The mom guilt hits hardest at 35,000 feet.
Another flight. Another city. Another keynote or consulting project that takes me away from home.
I’m doing work I love. Work that matters. Work that’s completely aligned with my purpose of protecting data security and human labor in the age of AI.
But here’s the truth nobody talks about: even when you’re living your purpose, the guilt of being away from your kids doesn’t go away.
As a mother, you never feel like you’re spending enough time with them, even when you are.
So every now and then, when the weight gets heavy, I check in with my eight-year-old and ten-year-old.
“Are you upset with Mommy traveling so much?”
“Do you feel bad that Mommy has to be away?”
Their answer stops me in my tracks every single time:
“No, Mommy. You’re saving the world from robots taking over.”
That’s the moment when it all makes sense.
I still question myself. I still wonder if I should be home more.
But then I remember: they get it. They understand what I was sent out to do.
And somewhere out there, the work is making a difference.
A reader is applying something from my book to solve a real problem.
An executive is navigating AI transformation with more confidence.
An organization is making better decisions about their AI future.
That alignment doesn’t eliminate the guilt. But it makes it worth carrying.
I travel constantly. I’m where I need to be to give the message, educate, improve literacy, solve AI problems, and discuss solutions.
I love the work. I believe in the mission.
But the mom guilt? It’s relentless. It never fully goes away.
The guilt sits there, heavy and constant, at every airport, every hotel room, every morning I wake up in a different time zone.
But my kids think I’m saving the world from robots.
And that makes every moment worth carrying the weight.
What keeps you going when purpose and guilt collide?
Until next time,
Sol