Is Your Family Standing In the Way of Your Career Break?
Are you having a hard time getting your family on board with you taking a career break or sabbatical?
This is one of the biggest things that comes up for the Black women I serve.
Their families think that leaving a job, no matter what it is doing to their mental health is absolutely crazy. Or their families think that traveling abroad long-term (or moving abroad) is crazy and unsafe, so a career break is a bad idea.
These women don’t find support when they need it the most. Often, instead, they find roadblocks at every family dinner.
Two things I want you to consider if this comes up for you:
Does your family have to be on board with your career break? Do you need their support?
If this causes a rift in your family, is that rift your responsibility? Are they upset because you are breaking some sort of agreement with them? Or are they possibly upset because you won’t be there to do the physical and emotional labor that Black women have been doing for their families for centuries?
There are other reasons they could be worried about you going - they could be projecting their own fears about traveling, or not working on you. But you have to put on your own oxygen mask first. If you don’t take care of yourself, who will take care of you? For most of the women I know, the answer is “no one.”
So take care of yourself, take a break if you need it, and remember that you are taking a career break for you. Because you want to. And you are the only one in charge of you. You are the only one who can let someone else’s fears or lack of support stand in your way.
You!
You!
If you want support and advice while planning your career break, join me for a career break planning session and let’s get your plan on paper and in action. ⚡️
