Many women move through their days holding multiple roles as a leader, caregiver, partner, colleague, and friend, shifting between responsibilities without much space to pause. Over time, constant pressure without recovery affects both the mind and the body.
“Hope is not a strategy!” The phrase often carries a tone of dismissal, suggests removal of agency and can signal a belief that hope creates passivity and even implies reduced effectiveness.
If the job market feels shaky right now, you’re not imagining it. We entered 2026 with another wave of change. US employers cut nearly 110,000 jobs in January alone according to CBS News. During 2025, analysts report that employers eliminated more than 1.1 million roles. There seems to be little time to catch one’s breath as the “efficiency era” keeps rolling and firms shift dollars from payroll to AI infrastructure.
Life’s greatest upheavals often arrive unannounced, forcing us to reckon with loss and vulnerability in ways we never imagined. Job loss, in particular, is not just about the paycheck; it’s a profound emotional experience that can leave us questioning our worth and direction.
We can divide change into two groups based on WHY it’s happening: NECESSARY or UNNECESSARY. We can also divide change into two groups based on how we FEEL about it happening: we either WANT it or we DON’T.
No female leader should feel unsupported. None. But unfortunately, the exact opposite is true. It’s become so commonplace, so accepted, that women in the workplace are struggling that many people think it’s normal.
If you feel confused about which way to go, you’re lost in the proverbial forest. And just like in a real forest, it can be disorienting and confusing. Every tree looks the same. You have no idea which way to go. But there is a way out ~ and it’s easy to find.