career-change

What if the thing you fear most about motherhood is the very thing that will set you free?

Picture this: It’s a Tuesday afternoon, you’re slogging through yet another corporate slideshow that could’ve been an email, and a hum of possibility tickles the back of your brain. You wonder—what if I pressed pause, just for a beat? What if I pursued something for me—something as beautifully audacious as writing a novel or, say, starting a family?

If you’re clutching your matcha and shaking your head, you’re not alone! The perennial myth that you must choose—career or family, ambition or parenthood—has haunted ambitious folks, particularly women, since the dawn of glass ceilings. But as Business Insider’s recent essay, “At 35 I quit my corporate job and decided to have a baby. Writing my novel helped me be a better mom.”, so brilliantly confesses, maybe the real plot twist is this: you don’t have to choose. In fact, maybe trying to choose is what’s holding you back in the first place.

The Great Balancing Act: Myth or Motivation?

Our protagonist, a thirty-something former corporate trailblazer, admits she dreaded that motherhood would douse her creative fire. (Haven’t we all scrolled through LinkedIn, fearing our next title update would be “Formerly Interesting Person”?)

Instead, she discovered something wild: parenting and creativity aren’t rivals fighting for the last brain cell. They’re co-conspirators. Being a mom didn’t drain her ambition; it recharged it, like plugging her creative battery straight into the messy, marvelous chaos of life. Her story isn’t just a Hallmark montage—it’s a call to arms for anyone convinced they’re one life choice away from losing their spark.

Why “Having It All” Is More Than Hashtag Hype

Let’s be honest: pop culture has made “having it all” sound about as realistic as a Kardashian’s skincare routine. But what if the definition of “all” is up to you? Maybe it’s not about juggling every ball flawlessly; maybe it’s about dropping the ones you never wanted to carry, and picking up the ones that matter, no matter how strange or scary they feel.

The essayist didn’t simply become a mother or just finish her novel. She refused to split herself in two. She panned back and saw the where the Venn diagram of “ambitious writer” and “devoted mom” overlaps: it’s where life gets most interesting.

Open-Loop: But How Do You Begin? (Spoiler: It’s Not About Perfection)

Here’s the million-dollar question: How do you even start when the stakes feel sky-high? I know what you’re thinking—writing a novel is hard enough without midnight feedings, and, newsflash, babies don’t come with a pause button. Or do they?

Well, not quite. But here’s the trick: embrace imperfection. Progress trumps perfection every time. The BI author swapped spreadsheets for storyboards and found her “mom brain” was, shockingly, a creative powerhouse. Turns out, sleep-deprivation and unconditional love can kind of juice your imagination—who knew?

Real-World Hacks For Your Ambitious, Baby-Making Journey

Not everyone wants (or can afford) to take a grand leap, but here are a few brilliant, totally doable tips inspired by the essayist (and echoed by thousands in the FertilityUnlocked community):

• Micro Goals: Whether it’s writing 300 words a day or researching at-home conception kits, bite-sized wins keep you moving forward.
• Divide and Conquer: Share parenting and creative tasks with your partner, your friends, your neighbor’s dog—whatever works!
• Self-Compassion: Repeat after me: “Messy is still progress.”
• Innovative Solutions: The “traditional” path isn’t the only road to parenthood. Today, the options for taking charge of your fertility are more flexible—and less clinical—than ever.

Meet the Modern (At-Home) Mother

Now, you may be thinking—okay, this all sounds great, but what about that actual baby part? There’s a quiet revolution happening in bedrooms and living rooms across the country: at-home conception kits are making it possible to begin (or expand) your family on your terms, in your space, and—drumroll—without draining your savings into the mysterious black hole otherwise known as “the fertility clinic.”

Kits like CryoBaby, Impregnator, and BabyMaker from the MakeAMom resource library aren’t just gadgets—they’re tools for autonomy. They’re designed for folks with low-motility sperm, sensitivities, or simply a desire for privacy and cost-effectiveness. Users report an average 67% success rate, which, in fertility terms, is basically a gold medal. And don’t worry, your nosy neighbor won’t be the wiser—these kits arrive in the stealthiest packaging this side of MI6.

The Unexpected Gift of Both/And Living

The essayist’s big revelation wasn’t just about finding time for writing or surviving toddler tantrums. It was about realizing that creativity and motherhood aren’t in conflict—they’re different flavors of the same wild, unpredictable adventure.

If you’re standing at the crossroads, wondering if you have to choose, maybe it’s time to reframe the question. What if it’s not either/or but both/and? What new version of yourself is waiting if you dare to tiptoe off the well-trodden path?

The Final Word: Your Story Awaits

So, here’s your mission, should you choose to accept it: Embrace the chaos, chase the dream, and rewrite the script. Whether you’re plotting your next novel, your next big career move, or finally looking up how at-home insemination kits work (hint: here’s a great place to start), remember—the only “right way” is the one that honors your ambition and your heart.

What fears are holding you back from living your both/and life? Share your confessions, questions, or wildest aspirations below. Let’s get real—and build the futures we crave, together.