--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was happy to carry on without children…" description: "\"I was happy to carry on without children because I was completely immersed in my work and my career. I only heard the clock ticking in my late 30s, and..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/lisa-stansfield-5109_children_i-was-happy-to-carry-on-without-children_342068.jpg" --- # I was happy to carry on without children because I was… ![“I was happy to carry on without children because I was completely immersed in my work and my career. I only heard the clock ticking in my late 30s, and when my mother Marion died the year I turned 40 it hit me with such a force that we ended up having IVF, which turned out to be unsuccessful.” quote by Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/lisa-stansfield-5109_children_i-was-happy-to-carry-on-without-children_342068.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/lisa-stansfield-5109_children_i-was-happy-to-carry-on-without-children_342068.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dc6/lisa-stansfield-5109_children_i-was-happy-to-carry-on-without-children_342068.jpg) > “I was happy to carry on without children because I was completely immersed in my work and my career. I only heard the clock ticking in my late 30s, and when my mother Marion died the year I turned 40 it hit me with such a force that we ended up having IVF, which turned out to be unsuccessful.” [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Career focus can delay family plans; life events can shift priorities dramatically. **In simple terms:** Work consumed life, later a loss spurred desire for children. Key Takeaway Reassess priorities when life changes. Themes career family loss Mood reflective somber Type personal narrative When to use this quote - mid‑career planning - family counseling - health decisions Key Concepts life transitions grief processing Questions to Reflect On - What values guide your life choices? - How do you balance work and family? A Different Perspective Career success doesn’t guarantee personal fulfillment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Clock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock/) [Clock ticking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clock-ticking/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [We have a generation of women who think that they can just have IVF, and everything will be fine. The odds are against you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-coles/we-have-a-generation-of-women-who-think-that-they-can-just-have-ivf/) [Joanna Coles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-coles/) > [Five women working together is never going to be easy. It's a lot. But God is so incredible, in terms of the timing, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roselyn-sanchez/five-women-working-together-is-never-going-to-be-easy-it-s-a-lot-but/) [Roselyn Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roselyn-sanchez/) > [I think I'm aware of entering my late 30s versus being in my late 20s, when the web was coming out as this new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kalup-linzy/i-think-i-m-aware-of-entering-my-late-30s-versus-being-in-my-late-20s/) [Kalup Linzy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kalup-linzy/) > [I would have been happy to have waited till I was in my mid- to late-30s before I got married, but you don't choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-imbruglia/i-would-have-been-happy-to-have-waited-till-i-was-in-my-mid-to-late/) [Natalie Imbruglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-imbruglia/) > [Feeling attractive didn't come until I was 29... What is it about a woman being in her late 30s that brings out the "Oh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-beckinsale/feeling-attractive-didn-t-come-until-i-was-29-what-is-it-about-a/) [Kate Beckinsale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-beckinsale/) > [Women are now very comfortable to have babies into their late 30s. You can be a father in your 50s. I'm not saying it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-douglas/women-are-now-very-comfortable-to-have-babies-into-their-late-30s-you/) [Michael Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-douglas/) > [My husband was 50; I was in my late 30s. We had lived adulthoods that did not include infants, except as metaphors. And then,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-quart/my-husband-was-50-i-was-in-my-late-30s-we-had-lived-adulthoods-that/) [Alissa Quart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-quart/) > [I boxed till my late 30s, so 47, that's impossible really to be at your best and if you aren't at your best you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-froch/i-boxed-till-my-late-30s-so-47-that-s-impossible-really-to-be-at-your/) [Carl Froch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-froch/) > [Mr. Searle became a satirist, he once said, because ‘in the late '30s, things in general and politics in particular were no longer neatly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-searle/mr-searle-became-a-satirist-he-once-said-because-in-the-late-30s/) Ronald Searle > [I think a lot of athletes when they get in their mid and late 30s, they focus more on kids, on family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gatlin/i-think-a-lot-of-athletes-when-they-get-in-their-mid-and-late-30s/) [Justin Gatlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-gatlin/) > [I quit it because at the end of seven years in an ensemble show with one leader, I thought: 'I will be known as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-duffy/i-quit-it-because-at-the-end-of-seven-years-in-an-ensemble-show-with/) [Patrick Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-duffy/) > [In my late 30s, I flirted with the idea of having a child without necessarily being in a steady relationship. But I've never had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiki-dee/in-my-late-30s-i-flirted-with-the-idea-of-having-a-child-without/) [Kiki Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiki-dee/) > [Why do so many women drop out of the workforce at this age, in our late 30s, early 40s? Well, often it's because we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marielle-heller/why-do-so-many-women-drop-out-of-the-workforce-at-this-age-in-our/) [Marielle Heller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marielle-heller/) > [Being a late bloomer, I really didn't have any interest in children until my late 30s, but I'm so happy I didn't go through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-keach/being-a-late-bloomer-i-really-didn-t-have-any-interest-in-children/) [Stacy Keach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-keach/) > [There was a period in my late 30s where work slowed down for me, as it does for a lot of women. You're no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-crampton/there-was-a-period-in-my-late-30s-where-work-slowed-down-for-me-as-it/) [Barbara Crampton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-crampton/) ## More by Lisa Stansfield > [Love's been here from the beginning of time, and life would be very boring without it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/love-s-been-here-from-the-beginning-of-time-and-life-would-be-very/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) > [I go through phases with money. I'll spend it liberally and then I'll panic and won't spend anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/i-go-through-phases-with-money-i-ll-spend-it-liberally-and-then-i-ll/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) > [I'm proud to be one. I feel a lot stronger, a lot sexier and I think that all of that is reflected in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/i-m-proud-to-be-one-i-feel-a-lot-stronger-a-lot-sexier-and-i-think/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) > [I've always been very emotional when I sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/i-ve-always-been-very-emotional-when-i-sing/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) > [The Manchester music scene was very male dominated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/the-manchester-music-scene-was-very-male-dominated/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) > [You don't hear that much about me being a white and singing soul music in England, but I get the feeling that in America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/you-don-t-hear-that-much-about-me-being-a-white-and-singing-soul/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) > [I know I idolise someone like Billie Holiday, but I don't look at her and think I have to imitate her lifestyle, to try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/i-know-i-idolise-someone-like-billie-holiday-but-i-don-t-look-at-her/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) > [Working class people vote Tory because they think it makes them look a bit posh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/working-class-people-vote-tory-because-they-think-it-makes-them-look/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) > [In terms of the production, the style I use is what I see as the 'Lisa Stansfield sound' and I would hope that when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/in-terms-of-the-production-the-style-i-use-is-what-i-see-as-the-lisa/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) > [I've always been political but I don't like to bring it into my work any more because I think it limits me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/i-ve-always-been-political-but-i-don-t-like-to-bring-it-into-my-work/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) > [My life isn't very racy or exciting so I make things up, tell stories. I like telling stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/my-life-isn-t-very-racy-or-exciting-so-i-make-things-up-tell-stories/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) > [I've never been a twerking kind of girl. I've always relied on my talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/i-ve-never-been-a-twerking-kind-of-girl-i-ve-always-relied-on-my/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) > [I was the first white British woman to reach No 1 on the R&B chart - the American black music chart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/i-was-the-first-white-british-woman-to-reach-no-1-on-the-r-b-chart/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) > [It's always been the same from a long time ago, it's people with promises and people dangling carrots and when you're young and impressionable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/it-s-always-been-the-same-from-a-long-time-ago-it-s-people-with/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) > [A really happy kid. I would go off on my own a lot and live in my imagination. When I got my school report…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-stansfield/a-really-happy-kid-i-would-go-off-on-my-own-a-lot-and-live-in-my/) [Lisa Stansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) [Explore all 103 Lisa Stansfield quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-stansfield/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. 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