The Crossroads: When Life Forces You to Start Over
One day, Alexis was working toward her dreams.
The next, she was a single mom, facing a reality she never planned for.
✔ She had to drop everything—her career, her goals, her independence.
✔ She packed up her life and moved to a different state.
✔ She moved back in with her parents and became a stay-at-home mom, fully dependent on their support.
"I had no choice but to hit the reset button on everything. It was humbling, frustrating, and overwhelming all at once."
She never expected to be here—starting over from scratch, without a clear path forward.
Now, she’s at a new crossroads: needing to get back to work but having no childcare and no idea where to start.
"I love being with my daughter, but I need to rebuild my life. I just don’t know how."
The Challenges: Facing the Emotional & Financial Toll of Starting Over
- Isolation & Loneliness
"I went from having my own life, my own plans, to being home all day, every day. It’s incredibly lonely." - Depression, Anger & Confusion
"I felt like my life had been ripped away from me. I was mad at everything—at life, at the situation, at myself." - Financial Dependence & Lack of Income
"I need to work, but how do I do that when I’m the only one caring for my daughter? Childcare isn’t an option right now." - Feeling Stuck Without a Clear Direction
"I want to do something, but I don’t even know where to start."
She never imagined being in this position—and now, she’s figuring out how to find her way forward.
What Worked (and What She’d Do Differently)
✔ Moving in With Her Parents
"As hard as it was to give up my independence, I needed their support. It gave me time to figure things out."
✔ Accepting That This Is Just a Season
"I remind myself that this isn’t forever. I will build something new for myself and my daughter."
Would she do anything differently?
✔ Start Looking for Flexible Work Sooner
"I stayed in survival mode for a long time. I wish I had started thinking about what comes next earlier."
✔ Find a Support System—Even If It’s Just Online
"I should have reached out to other single moms sooner. It helps to know you’re not alone."
What Would Have Been Helpful?
📌 A Community of Other Single Moms – Knowing how others navigate working without childcare would have been life-changing.
📌 Flexible Work Opportunities – Options that allow her to earn money while still being her daughter’s primary caregiver.
📌 Mental Health & Mindset Support – Learning how to shift her perspective and find hope again.
"I still don’t know what my next step is, but I’m trying to reframe my thinking and see the possibilities."
Alexis’s Advice: Shift Your Perspective & Start Where You Are
✔ It Gets Better—Even When It Feels Like It Won’t
"You are capable of amazing things, even if you don’t see it right now."
✔ Rewire Your Mindset—Tell Yourself a Different Story
"Instead of thinking about what I lost, I’m trying to focus on what I can build from here."
✔ Find Work That Fits Your Reality—Not Someone Else’s
"I’d love to know what other single moms do for work when they have no one to watch their kid. That’s my biggest hurdle right now."
✔ Don’t Be Afraid to Start Small
"Even if I can’t take a full-time job right now, I can start exploring flexible income streams."
Alexis’s Both& Moment: Finding Strength in the Uncertainty
Alexis’s story is still unfolding. She’s not where she wants to be yet, but she’s starting to believe in what’s possible.
✔ She’s learning she can both feel lost and still take steps forward.
✔ She’s realizing she can both love being home with her daughter and crave financial independence.
✔ She’s proving that she can both struggle right now and still create a future she’s proud of.
This isn’t about having all the answers—it’s about taking the first step toward something new.
