Reinvention, AI, and the Quiet Fears We Don’t Talk About — A Starting Point

This piece kicks off a new series I’m sharing — reflecting on how AI is reshaping marketing, creativity, and confidence. It’s deeply personal, and also deeply relevant to anyone navigating reinvention, tech shifts, and storytelling work today.

This past year reshaped who I am.

I was deep into a role I loved — leading marketing and communications at a healthcare innovation company.

I became a mom.

I turned 40.

And then, when my son was six months old, I was laid off.

And it felt like more than losing a job — it felt like losing momentum on the version of me I’d been building.

Since then, I’ve been job searching — while navigating new motherhood, managing a household, caring for aging parents, and trying to hold onto my own mental health in a world that doesn’t slow down.

I exercise. I go to therapy. I try to stay present.

Because between the career uncertainty, the caretaking, and the world shifting under our feet — this isn’t just a job search.

It’s a survival season.

Amid all of that, the biggest professional shift I’ve noticed isn’t just the economy. It’s the role of AI — and what it means for people like me.

Marketers. Writers. Communicators. Creative thinkers. People who’ve built careers on emotional intelligence, storytelling, and brand voice.

And now we’re navigating a world where machines can do parts of the job we’ve spent years mastering.

I talk about this with friends and former colleagues — quietly, behind the scenes. Because even though we’re all experimenting with AI — whether to brainstorm a pitch or write a post — it still feels like we’re supposed to pretend we’re not.

Like if we admit it, we’ve lost our edge.

But I’ll go first: I do use AI. I used it to write this post. And I still mean every word.

Because to me, this shift isn’t just about tools. It’s about identity. Confidence. The fear of being replaced. And the belief that we still matter — not in spite of technology, but because of what it can’t do.

So I’m going to start sharing.

About AI, yes — but also about work, reinvention, burnout, motherhood, mental health, and what it means to be human through all of it.

If you’re navigating that too, I hope you’ll follow along.