You've built a life that works. But does it still work for you?

You've spent years getting on with it.

Building a career. Raising a family. Being dependable. Being useful. Looking after other people. Doing what needed to be done.

And from the outside, perhaps everything looks pretty good.

But somewhere along the way, something has shifted.

You’ve changed.

And the life that fitted you ten or twenty years ago might not quite fit the woman you are now.

You might not know what you want instead.

You might not even be able to explain what’s wrong.

You just know you don’t want to spend the next ten, fifteen or twenty years feeling like this.

Welcome to what comes next.

WHICH PART OF YOUR LIFE NO LONGER FITS?

Start with the free PERFECTO self-assessment

Before you decide what needs to change, it helps to understand where you are now.

Because sometimes we think the problem is our job when actually there’s something else going on.

Sometimes we think we need to completely reinvent ourselves when what we really need is more space, better boundaries or a different way of living.

And sometimes, yes, we really have outgrown something.

The PERFECTO Framework™ helps you step back and look at your life as a whole.

Your physical and emotional wellbeing. Your relationships. Finances. Environment. Work. Thinking. And whether the life you’re living still reflects the things that actually matter to you.

It isn’t about finding everything that’s wrong with your life.

And despite the name, it definitely isn’t about becoming perfect.

It’s about getting curious.

Perhaps you recognise yourself here...

On paper, everything is fine.

You’ve achieved quite a lot.

Other people might even look at your life and wonder what you’ve got to complain about.

And that’s part of the problem.

Because you can’t necessarily explain why you feel dissatisfied either.

There’s just a nagging feeling that there must be something more.

You've become very good at being who everybody else needs.

Partner. Mum. Daughter. Friend. Leader. Colleague. Carer. Problem-solver.

You’ve spent years being capable and dependable.

But when was the last time you stopped and asked:

What do I need?

Or even:

What do I want?

Something has changed.

Perhaps the children have left home.

Maybe menopause has shifted how you see yourself.

Your career doesn’t excite you anymore.

Perhaps you’ve experienced burnout, redundancy, bereavement, separation or another significant change.

Or perhaps absolutely nothing dramatic has happened.

You’ve simply changed.

You know you don’t want another ten years of this.

But you don’t necessarily want to blow your life up either.

You’d quite like to understand what’s going on before you start making enormous decisions.

Good.

That’s exactly where I think we should start.

I know something about starting again.

Career and burnout

At 52, after 28 years in NHS nursing, I left.

I’d had a career I was incredibly proud of.

I’d worked in intensive care, education, cancer services, service improvement and senior nursing leadership.

I’d raised two daughters alongside it.

I’d studied, progressed, led teams, developed services and spent a very large part of my adult life caring for other people.

And eventually, I ran out of road.

The strange thing is, I didn’t recognise it while it was happening.

Looking back, the clues were everywhere.

I stopped telling the terrible dad jokes I was known for.

I stopped speaking up as much in meetings.

I stopped doing some of the little things that made me me.

I became cynical.

And eventually I reached the point where I simply had nothing left in the tank.

The turning point

But here's the really interesting bit.

About a year before I burnt out, I’d become fascinated by a question:

What happens when someone leaves a career that has been part of their identity for decades?

So I started a podcast called Life After Public Service and interviewed 52 people who had done exactly that.

It took me rather longer than it probably should have to realise I wasn’t only interested in their stories.

I was trying to work out my own.

The messy middle

I wish I could tell you that I left the NHS, immediately discovered my purpose and skipped merrily into my fabulous new life.

I didn’t.

I've experimented.
Changed my mind.
Learned new things.
Started a business.
Wondered what on earth I was doing.
Taken another employed role.
Started coaching women.
Learned more about myself than I expected to.

And I’m still evolving.

What I have discovered is that you don't need to have your entire future mapped out before you start moving towards it.

Sometimes you need somewhere to stop.

Think.

Ask yourself better questions.

Work out what matters now.

And take the next step.

That’s the space I create for the women I work with.

This isn't about becoming a new woman.

I’m not particularly interested in turning you into somebody else.

I’m interested in helping you rediscover the bits of yourself that may have become buried underneath years of responsibility, expectation and getting on with things.

Together, we can explore where you are now, what isn’t working, what matters to you and what you want the next chapter of your life to contain.

And when you’re ready, we’ll turn all that thinking into something practical.

Because insight is lovely.

But eventually we need to do something with it.

What comes next

Your first ascent may have been about proving yourself.

Qualifications.
Career.
Family.
Security.
Achievement.
Being useful.
Doing the things you thought you were supposed to do.

What comes next doesn't have to look anything like the first part of your life.

It might involve a new career.
Or changing the one you already have.
Starting something.
Stopping something.
Creating more space.
Rediscovering an old part of yourself.
Doing something you’ve quietly wanted to do for years.
Or simply deciding that success means something different now.

You don't have to know yet. That's rather the point.

Working with Donna was both grounding and energising. She helped me gain real clarity around my offering and shared practical insights I could put into action immediately. Her supportive, personable style made the whole process feel spacious and productive. I’d highly recommend her to anyone seeking a thoughtful, effective partnership.

D. M

Clarity & Positioning Work

Training with Donna at the Coach Business School was a privilege — being coached by her was even more powerful. Her calm confidence and natural empathy created a space where I felt completely comfortable opening up about a challenge I had been grappling with. She has an incredible ability to ask the right questions, cut through the noise, and guide you toward meaningful clarity and action. Donna’s positivity is contagious, and her integrity and genuine care are evident in everything she does.

Hilary Griffin

Professional Peer & Client

Working with Donna was one of the most valuable investments I’ve made in myself at this stage of my career. After decades of professional success, I knew I wanted my next chapter to be more intentional, but I wasn’t sure how to articulate what that looked like. Donna has a rare ability to combine deep insight with practical guidance. She helped me step back, reconnect with what truly matters to me now, and shape a vision for my next phase that feels both exciting and authentic.

K.K.

Career and Life direction

Through this work with DBC The Second Ascent, I gained clarity, renewed confidence, and a sense that the most meaningful part of my professional life may still be ahead of me. I would recommend Donna to any accomplished woman who knows she has more to contribute and is ready to redefine success on her own terms.

S.H.

Deeply personal, absolute clarity on next steps for my best future

I would highly recommend Donna. She is incredibly warm and compassionate, and has a real ability to hold space in a way that makes you feel safe, heard and understood. Her skilful questioning helped me gain clarity and move from feeling stuck to creating a clear plan towards my goal. I left feeling more confident, focused and ready to take action.

Recommendation by Louise Ramage ACC – Workplace Neurodiversity & Wellbeing Coach (March 26, 2026)