.
And it got louder
and louder
and louder
And then I started hearing it in conversations with women just like me: brilliant, (if I do say so myself) seasoned professionals who had spent decades proving their worth inside organizations that once felt like home. Women who had built credibility, influence, and deep expertise—only to find themselves invisible in rooms they once commanded.
It wasn’t burnout, though many of us used that word to make it more palatable. It was constriction.
The Constriction
The women I work with—and have become—are part of a growing movement. According to AARP, over 60% of women over 50 have considered a career pivot, yet only 25% have actually taken the leap. The gap between contemplation and action isn’t laziness; it’s a reflection of the enormous pressure to stay where it’s “safe.”
We’ve built lives around our roles. We’ve earned the paycheck, the title, the sense of being needed. But at some point, the cost of staying begins to outweigh the comfort of the familiar. The security morphs into suffocation.
And when the work that once gave meaning starts to drain it away, that’s the oh sh*t moment of reckoning.
So many of our stories begin the same way:
“I woke up one Monday and couldn’t make myself get dressed for work.”
“My suggestions were suddenly being ignored by people half my age.” (If this is the case, make sure to follow Cynthia Barnes - get those receipts, ladies!!!)
“I’ve spent years helping others build wealth, but what have I actually built for myself?”
Each story echoes the same truth: the corporate container can no longer hold the woman who has outgrown it.
What This Series Is About
Over the next eight weeks, I’m unpacking this journey (and you KNOW I don’t pack light!!!) —from the first cracks in our constriction to the moment creation becomes contribution. It’s the story of how women over 50 are redefining work, worth, and what it means to lead.
Here’s what you can expect in the weeks ahead:
The Constriction: Recognizing when corporate life no longer fits the woman you’ve become.
The Liminal Zone: Learning to trust the unformed future.
Unmasking the Imposter: Understanding and disarming the inner critic that says you’re not enough.
Honoring Wisdom: Moving from diminishment to self-valuation.
From Mindset to Market: Turning insight into income with authentic strategy.
The Technology Advantage: Using digital tools and AI to amplify your voice, not erase it.
Implementation and Support: Creating systems that sustain your energy and impact.
From Constriction to Contribution: Building the legacy business that serves your life—not the other way around.
Forget the hustle. (plenty of techbros you can follow for that). And I’m not glorifying reinvention for reinvention’s sake. I am focused on helping others (and myself) on integrating everything we already know—the decades of experience, the intuition, the grit—with a new way of doing business that honors who we’ve become.
Why Now
We’re living in an unprecedented moment.
Women leaders are leaving corporate roles at the highest rates in history. LeanIn.org reports that for every woman promoted to director, two are choosing to walk away entirely.
And they’re not leaving because they’re tired. They’re leaving because they’re ready. Ok - maybe a little sick and tired of all the bullcr@p!
Women 50+ are ready to build something that reflects our values instead of betraying them.
We’re ready to use technology as a means of amplification, not intimidation.
And we’re MORE than ready to lead in ways that value community over competition and purpose over profit.
For decades, the system extracted our value while rewarding compliance. Now we’re building systems of our own—ones that multiply wisdom rather than silence it.
My Own Shift
When I left my own corporate venture, it wasn’t because I stopped believing in business—it was because I started believing in myself differently.
I realized that the same skills that helped me grow companies for others could be used to grow movements for women like us. That technology, when used with heart and intention, could help us reach global audiences without losing authenticity. That our “second act” isn’t a downgrade—it’s a debut.
If you’re reading this and nodding quietly to yourself, you’re probably already on this path. Maybe you’ve just started to question your next chapter. Maybe you’ve already left the title behind and are standing in that liminal fog, wondering what comes next.
Wherever you are, this series is for you.
What I Hope You’ll Take From This
Every story you’ll read in this series is grounded in research, real-world strategy, and lived experience. But underneath it all is a deeper truth: this movement isn’t just about business. It’s about reclamation.
Reclaiming your time.
Reclaiming your value.
Reclaiming the right to create something that feels as expansive as you’ve become.
You are not starting over. You are starting from wisdom. You are WAY AHEAD!
Never forget - when women lead from wisdom, entire systems change.
Join Me
If this resonates, subscribe to follow the full eight-part series.
You’ll get a new chapter every week for the next 8 weeks—each one blending insight, story, and strategy you can apply right away.
💡 Resources for This Week
💬 Reflection Prompt:
What parts of your professional identity still feel true—and what parts are asking to be released?
Next week: “When the Ladder Turns into a Cage” — we’ll name the constriction and explore how to recognize the signs that your work no longer aligns with who you are becoming.
Thank you for capturing the feelings I have had and many friends, too.
So good!