What is a "power pause"?

A power pause, coined by author Neha Ruch, is when someone deliberately shifts time and energy away from paid work toward family or other priorities for a chapter of life, while still holding onto a sense of self, community, and personal growth — rather than fully disengaging from their career or identity.

How is a power pause different from just being a stay-at-home parent?

Unlike the traditional "stay-at-home parent" label, a power pause encourages people to hold onto a little room for exploring interests, building skills, and staying connected to a sense of self — treating the pause as one chapter rather than a permanent identity shift.

Do career pauses have to mean leaving the workforce completely?

No. A career pause can look like part-time work, freelancing, consulting, or simply stepping back from demanding projects for a season — not necessarily a full exit from paid work.

How do you explain a career pause on LinkedIn or a resume?

Experts recommend framing the time away as a "career sabbatical for family life" or "power pause," and treating any freelance or consulting work during that period as legitimate professional experience worth listing.

How do you know when it's time to return to work after a pause?

Many experts recommend starting a "self-study" practice early — jotting down moments of curiosity, small wins, or skills you're excited about during the pause — so that when you're ready to return, you already have a portfolio of relevant experience to draw from.

The Confidence Trap with Laura Weldy

Victoria here, Girlboss’ executive editor. 👋

We've been wanting to do an episode focused on confident communication at work for a while now, and Laura Weldy (a badass women’s leadership coach!) was the perfect person to bring it to life. She's been a friend of Girlboss' for quite some time, and honestly, this one just came together so seamlessly while Amanda was visiting LA. ☀️

This episode will make you rethink every "sorry to bother you, but…" email you've ever sent.

Tune in now. 🎧

Other stuff the Girlboss team is yapping about on Slack:

Nashville International Airport is being renamed after this legendary country queen. 🤠
If you’re feeling behind, here’s a gentle reminder of how much time you have.
This 2-minute quiz might explain a lot about your period pain.* 🩸

💼 Job of the day: The Hollywood Reporter is hiring a Social Media Producer ($70K–$80K) in LA to shoot, edit, and publish red carpet content, celebrity interviews, and behind-the-scenes access across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. 🎬 Who wouldn’t want to be a professional fangirl?!

The Confidence Trap with Laura Weldy | Ambition 2.0

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