Géraldine

What is your current job?

I’ve been working as a product manager for about 10 years now. I’ve worked in various technical sectors, specifically automotive and DIY.

What does a typical day look like for you?

My typical day involves several meetings, handling emails, and so on. I develop product ranges—working with European and Chinese buyers as well as suppliers—that meet quality and legal regulations and hit the right price points for the group’s retail brands, which are distributed across various European countries and the UK.

What is driving you to want a career change?

What is driving me now—and has been for several years—is a search for purpose. I don’t really find purpose in what I do. I want to be proud of my work, to talk about it with excitement and pride to my loved ones, and to be able to explain what I do to my daughter. I also want to feel useful; right now, I don’t feel useful in my work—in fact, I never have. I don’t see what value I’m adding. I’d love to become an expert in a subject I’m passionate about. Turning 30 played a role, and motherhood changed me and led me to discover the career path I’m now pursuing.

What change are you initiating or have you already started?

I’d like to go back to school to become a midwife. It’s a course of study that will take at least five years, so it’s a major undertaking—not just for me, but for my family too: five years without an income and returning to the classroom for a complete 180-degree career shift.

Why is it so important for you to take this step?

Because that’s how I feel today, taking the leap seems like the obvious choice. I get incredibly excited whenever I talk about this project or work on it; I feel like this is where I belong. I don’t feel like I belong in my current job—in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever felt like I belonged in any job I’ve had. The need to make a change and head in this direction has become a visceral one.

Why do you think you will be in your element as a midwife?

It’s a subject I could talk about for hours; I’m passionate about it—every facet of the job, supporting others (especially women) through every stage of their lives and during their most intimate moments, when they are at their most vulnerable yet also their strongest. It aligns perfectly with my values ​​and what I want out of life. I’ve always felt inadequate in my current work, but as a midwife, I believe I can make a real difference and become truly competent—something I’ve never experienced before.

What kind of woman do you see yourself becoming once you’ve achieved your goal?

A woman who feels she belongs, who is proud of what she does, and who is more fulfilled and at peace. Someone more vibrant—I’m losing my spark in my current job; I’m fading away, and there is no way I’m going to let myself just fade out until retirement.

And what do you think the impact will be on the rest of your life?

Being more vibrant and radiant has a positive impact on everything else and on the people I live with. In the short term, there will be an impact on my family, finances, and so on—some sacrifices involved—but I think it will be worth it to feel like I belong, to be positive and fulfilled. It’s a long-term investment.

Do you have any fears or doubts?

I have plenty. The first is financial, because I won’t have any income for five years, plus there are training costs and a future salary that will be lower than what I earn now. Then there’s managing daily life with my family and children: I’ll have irregular hours and night shifts. The medical and hospital environment also scare me a bit; it can be tough, and it’s a world I don’t really know yet. I’ll have to find my place there. And finally, I’ll be going back to school alongside 19-year-old women; the generation gap might be tricky to handle. I’ll be over 40 when I graduate! Generally speaking, I’m afraid of losing the comfortable lifestyle I’ve enjoyed so far—both materially and logistically—but all those fears don’t outweigh my desire to do this; that desire is much stronger.

Finally, what have you discovered about yourself since you began this process of reflection?

Resilience—something I already possessed but have since deepened. I’ve learned never to give up—or at least, I try not to give up and to stay optimistic. If someone had told me three or four years ago that I’d be submitting my application today, it would have seemed impossible. But ultimately, over the last few years, I’ve taken lots of small steps: a big step one day, no steps at all for months, and yet here I am today. I’ve also learned to be tenacious. And embarking on a career change of this magnitude is so challenging that it really strengthens your resolve as you keep going. Finally, having a support system is crucial for a project like this. You can’t do it alone; you need support because, after all, it’s a bit of a crazy idea.