From Sinking to Soaring: My Career Comeback After Divorce

By Lisa Roberts

At 40, I faced a triple blow: my marriage ended, my financial security disappeared, and my career was a distant memory after seven years as a stay-at-home mom. Overnight, I was a single mom with two daughters, child support as my only income, and no roadmap for the future. My life plan collapsed: a glaring résumé gap, shattered confidence, and a paralyzing fear of job hunting.

I lay awake at night calculating how long I could keep my house before money ran out. With a toddler and a 7-year-old, I obsessed over childcare options. I also knew I needed health insurance, stability, and a paycheck that could stand on its own.

Fear ran the show, and I pretended for my girls that I was fine.

Then something inside me shifted. I realized I could keep waiting for someone to rescue me—or I could be my own hero. That mindset shift became my lifeline.

I stopped apologizing for my career break and reframed it as proof of resilience. During those years, I’d managed crises, handled budgets, volunteered extensively, and even done freelance website work for schools and small businesses. Once I took a hard look at all I had accomplished, I saw those years as a masterclass in adaptability and grit—not a gap. Slowly, my confidence returned.

I enrolled in online courses, reconnected with colleagues, and networked relentlessly. It wasn’t instant—there were rejection emails, awkward interviews, and nights I doubted everything. But persistence became my fuel. Eventually, I landed a leadership role at a company I’d worked for years earlier, proving my value not only survived my career break, it grew because of it.

Today, I lead a team of project managers at a technology consulting firm, overseeing multi-million-dollar projects. I’m remarried, raising a blended family of three teenagers, one young adult, and two rescue dogs. Looking back, that setback became the launchpad for my second act.

That journey shaped the woman I am today — one I can finally look at in the mirror and feel proud of. Over the years, I’ve mentored women at similar crossroads. I recently launched Smoms.net (Second Act Moms) to help midlife moms turn career breaks into comebacks. I’m building an online course and community to help women rebuild confidence, translate “mom skills” into marketable ones, and find flexible, fulfilling work. My divorce didn’t just change my life—it gave me a mission.

My five biggest lessons from turning a setback into a win:

• A man is not a financial plan. My mom, a divorce attorney, warned me years ago: “Lisa, a man is not a financial plan. Not a good one at least.” She was right. Relying solely on someone else for stability is a risk no one should take.

• Keep a toe in the door. The freelance work I did during my career break barely made money, but it gave me a bridge back in.

• Own your story—it’s not a gap, it’s growth. Every skill you’ve gained counts. Frame it that way.

• Lead with connection, not just credentials. Networking opened doors my résumé alone never could.

• Surround yourself with people who see your potential. My friends and family were the mirror I couldn’t be for myself. Their belief kept me going.

Losing what I thought defined me—marriage, stability, career—forced me to rebuild from the ground up. From sinking at 40 to soaring in midlife, I learned reinvention isn’t just possible. It’s powerful.

Connect With Lisa

www.smoms.net

Instagram: @real_smoms