I used to be really confident at work. Now I'm terrified of going back. I second-guess everything. Is this normal? Did it come back for you?
Completely normal. I call it 'returner's imposter syndrome' — you feel like everyone else kept going while you stood still. But you didn't stand still, you just did something different. It does come back, I promise.
Volunteering really helped me — I joined a local charity as a treasurer and it reminded me that I'm actually competent. Just being in a professional context again, even unpaid, rebuilt something.
I found a coach through the Women Returners network who was brilliant. Even 3 sessions made a huge difference. Some coaches offer sliding scale fees too.
Also — tell people you trust that you're nervous. The worst thing is pretending everything is fine when you're terrified inside. My new manager was so kind when I was honest about it.