hitting the Power Pause as a busy working mom

Taking a Career Break or “Downshifting” for your little kids PLUS Book Recommendations

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After finding out I was pregnant with my second child, I knew I wanted a change. Running a business and having a busy toddler was hard enough; the thought of doing it all with another one made my heart hurt. I wanted so badly to give myself a sabbatical—a long, extended period of time to do nothing but be with my babies while they were still so little. The idea of just basking in the moment without any external pressures sounded pretty great.

At the time, it felt impossible. A flood of emotions and questions filled my mind: “How would the bills be paid?” “Will I get bored?” “Am I really just going to shut down everything I worked so hard for these past 10 years?”

And yeah, sure—maybe the problem was actually the type of business I was running and what I was selling. I was a publisher of a magazine franchise, selling print and digital advertising. While it gave me great flexibility with my time, it was volatile and required constant sales meetings. At the time, I was the sole provider for our family, allowing my husband to focus on growing our assets in real estate. That plan worked well for over a decade! I was focused on growing my business income, and he focused on flipping homes and reinvesting the profit. But the plan started to feel unsustainable as the reality of “trying to do it all” really began to affect my ability to show up well for my family.

The real issue? I had spent 10 years building that business, and I didn’t realize how much of my identity and ego were tied up in it. My colleagues at work kept encouraging me to “reframe” the situation and find a way to create that lifestyle I once loved. I heard countless times that “mom guilt” is just part of being a working mother. But that didn’t sit well with me.

I believe guilt can be an indication that there’s a behavior in your life that needs to be addressed. So instead of brushing those feelings under the rug or saying “It’s normal, learn to compartmentalize,” I decided to pray about what the next right move was for our family.

And here’s the thing—just because something is “good” doesn’t mean it’s right for you right now. And I knew deep down that what I really longed for was a pause. A break in my working life to focus on my kids and rediscover ME. Because my heart’s prayer was, “God, give me the desires of my heart that I may be in alignment with YOUR will for me,” I knew these new desires to hit the brakes were from God.

The other thing I realized is that when you work hard for so long, you forget to spend time with who you are becoming. The woman you are today won’t be the same next year. And also… like, do you actually LIKE who you’re becoming? Can you just sit with who you are right now, as a mother? Doing nothing can be such a powerful reset for the next chapter of life. Not to mention, being fully present for your kids is priceless.

So I made the jump. I left my business. Left not knowing exactly WHAT my next step would be. Left while we were still waiting for a house we had built to sell. Left while my husband had zero remodeling jobs lined up. And I knew it was okay, because sometimes the most powerful step is to PAUSE, for an indefinite amount of time. I think I’ll know when it’s time to hit play again. But in the meantime, writing here on the blog is so therapeutic for me!

If you’re feeling like you’re craving a pause too, I highly recommend these books that helped me better understand the idea of taking a “power pause” or “downshifting” in life:

  1. “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” by John Mark Comer – A powerful read on slowing down, simplifying your life, and finding peace in a fast-paced world.
  2. “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown – This book shows you how to focus only on what truly matters and eliminate the noise.
  3. “Present Over Perfect” by Shauna Niequist – A heartfelt reminder to choose connection, presence, and peace over busyness and burnout.
  4. “When Strivings Cease” by Ruth Chou Simons – A faith-based perspective on embracing God’s grace and letting go of the pressure to achieve.

Have you ever felt the need to pause or reset? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!