Taking a Career Break with Katrina McGhee
Summer Series #8 - Elly Quit Her 20-Year Career and Discovered a Completely Different Life
Summer Series #8 - Elly Quit Her 20-Year Career and Discovered a Completely Different Life What happens when the career you spent 20 years building no longer feels like you? In this powerful episode of the Summer Series, Katrina sits down with Elly, a former Assistant Dean for International Programs at the University of Illinois, elected county board member, and lifelong high achiever who reached a breaking point. After years of managing teams, navigating bureaucracy, and pushing through burnout, she made a bold decision: quit her job without knowing what came next. Elly shares the emotional reality of leaving a respected career, the loss of professional identity, and the fear of what other people would think. She opens up about the struggle of learning how to rest, reclaiming mental space, and discovering that spaciousness can be just as uncomfortable as burnout. What began as a career break turned into something far more transformative. During the break, Elly deepened family relationships, became more engaged in local government, returned to writing, and ultimately made a life-changing decision she never expected: becoming a mother again at 44. This conversation is an honest look at uncertainty, reinvention, and the courage to choose a life that is aligned with who you are today, not who you were 20 years ago. If you’ve ever felt trapped in a successful career, questioned your identity outside of work, or wondered what might be possible if you finally gave yourself space to breathe, this episode will resonate deeply. Connect with Elly on LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellyhanauer/ ️ Enjoying the podcast? ⭐ Follow or subscribe on your favourite podcast app so you never miss an episode! If the show has helped or inspired you, leaving a quick 5-star review genuinely makes a huge difference and helps more people discover the podcast. And if you know someone feeling burned out, stuck in their career, or dreaming about taking a career break, share this episode with them — it might be exactly what they need to hear. ❤️ Your support helps us continue creating honest conversations, practical advice, and inspiring stories for people ready to make a change. ▶️ Watching on YouTube? Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you never miss future episodes and career break conversations - https://www.youtube.com/@TakingaCareerBreakwithKatrina Timestamps 00:00 Burnout behind a successful 20-year career 02:45 Meet Elly: assistant dean, elected official, and overwhelmed high achiever 07:12 When travel stopped being exciting and became a burden 12:08 Choosing wellbeing over certainty and leaving without a plan 14:39 The first weeks of freedom and the discomfort of too much space 17:31 Learning to be instead of constantly doing 20:02 Why it took months to truly decompress from work 24:10 Searching for a new path through writing and public service 27:21 The unexpected conversation that changed everything 31:22 Becoming a stay-at-home mom and redefining success 35:42 What Elly learned about risk, identity, and societal expectations 40:11 The biggest impact of coaching during her career break 45:27 The power of hearing other people’s stories 48:02 Full circle: from podcast listener to podcast guest Ready to stop "running on empty" and start running toward a life you actually love? Join the BreakSpace community - www.gobreakspace.com Order Katrina's book (w/ special bonus!) - https://www.kmcgheecoaching.com/book Subscribe for more deep dives into career growth, work-life balance, and mental resilience. Produced by Winging It Productions - https://www.wingingitproductions.com
