THE QUIET POWER OF WORK
FINDING SUCCESS ON OUR OWN TERMS
Five years ago, I made one of the hardest decisions of my life.
I left a steady teaching job at a high school—a job that looked safe and sensible on the outside—to create something of my own.
It wasn’t a bold leap with trumpets blaring. It was a quiet choice, born out of love and necessity.
My mom needed more care, and deep down, I knew I needed a different kind of life too.
One that allowed me to show up for her. One that let me show up for myself.
Starting my own language coaching business wasn’t easy. It meant stepping into uncertainty. But it also meant reclaiming something I had lost along the way: the freedom to build a life that fit me, not one I had to squeeze myself into.
Sometimes the quietest decisions are the ones that change everything.
As we step into May, I’ve been thinking about the different shapes that “work” can take.
Sometimes it’s punching a clock.
Sometimes it’s growing a garden.
Sometimes it’s carving out time for a dream nobody else can see yet.
Whatever work looks like for you right now, I hope this month you’ll give yourself the grace to honor it—even if it doesn’t fit the usual definition of “success.”
Even if it’s different.
Even if it’s still in the making.
Redefining Work on Our Terms
May 1 is International Workers' Day—a day often tied to protests, labor rights, and fair wages.
But let’s look at it a little differently this year.
All over the world, women are reshaping what “work” means.
Some are shifting to flexible hours to care for aging parents without losing themselves. Some are building tiny businesses from kitchen tables. Some are walking away from workplaces that drained them dry—and some are daring to start over completely after 40, trading titles for true peace of mind.
It’s not about a trophy or a magazine cover. It’s about the daily courage it takes to say, this is my life—and I get to choose how I spend it.
These aren't the splashy "I quit my job to travel the world" stories that flood social media. They're thoughtful recalibrations made by women who still need to pay mortgages, fund retirements, and show up for the people who depend on them.
Small, practical shifts. Quiet acts of strength.
And to me, that’s just as powerful as any parade or protest.
Women Who Found Their Own Definition of Success
These women have done it—proving that success doesn't have to shout to be real.
Louise Slyth
Corporate Professional to Freelance Communicator
In her mid-30s, Louise left a high-paying but stressful corporate job in Edinburgh, feeling unfulfilled despite external success. Driven by a long-held dream to live abroad, she and her husband moved to Barcelona for a year after she accepted a voluntary redundancy package. Embracing a slower pace of life, she found personal growth and renewal. Upon returning to Edinburgh, Louise re-entered the corporate world as a freelance communications specialist, enjoying a better work-life balance and newfound career flexibility.
If you'd like to learn more about her story, you can read it here: Business Insider.
You can also find out more about her freelance activity: LouiseSlyth.com.
Maggie Perkins
Educator to Corporate trainer
Maggie, a 32-year-old former teacher, left her career in education after eight years due to worsening working conditions and low pay. She transitioned to a position at Costco, where she advanced from a membership employee to a corporate trainer and content developer in the company's marketing department. Maggie now creates training materials and guides new employees, a role she finds fulfilling and reminiscent of teaching—without the excessive unpaid labor and emotional toll.
If you'd like to learn more about her story, you can read it here: People.com.
Maureen Chiquet
Redefining Success at the Top
Maureen started her career in marketing at L'Oréal, later helping launch Old Navy and leading Banana Republic. In 2003, she stepped into a big role at Chanel—and just a few years later, she became the company's global CEO.
She helped Chanel grow and strengthen its luxury presence around the world. But in 2016, after some differences about the company's future direction, Maureen decided it was time to walk a different path.
Instead of jumping straight into another high-powered job, she took a step back to reflect on what real leadership—and real success—meant to her.
She shared her journey in her book Beyond the Label: Women, Leadership, and Success on Our Own Terms, encouraging a new kind of leadership rooted in empathy, collaboration, and authenticity.
Her story is a reminder that even at the very top, you can choose a new definition of success—and it can start with listening to yourself.
By the way, the image of Maureen is a self-portrait she painted herself. She’s also a talented artist, creating beautiful, expressive works of her own.
Ava DuVernay
Trusting Her Own Timing
Ava didn’t even pick up a camera until she was 32, after years of working behind the scenes in film publicity.
Without formal training, she self-financed her first feature film—quietly carving out her own path in an industry where few looked like her.
She became the first Black woman to direct a film (Selma) nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, not by following someone else’s timeline, but by trusting her own.
Her story is a reminder that it’s never too late to choose yourself—and to build something lasting in your own way.
If you'd like to hear more from Ava herself, you can read this beautiful interview where she talks about her early love of film, why she cherishes silence, and what it really means to lead with care: The Guardian.
What About You?
What strikes me about these women isn’t the drama of their choices—it’s the clarity. The way they paused, looked honestly at what mattered most to them, and had the quiet courage to shape their work lives around it.
Take a moment to check in with yourself:
✨ What parts of your work truly energize you?
✨ What parts quietly drain you?
✨ If you could reshape your work life—without judgment, without outside noise—what would you change?
✨ And what’s one small shift you could start making today to honor what really matters to you?
