Stuck in the middle with you.

And there is no other place I’d rather be!

I had tea with a friend this week, and something became abundantly clear to me: women are going through HUGE life transitions that feel different from any other time.

It’s a volatile job market that I’ve never witnessed in my life. Women want fulfilling work and lives that don’t necessarily fit into the corporate world, and that’s making for an incredibly interesting time for women.

What I can say about the women I know now in the Sandwich generation—those in their mid-40s to 60s—is that this is a time of massive change. But there is a feeling of well, just plain old blah among women of all ages.

It’s a terrible thing to say, but it feels like the world, and corporate America, is pushing women aside for younger versions of ourselves. While that may have happened in past generations, women, especially those of us in the Sandwich generation, are facing something unique: we are being forced to reinvent ourselves.

In a BIG way.

And if I’m honest, for me, it’s been uncomfortable. Sometimes draining. Challenging. Fun. And filled with surprises around every corner.

I have gone through, and continue to experience, my own reinvention. Hanging up my “corporate” job to become a business owner. One of the biggest challenges for me, and there have been many, has been transitioning from being an employee with one job to becoming a solopreneur. On a good day, I think of myself as a Swiss Army knife—versatile, resourceful, and open to what’s next. But on a bad day, it feels like a lot of effort and energy going out with not enough coming back in return, which can be draining.

Introducing myself at a networking event has been like a game. I went from one confident title, “I’m the Head of Talent Acquisition at Company X,” to trying to sort through my various roles and titles to find the one that fits best for that particular situation.

As a solopreneur, I wear a ton of hats. I write blog posts, market my business, attend networking events, share my contact info, and learn how to talk about what I do in tons of different situations. My life is dramatically different. I might have tea with a friend on Monday at 10:00 AM, write a blog post on a Saturday morning, attend a luncheon on a Friday, and talk to a prospective client about their health & well-being while in line at the farmers' market.

Some days I’m coaching clients; other days, I’m recruiting a Head of Accounts for one of my growing agency clients. It’s completely different from the routine I had for most of my life—waking up at 7:30 AM, throwing myself in front of my computer for 10 hours, sitting on Zoom calls, having team meetings, fielding requests from colleagues, and meeting with clients.

If I had to sum it up, I’ve lost the familiarity and flow I had in my full-time job, and it’s been replaced with a jagged line. While my full-time job left a lot to be desired, it also provided structure. I was really good at my job. I loved the core of what I did. I had the tools to tackle challenges, colleagues to strategize with, and a support system to lean on. I generally knew what to expect day in and day out. My solopreneur life is a whole different thing.

You can see the drastic difference between the two.

Something I find really interesting is how successful women answer the question, “What do you do for a living?” Their responses often start by going backward before moving forward—as if what happened in the past was bigger or better. As if we need to justify where we are now, propping it up with what we accomplished in the past.

My life today is not a consolation prize. I’ve worked really hard to get to where I am today.

Have you heard women do this when asked what they do for a living? They might say, “Well, I worked at a fashion company for eight years as the Head of HR. Then, five years ago, I moved up to the Hudson Valley, and now I own a small shop that sells curiosities and I sit on the board of the local small business alliance.” I sometimes notice the answer starts off strong and ends at a barely audible murmur, reinforcing the fact that the past was better, or more accepted, or maybe just easier.

And I get it. When women introduce themselves, we provide context. We frame who we are today as a culmination of who we were. We understand that our past experiences contribute to our present selves. We are not just a former Head of HR. We are consultants, small business owners, mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, and spouses. We are all of it—and more.

We live rich, complex lives that deserve acknowledgment.

What I am working really hard to do in my own life is to not apologize. I don’t want to diminish my past experiences, which have shaped who I am today, and I certainly don’t want to reduce the person I am now. I refuse to shrug my shoulders or lower my voice in uncertainty when I tell someone that I am a Talent Acquisition consultant and that I coach women to take care of their health so they can enjoy their lives.

None of that should be diminished. It’s all important for the women I work with, and I don’t have to get it perfect every time.

Being in this space of reinvention often feels like being stuck in the middle—maybe the Sandwich generation is the perfect name for women in midlife.

What has helped me stay motivated and joyful in this transition is surrounding myself with incredible, successful women who are also in a phase of reinvention. I learn from them every day. They encourage me, push me, and shape my perspective. What I learn from them influences how I coach women to find joy and harmony in their own lives.

Keeping a gratitude journal has helped me stay present for the big and little things in my life that I appreciate while keeping me open to manifesting what I want next.

Eating a mostly whole-food, plant-based diet has kept my energy up and reduced my brain fog. Being a solopreneur takes a lot of outward energy and focus. What I eat and how I take care of myself matters. Eating food that puts less stress on my system is key for me. Learning to go with the flow and not expect perfection has made some of this more fun, and doing my best to compare myself to myself isn’t easy, but when I do, I can see the progress I’ve made and acknowledge what I’ve created so far.

Reinvention is challenging, but it’s also an opportunity to learn, grow, and become someone new. And if you are looking for a partner to support you in your reinvention, that’s what I’m here for.