Two months ago, I received a message on LinkedIn from Laura, an old friend I hadn’t spoken to in over five years.

She had seen one of my posts about my divorce journey and reached out to share that she, too, is a single mom with sole custody of her son.

I was stunned. In my mind, Laura had the picture-perfect life: a successful career as a professor in China, a beautiful family, everything together.

But life had shifted for her, too.

In her message, she asked me if I had any immigration resources. She was thinking of moving to Canada or the U.S. to further her studies and career. So we scheduled a call.

Laura shared that several immigration consultants advised her to apply for low-entry but high-demand jobs to get her foot in the door.

The plan?

Work a job she didn’t love for a few years, then maybe circle back to her dream of applying to a PhD program or working in academia again.

As she spoke, it was bluntly obvious to me:
That “practical” advice was soul-crushing.

Because at her core, Laura isn’t just a job-seeker.
She’s an educator. An academic. A creative visionary.

Her dream? To blend education, art therapy, and documentary filmmaking to help people heal and discover who they truly are. 🎥🧠❤️

And yet, here she was—being advised to shelf her gifts and play small in the name of “practicality.”

🙅🏻‍♀️ No, thank you!

So I asked Laura:
“What if you aimed higher?”

What if, instead of settling, you honoured your identity as a teacher and applied directly to PhD programs or visiting scholar opportunities?

She hesitated.

“The agencies told me it’s harder to get a visa that way. Almost impossible to get a scholarship. The process could take much longer,” she said.

Ah, the noise.

The “no”s. The well-meaning but limiting advice. The self-censorship. The fear disguised as logic.

So I asked Laura to pause and imagine:
“Six months from today, you are in Canada, working a job you don’t care about just to get by—how would that feel?

She went quiet.
And that silence?
Was the loudest signal of all.

Yes, her dream path might take longer.
Yes, it might be more uncertain.
But she would walk her path.

After the call, I connected her with immigration experts and professors in my network. Laura reached out to each one.

And then, just a few days later, she texted me:
“I’ve decided to follow my original plan.”

She applied to several PhD programs. Following my suggestion, she also pursued visiting professor opportunities.

💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗💗

I, too, thought things would take a while.
Was I wrong?

A month later, I got another message:
“Lisa, great news—I just got a PhD interview!”

It was with a small university in Pennsylvania. The program? Interdisciplinary education with a focus on art therapy. How perfect! 🎯

Two weeks later, we did a mock interview together. I was blown away by Laura’s academic and teaching background.

Two days later, she nailed the real one.

But what moved me most wasn’t her performance.
It was what she said after:
“It doesn’t matter what the result is anymore. I tried my best.”

I teared up.
Because that is what alignment looks like—when you act with clarity, courage, and heart.

And then, just when I thought the story couldn’t get better…
She texted again on Easter.

“Lisa—amazing news. I’ve been offered a Visiting Professor position in New York—for up to five years!” 🗽

Teaching opportunities. Funding opportunities. The chance to apply for a PhD or get certified in art therapy down the line.

Endless doors. All because she said yes to her true self.

She still has hurdles to overcome—telling her university in China, securing a visa, finding a school for her son, housing, and more.

Is it easy?
No.
Is she doing it anyway?
Absolutely.

When the vision is clear, the next step is simple—even if the journey isn’t.

I can’t wait to visit Laura and her son in New York one day.

But even more than that, I hope this story reminds you of something important:

Whatever season you're in—rediscovering your identity as a stay-at-home parent, rebuilding after a divorce, or reaching for a dream you put on hold—
recognize the noise… and follow your signal.

✨ Aim high. Expand. And play big.

Because if not now, when?
If not you, who?

With all my heart,
Lisa 💛

Photo credit: Unsplash