What I lost when I stopped climbing the corporate ladder

I worried about how I would feel when I stopped climbing the corporate ladder.

Would I lose my identity?

For my entire adult life, my career was central to who I was.  It gave me self-esteem, fulfillment, and financial independence.

What would I lose by stepping back to make space for motherhood?

Admittedly, I did lose something, but not what I feared.

When I decided to make motherhood my top priority and put my career second, something unexpected happened.

✅ I stopped looking outside myself—especially to men—for approval.

✅ I stopped chasing promotions and raises for validation.

✅ I became free to enjoy work as the destination, not a means to an end.

And I discovered a deeper sense of meaning and purpose than I had ever known.

I loved marketing work, and my career offered me incredible opportunities.

My employers supported me through infertility and IVF. They allowed me to work remotely, which meant I could stay deeply connected to my children as a single mother by choice. My jobs provided the income to support my family and meet my children's needs.

But my career no longer defined me.

I recently talked about this shift with Nimra Saeed at Executives Diary Magazine and with Derek Bock on The Doer's Podcast.

Surprisingly, reprioritizing my life created room for more than motherhood. It opened the door to a new purpose—my mission to help other women become mothers through Cheri’s Choice.

I now know that the time I spend nurturing my children and serving women through my nonprofit will leave a legacy no high-tech job ever could.

If you're ready to pursue a new path to meaning and purpose through motherhood, I hope you'll tune in on January 26 for "Unwrapping New Possibilities for Motherhood."

The virtual event will feature top relationship, motherhood, and fertility experts Dr. Susan Fox, Ivy Margulies, Psy.D., Arsiak Vartenian, Ayo Haynes, MBA, and Mina Yang who will discuss diverse paths to motherhood.

I'll share the registration link next week.

DM me if you'd like early access.