The 50 Love-to-Do's List: Finding a Career That Fits Who You Are Now
This guide is most helpful for Working moms with young children who know they need a career change but aren't sure where to start.
Contributed By: Cydney Hughes· Founder, Colorado Career Academy
The Core Challenge
Many working moms reach a point where they feel stuck in their career after kids. They feel like their career has become one more thing to manage rather than something that lights them up. Life is pulling them in too many directions, they can't show up fully anywhere, and the thought of making a change feels overwhelming when they don't even know where to start.
KEY INSIGHT
It's never too late to make a change, and it's completely normal to outgrow the career you had before kids. Becoming a mom reshapes who you are; your values, your priorities, and what you need from your work. You don't need to go back to who you were, you just need a career that fits who you are now.
Practical Strategies
Create Your "50 Love to Do's" List Sit down and write out 50 things that genuinely bring you joy, make you laugh, or that you just love to do. Once you start to see patterns in your list, you'll have a much clearer picture of what kind of work is actually the right fit for you.
Pick Two Activities Per Week Once you have your list, commit to doing at least two of those things each week. When we feel stuck, it's often because we've lost touch with what brings us joy. Reconnecting with that intentionally and consistently is what starts to shift things. Make it fun, and share it with the people around you.
Map Your Energy For two weeks, track how different activities make you feel, everything from your morning coffee to team meetings to bedtime routines. Rate each one on a scale of 1–10 for energy and engagement. You'll start to see in real time where you're thriving and where you're just getting through it.
Reflect on What You Find After your energy mapping, take time to sit with what you noticed. What gave you energy? When did you feel most like yourself? What have you been missing? These answers tell you a lot about what your career has been lacking and where to focus next.
A SMALL FIRST STEP
Write down your "why." Why do you want to make a change? What are you missing out on that you're no longer willing to accept? Getting clear on that is the most important place to start.
Cydney Hughes is the founder of Colorado Career Academy, a career coaching practice she launched in 2023 after the birth of her first son. As a mom of two boys, she specializes in supporting working moms who want to grow meaningful careers without sacrificing their family life. Through coaching programs, workshops, and presentations, she helps clients gain clarity on their values and strengths and translate that into a strategic job search that leads to roles aligned with both their professional goals and family priorities.
If you're ready to go deeper, I share bi-weekly tips, tools, and resources for working moms navigating career transitions in my newsletter. You can subscribe at https://www.cocareeracademy.com/newsletter
