113. The Hard Call with Sarah Clifford | A Woman's Choice to Stop and Live Fully

Host Elizabeth Tiglao-Guss speaks with Sarah, co-founder of The Otherhood Collective, about Sarah’s path toward living without children and how the project began with longtime friend and co-founder Lisa Levy. Sarah is the co-founder of The Otherhood Collective, a community and storytelling platform that gives voice to those navigating life outside traditional expectations of motherhood, family, and identity. With nearly two decades of experience working with brands like Amazon, ESPN, Disney, NBC, and Paramount, she’s passionate about creating spaces where diverse stories are heard, celebrated, and empower others to live authentically.Sarah shares trying to conceive in her early 30s, undergoing medical testing and hormone treatments, being told IVF likely wouldn’t work, and choosing not to pursue surrogacy, donor paths, or adoption due to emotional capacity amid repeated family losses, including the deaths of her parents, her husband’s brother, a niece, and later her mother-in-law’s decline. She discusses redirecting love toward nieces, nephews, and community, the ongoing grief without regret, and a non-label approach to “childless/childfree.” They describe The Otherhood Collective’s year of storytelling content, the catharsis participants feel sharing with strangers, plans for in-person events, and where to find the Collective online, including a new Substack.Her Motherhood Journey BeginsFertility Treatments and PausesChoosing Another PathLoss and Mental CapacityRegret, Grief, and AcceptanceFounding The Otherhood CollectiveChildfree vs Childless LabelsCommunity Threads and StorytellingFuture Plans and In-Person EventsDefining a Full Life TodayClosing and Where to Find ThemConnect with Sarah:https://theotherhoodcollective.substack.com/YT, TT, IG, FB, LI all @theotherhoodcollectiveConnect with Elizabeth:IG: @bychanceavenueStay connected & up to date with all things By ChanceWant to share your story? Apply to be a guest!