Jenny Child on Grief, Career Transitions, and Presence
About the episode
This episode is for anyone who's:
- Stepping away from a high-level role
- Moving through grief or loss (personal or professional)
- Questioning who they are beyond their job title
- Learning how to be present in seasons of change
A powerful reminder that growth doesn't always look like striving — sometimes it looks like listening, resting, and allowing space for what's next.
Key Takeaways:
- Grief isn't only about loss — it often shows up during career transitions
- Leadership roles can deeply shape identity, making transitions emotionally complex
- Presence becomes essential when control and certainty fall away
- Stepping back doesn't mean failure — it can mean integration
- True success evolves as we evolve
- Slowing down can reveal what achievement alone never could
Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction & Jenny's career background
02:10 – Identity beyond leadership and success
05:00 – Grief as a teacher during life transitions
08:30 – Leaving a role that once defined you
12:15 – The emotional cost of high-performance culture
16:00 – Learning presence when certainty disappears
20:10 – Letting go of urgency and external validation
24:45 – Redefining success after loss and change
29:30 – Advice for leaders navigating transitions
33:00 – What it really means to trust yourself again
Hi there, I'm Hannah
Executive Coach, podcaster, speaker, writer, and builder of big f*cking Dreams. My mission? To help ambitious professionals build self-acceptance, self-trust in their careers.

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