You know you’re not the same woman...

When we think about returning to work after maternity leave, the first thing people usually ask is, “How do you feel about leaving your baby?”

And yes, that part is hard. The separation, the worry, the logistics — all of it tugs at your heart.

But for so many women I speak with, the real challenge isn’t just leaving their child. It’s something much quieter, and in many ways, much heavier.

👉 It’s losing yourself in the process.

🌿 Why does this happen?

Motherhood changes you in profound ways. Your priorities shift, your routines change, your confidence may take a knock, and suddenly the version of you who once felt so capable and sure of herself feels a little blurry.

And yet, when you walk back into the workplace, the expectation is that nothing has changed. You’re given your projects, your meetings, your deadlines — as though you can simply slot back into the same mould you left behind.

But inside? You know you’re not the same woman.

The old energy isn’t there in the same way.
The confidence you once carried feels shaken.
Your definition of success doesn’t quite match the old one anymore.

This gap — between who you were and who you are now — is what makes returning to work so disorientating.

💼 You’re not alone

If you’ve ever felt like you “lost yourself” during this transition, I want you to know you are not alone.

In fact, this is one of the most common experiences women share with me. They expected to miss their baby. What they didn’t expect was to miss themselves.

It’s important to say this out loud because too often we brush it aside, tell ourselves we should just “get on with it,” or that we’re lucky to even have the opportunity to return. But your experience matters. Your identity matters. And your growth matters.

✨ What this community is for

This is exactly why I created the HERA Coaching community. It’s not just a space to talk about schedules or productivity hacks. It’s a space to talk about the deeper transition — the identity shift, the self-doubt, and the journey of rediscovering who you are now.

Here, we’ll focus on:

🌿 Harmony — balancing work, family, and self without guilt.

💼 Empowerment — rebuilding your confidence and reclaiming your voice.

🔥 Resilience — creating strategies to carry you through tough days.

✨ Aspiration — redefining success for this new season of life.

You don’t need to “find your old self.” You get to grow into your new one.

💬 I’d love to hear from you:

When you think about your own return to work, did you feel like you “lost yourself” in the process? How did that show up for you?

Let’s talk about it here — because you don’t need to carry this feeling on your own.

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