Why I Took a Career Break After Senior Leadership

Taking a career break after senior leadership is not a decision I made lightly — and it’s not the first time I’ve done it. My name is Deidra Green, and this is my second intentional career pause. The first time I stepped away from corporate life was over ten years ago, and that pause led me to one of the most transformative chapters of my life — starting an esthetics business, gaining clarity about what I wanted, and ultimately landing my corporate dream job.

Over the next five years, I grew from field trainer to Vice President, all because I took the time to pause, listen to my own voice, and move with intention. In this foundational episode of Designed Pause, I share:

• Why I chose to take another career break after senior leadership

• What an intentional career pause actually looks like

• How listening to your own voice can create clarity and new options

• Why you’re not tired — you’re uninspired or misaligned.

This podcast is for corporate Black women who are successful on paper but quietly questioning what’s next. Not because something is wrong — but because alignment matters. During this pause, I’ll be traveling between the United States and Saint Lucia, doing remote contract work, and documenting what it looks like to intentionally design your life in real time.

If you’re considering a career break, a sabbatical, or simply want exposure to new options, you’re in the right place.

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