Louise East Coaching and Consulting
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The other day I stopped and realised something. E The other day I stopped and realised something. Everything I’d done since I woke up had been for someone else. For my partner. For my child. For my clients. I’d been responding, helping, organising, doing. And I remember thinking: What have I done today that was just for me? Not chores or things I "should" do. Just something because I wanted to. So I stopped right there. I made a cup of tea, grabbed my book and went and sat in the sunshine. It was just 20 minutes. But I felt so much more peaceful. Happier too. And it struck me how easy it is to move through the day doing everything for everyone else and not notice there’s been almost nothing restorative in it for you. When that happens day after day, of course, we can feel overwhelmed. Of course, exhaustion builds. And sometimes resentment creeps in, too, because our needs are unmet. Small things can shift a lot. So I’m curious…What has your day looked like so far? How much of it has been for everyone else? And is there one small thing you could do today that is just for you? #workingmothers #motherhoodandcareer #mentalload #sustainablemotherhood #restisproductive
You go back to work. On paper, everything looks fi You go back to work. On paper, everything looks fine. But underneath that, it feels harder than it should. You’re more tired than you thought you’d be. Things that used to feel simple take more effort. You’re questioning yourself in ways you didn’t before. And the guilt! At home and at work. I was invited back onto 89.9 The Light to talk about returning to work, burnout and what’s really going on for mothers in this transition. If you’re in this season, or heading towards it, this is for you. I absolutely loved this conversation. #matrescence #workingmothers #backtoworkafterbaby #returntowork #mentalload
One of the tensions many working mothers face is t One of the tensions many working mothers face is that motherhood changes them, while workplaces often expect continuity. I’ve been thinking about this after reading about EY’s changes to their parental leave policy, requiring some employees to repay part of their paid parental leave if they resign within a year of returning to work. And honestly, I can understand why companies may introduce policies like this. Parental leave is a significant investment. Retention is a focus. Workplaces need predictability and stability, too. But I also think there’s a deeper conversation underneath this. Because becoming a parent, and particularly becoming a mother, is not simply a logistical transition. Matrescence changes people psychologically, emotionally and relationally. Women often return from parental leave having changed in ways they didn’t fully anticipate: Priorities shift. Identity shifts. Capacity shifts. Values shift. Definitions of success shift. And we really have no idea what is ahead until we're living it. Some women return and realise the role, pace, culture, or expectations no longer fit the life they now want or need. They haven't necessarily become less ambitious or lack commitment but they've changed. Policies like this can unintentionally create more pressure during an already vulnerable and complex transition. Pressure to “get it right", to stay even if something no longer fits, or to prove commitment and gratitude. This isn't as simple as good companies vs bad companies. It’s a broader reflection of how workplaces are still trying to reconcile the reality of caregiving, identity change and human complexity within systems that were largely built around uninterrupted, linear careers. Many working mothers feel that tension every day. What do you think workplaces still misunderstand about returning to work after becoming a parent, whether it’s the first time or a later transition? #workingmothers #matrescence #womenwholead #motherhoodandcareer #futureofwork
I was talking to a family member I see only once a I was talking to a family member I see only once a year or so, telling them a bit about my work. They said, “Don’t worry, you’ll get back to your real career later.” I felt myself getting angry. "This IS my real career", I said. This conversation reminded me how fixed our idea of a “real” career still is. There's an assumption that it should follow a clear path. You start somewhere, build on it, and keep moving forward in a way that makes "sense" on paper. It's linear, and preferably, uninterrupted. When your career doesn’t look like that, society might deem you to be suffering from a lack of clarity or a period of instability. You're on a detour. Something you’ll eventually come back from. For women, career change is filtered through a motherhood lens, too. So changing careers can be seen as stepping back, losing momentum or becoming "less serious", even if the change is intentional and aligned. But in reality, our careers don't always unfold like that. Life changes. Motherhood shifts things in ways you can’t fully anticipate. What felt right a few years ago can start to feel out of step with the life you’re actually living now. And yet the expectation to stay the same is still there. So it becomes harder than it should be to change direction because you start questioning whether you’re allowed to. Am I wasting everything I've done so far? Should I just keep going? Should I just try to see the positives and be more grateful? I see this often. Women who are thoughtful and capable, sitting in that tension between what they’ve created and what they’re starting to want or need instead. The model of work they’ve been given doesn’t leave much room for change. Careers don’t have to follow a straight line to be real. They can evolve and respond to different seasons of life. They can look different over time and still be valid, serious and successful. Sometimes changing direction is a response to who you are now. If your work has started to feel out of step with your life, and you'd like support to discover your new path, send me a message. #CareerEvolution #WomenInCareer #WorkLifeBalance #CareerChange #EmbraceChange
Your career and your personal life aren’t separate Your career and your personal life aren’t separate. They influence each other all the time. How you show up at work is shaped by what’s happening at home. The decisions you make about your career are shaped by what matters to you outside of it. And the pressure of holding both can feel like a lot to navigate on your own. This is why I do the work I do - supporting women in their career and personal life. Stepping into a new leadership role while managing the demands of motherhood. Thinking about a career change while trying to create more space in life. Navigating challenges at work that are impacting confidence more broadly. Figuring out who they are now and what that means for their career. You get to bring all the different parts of you and your life to coaching. It all matters. It all affects how you feel, think and show up each day at home and at work. I'm so grateful that I get to work with amazing, inspiring women who are courageously facing challenges, learning new things and proactively seeking ways to build the life they want. If you're looking for someone who gets the complexities of working motherhood and can help you think through both your career and personal challenges in a way that actually fits your life, you’re welcome to reach out. #workingmothers #motherhoodandcareer #careermumlife #womenwholead #leadershipandlife
When I first became a life coach, I found it surpr When I first became a life coach, I found it surprisingly hard to say out loud. It wasn’t that I lacked confidence in my skills or my ability to help people. It was more a fear that my new work would feel… less important. Before that, I was working full-time in corporate, dealing with senior leaders and CEOs. I was dealing with strategy and large teams. I was already coaching and had an executive coaching certification, but this felt different. Less serious, perhaps, despite the fact that I genuinely believed in the power of coaching in all areas of life. Then, I realised I had absorbed a very specific idea of what makes work valuable. Proximity to power. Titles. Status. So even though this work mattered deeply to me, part of me still saw it as a step down. I see this with a lot of women. When they start to move towards work that fits their life better, or feels more aligned in this stage, they might notice that the new work feels smaller. Less impressive. Less legitimate. Even when it’s not. That’s not about the work. It’s about the lens we’ve been given. My life coaching certification has actually been invaluable. It’s given me the ability to create my own coaching approach - combining the structure of executive coaching with the deeper work of life coaching. I also get to work in both arenas - corporate and with individuals seeking change in their lives. I love it. Sometimes we can’t see how things will evolve, but the things we learn throughout our careers all work together for our benefit. Have you ever felt a similar shift in how you see your own work? #LifeCoaching #CareerEvolution #SelfDiscovery #WomenInBusiness #WorkThatMatters
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