Rebecca Sedler: Resilience, Boundaries and Working Parenthood
In our recent breakfast session, Rebecca Sedler shared a practical discussion on resilience, leadership and managing change whilst balancing a demanding career and family life.
Rebecca spoke about the importance of staying grounded in your own values and setting boundaries to ensure alignment with what matters most to you.
“My choices have all been guided by values (purpose), adventure (fun) and support (love).”
Rebecca spoke about how these three anchors have shaped her decisions across her career and personal life, particularly during periods of major change.
Big personal life evolutions
Rebecca reflected on the fact that careers and lives are not linear. They move through “big personal life evolutions” moments where priorities shift, identity changes, and you are required to adapt.
She described these transitions not as setbacks and are phases of growth where you learn more about yourself and what matters most. Big life changes are not interruptions to your career, they are part of it.
Creating a life that fits together with intention
A key theme throughout the session was how to think about work and life as separate, and how to shape both with intention over time. To avoid burnout, remember that success is broader than your work.
She also spoke about building a way of working and living that reflects your priorities at different stages of life, rather than trying to meet external expectations of what success should look like.
Managing change
Rebecca shared practical advice for navigating uncertainty and change in both career and life, encouraging people to learn from others while intentionally shaping a life that reflects their own priorities and values. She emphasised the importance of trusting your gut instincts, as they are often closely connected to your values.
Build strong, trusted networks
Rebecca emphasised that strong relationships are essential in leadership, especially in male-dominated spaces, where trusted networks support you through moments of uncertainty and help you see opportunities you might otherwise talk yourself out of. Most often hesitation about asking for adjustments is based on our own fears rather than the reality of being refused.
Be generous with your strengths, and open about vulnerability
Rebecca closed this section with a powerful reminder: She emphasised that resilience is not about being strong all the time, it is about recognising when to lean into others, and when to step forward with confidence. She noted how guilt often swallows us when we hesitate to make a decision or not, so it’s important to own your choices.
Final Thoughts
- Learn from others’ journeys but curate yourself according to the life you want to lead
- Build strong, trusted networks - they provide support, create opportunities and enhance resilience
- Be generous with your strength (when you have it) and don’t be afraid to express your vulnerabilities