Being a Childfree Millennial
is My Superpower
Finding Fulfillment in Creating a Purpose Driven Life Based in Personal Values
(which also happens to be the biggest F*ck you to the patriarchy, if you're looking for one!)
“...But you’d be SUCH a good mother!”
I’ve heard that line a million times
and it hasn’t once magically jump started my biological clock.
When I asked my doctor about “sterilization” at the age of 20,
I thought I was clear on what I wanted for my life.
While my goals to remain childfree have never waivered,
the rest of this whole “live your life to the fullest thing”
has been a bit of a challenge to figure out.
Many of my friends and family pointed to procreation and
“starting a family” as a way to find my purpose in life.
Others made snide remarks about my work being my child.
Sh*t, even I would talk about major projects being my “baby.” 🙄
Sound Familiar?
You’re a successful and driven woman and you’ve got all kinds of clear & precise work objectives…
…but self care goals like:
* Make it to Fiji before I’m 40.
*Research the best monthly massage memberships.
*Try to remember to use my meditation app today.
After all that work and sometimes remembering to focus on your own needs, do you ever just think,
“how in hell am I ever going to feel like all this is enough?”
Hey There!
I’m Maggie Dickens
An Unapologetically Childfree Dogmom
And I would without a doubt —
not be a good mother.
Sure, I am a successful mental health counselor and
badass confidence coach & community builder for the childfree by choice and by chance.
Yes, I climbed the mental health agency ladder quickly and built an obnoxiously long resumé by 30.
Ok yea, I paid off 100k dollars in student debt (BA & two MS degrees 😰) in seven years.
I get it, I have also accomplished a ton of other things in my career
that many point to as “evidence” to how successful I’d be at motherhood.
I see these accomplishments as the exact opposite.
So let’s spill the tea on what was really going on:
> Left the tiny nothing happens here town without getting stuck barefoot, pregnant, and broke. (The backlash for wanting something different for myself was unreal.. 👽)
>Found a “good on paper” but not good for me partner who I spent the next decade with. (Hello codependency and self doubt 🌪)
>Built the big house on a cul-de-sac in the suburbs filled with a tiny dog and tons of #DINK (double income, no kids) kind of luxuries. (Four walls that hid all my unhappiness from the rest of the world. #lonely ❤️🩹)
>Created and launched a new program & treatment framework in a major hospital system – for no additional pay or recognition (Lighter Fluid on Burnout 🔥)
>Became a Clinical Director–basically middle management but damn, that title is FAN.CY! (thus, a #girlboss was born 🤢 )
>Sat on the board of directors and taught internationally for a “we do it because we love it” professional organization. (I have tons of awards–but those don’t pay the bills 💸 or fill my cup )
I still wasn’t happy. Not even close to fulfilled.
I was lost.
As you can see, I was a card carrying member of hustle [cult]ure.
It was after all how I “escaped” my perceived destiny.
I wasn’t working toward all those #humblebrags solely from a place of internal desire.
Heck no! I was running from the examples around me that I thought
I was doomed to experience– mental health concerns, abuse, addiction,
poor financial literacy, undereducation, and complacency.
Grit and determination mixed with a sh*t ton of fear
is what truly saved me from living an unfulfilling life.
I wasn’t nurturing, self aware, or making long-term smart decisions.
I was reacting out of trauma–full survival mode.
So when people want to assign my successful growth and accomplishments
to some obvious maternal traits, I want to laugh and cry at the same time.
Because what they see now, is the result of a ton of personal growth
along side a group of other childfree and childless women
who’ve been my “ride-or-die” supports for almost 10 years.
You can hear some of their stories below:
Click here to Meet Sammie
Childfree By Choice & One of my oldest online turned IRL bestie!
Which is why, I work with childfree women who are feeling lost and isolated—but are ready to ditch the expectations of others and find their forever friends.
It’s time to get in on a progressive,
inside-out approach to curating friendships
that emphasize your uniqueness.
Not your parenting status.
What does that mean IRL?
It means that I will hand over all that I have learned
to help you identify and build upon your core values and strengths
(aka: what makes you a badass)–all while embracing a childfree life
without feeling isolated or misunderstood.