Nicole Walters on How to Know When It’s Time to Leave—Your Job, Your Partner, Your Old Self

For Nicole Walters, bestselling author, entrepreneur, and Tell Me More host, leaving has been a recurring theme—leaving a job that no longer served her, a marriage that was no longer healthy, and versions of herself that no longer aligned with her growth.

On She’s So Lucky with host Les Alfred, Walters doesn’t sugarcoat what it takes to recognize when it’s time to go. She’s candid about the fear, the financial cost, and the emotional toll of big exits. Still, she’s equally clear about the rewards that come with choosing peace over staying stuck. For Walters, leaving is about reclaiming self-worth and making space for what’s next.

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When leaving means choosing yourself

Walters knows the weight of walking away from something familiar. “I would rather choose whatever the hell is out there than continue to be in this thing,” she says.

That meant being ready to rebuild her life from scratch: “I was ready to be by myself, flat broke, three suitcases, supporting three different baby girls that I promised I would love and be with for life, and start from scratch with not a dollar on my back to have the peace.”

Her words reflect a truth many women recognize: Staying in the wrong situation guarantees more pain. Leaving, at least, gives you a chance at something better.

Divorce as the ultimate reset

For Walters, her divorce was one of the clearest examples of knowing when to leave. “The actual action of divorce for me was the worst,” she admits.

The process was grueling, expensive, and prolonged over several years. Still, she has no regrets. “Do I regret going through that fire when I look at the life I have now? I shouldn’t,” she says. “I was married for 12 years. I should have done that 11 years ago, and that is because it was worth it.”

Her perspective reframes divorce as a necessary reset. “I would do it 10 times over to see the health and light in my daughters every single day,” she shares.

This reassurance that the pain of divorce was worth the peace and freedom she gained can provide hope to those facing similar challenges: “I would do it 10 times over for 15 times the amount of money I spent and the amount of money I gave away to have the freedom and peace that I have now.”

Beyond relationships: leaving jobs and identities

Walters’ life isn’t just defined by leaving her first marriage. Years ago, she famously quit her corporate job on a livestream watched by thousands. That moment set her on a path to entrepreneurship, writing, and media work that continues today.

The decision carried risk, but her philosophy was the same: She knew it was time to leave to create the future she wanted.

Walking away from something known—even when it’s painful—takes courage. But Walters explains it this way: You know it’s over when “the only glimmer of hope was to go.”

Choosing peace over familiarity

Walters describes who she became in her first marriage: angry, fearful, anxious. “There was a person who showed up in my previous marriage who was protecting the person I am now,” she reflects. That protective version fought to preserve something—her core self—even as the relationship deteriorated. In her current season, she’s less interested in protecting the old and more committed to fully living the new.

“I could have died in that relationship, and I’m here, I’m alive, and I’m living better than ever before,” she says.

That clarity is the thread running through her story, that choosing peace over familiarity is worth the risk. For women weighing their own exits—from jobs, relationships, or old identities—Walters has compassion. “I have a lot of compassion for women who quit jobs without a plan, who leave marriages,” she says, “because nobody makes those types of decisions if where they were just didn’t present so much discomfort.”

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