EPISODE SUMMARY

When you lose the external structure of work, role, or identity, your days can feel formless. And formless days lead to anxiety, low motivation, and the feeling that you're wasting time—even when you're technically "free."

Jessica experienced this twice: once in January 2025 when federal contracting changes collapsed her business structure overnight, leaving her in crisis with no sleep, negative thoughts, and paralysis. And again in September 2025 when she intentionally chose a six-month sabbatical in Costa Rica—same loss of structure, completely different experience. The first felt like failure. The second felt like permission, recovery, and the restoration of creativity she thought she'd lost.

This episode is about the difference between those two experiences—and how to rebuild routine that serves you instead of constrains you. Because structure isn't the enemy. Rigidity is. You need anchors, not schedules. Rituals, not routines. Rhythm, not rules.

If you're newly unemployed with empty days, retired without knowing what to do with unscheduled time, or between roles and can't seem to get anything done—this episode will show you how to create meaningful structure without replicating the old job.

RESEARCH & RESOURCES MENTIONED

1. Wendy Wood - Habits research and why losing external structure removes behavioral triggers
2. Francesca Gino & Michael Norton - The psychological power of rituals vs. routines; how rituals reduce anxiety and create meaning
3. University of Pennsylvania Study - Temporal structure and wellbeing; predictable patterns reduce anxiety and increase life satisfaction
4. Retirement Adjustment Research - Bridge activities that create structure and meaning without performance pressure

THIS WEEK'S REFLECTION ACTIVITY

Download the Building Your Daily Anchors worksheet

CONNECT WITH JESSICA

If you're realizing you need support rebuilding structure that serves you instead of constrains you, visit Asbatra.com to explore one-on-one coaching. We design anchors, create rituals, and build rhythm that reduces anxiety without creating rigidity. It's for people who want days that feel meaningful—not just productive.

Website: www.asbatra.com

Substack: https://asbatracoaching.substack.com/ - Join the community for deeper discussions and downloadable worksheets

Leave feedback: Use the thumbs up/down button in your podcast app or comment on Substack

EPISODE CREDITS

Host & Producer: Asbatra Coaching

Episode Length: 34 minutes

EPISODE SUMMARY

You thought this transition would take three months. Maybe six. But here you are—eight months in, twelve months in, maybe longer—and you're still in the middle. You're starting to wonder: What's wrong with me? Why is this taking so long? Why can't I just figure it out?

Here's the truth: You're not failing. Extended transitions are normal. Most transitions take 18-24 months to fully stabilize—not the three to six months we expect. This episode is about surviving the extended timeline without losing yourself, redefining what progress actually looks like, and building the resilience to stay in the middle without collapsing back to the old or forcing a premature new.

If you're laid off and still looking, retired and still aimless, or in a new role that still doesn't feel right—this one's for you.

RESEARCH & RESOURCES MENTIONED

1. Nancy Schlossberg's Transition Theory - Framework for understanding transitions through the 4 S's: Situation, Self, Support, and Strategies
2. Harvard Business Review (2023): "Why Career Transition Is So Hard" - Research showing career transitions typically take 18-24 months to stabilize because they involve identity work, not just job search
3. Annie Duke: "Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away" - Strategic resource reallocation and why taking interim roles can be the smartest move during extended transitions

THIS WEEK'S REFLECTION ACTIVITY

Download the Redefining Progress worksheet

CONNECT WITH JESSICA

If you're navigating an extended transition and need support redefining what progress actually looks like, visit Asbatra.com to learn about one-on-one coaching. We don't just talk about patience—we set micro-milestones, experiment, and build tolerance for the timeline without the guilt.

Website: https://www.asbatra.com/

Substack: https://asbatracoaching.substack.com/- Join the community for deeper discussions and downloadable worksheets

Leave feedback: Use the thumbs up/down button in your podcast app or comment on Substack

EPISODE CREDITS

Host & Producer: Asbatra Coaching

Episode Length: 33 minutes

EPISODE SUMMARY

Fifteen years. That's how long Jessica ran her company before she finally admitted to herself: I want something different. Not because the work wasn't important. Not because she'd failed. But because it had stopped feeling like hers. The creativity and innovation that launched the business had been replaced by limitations defined by someone else. It had become a job. And she didn't want it anymore.

But admitting that felt like betrayal. Like failure. Like quitting.

This episode is the bridge between recognizing you're in transition and actually navigating it. It's about giving yourself permission to want something different than what you've been working toward—even when you've invested years, money, identity, or reputation into the path you're on. Using Annie Duke's framework from "Quit," this episode reframes quitting as strategic resource reallocation rather than failure, and teaches you how to calculate expected value, set kill criteria, and create backup plans so you can walk away from bad bets without guilt.

If you've ever wanted something different but felt like you weren't allowed to—this episode is for you.

RESEARCH & RESOURCES MENTIONED

1. Annie Duke: "Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away" - Framework for skillful quitting as strategic resource reallocation. Core concepts: kill criteria, expected value calculations, sunk cost fallacy, loss aversion, endowment effect, status quo bias, backup plans, and embracing the quitter identity.
2. IDEA Analytics now focuses on organizational change management projects involving digital transformation, talent acquisition, and leadership development.

THIS WEEK'S REFLECTION ACTIVITY

Download the Permission Exercise Worksheet

CONNECT WITH JESSICA

If you need support navigating financial anxiety and making strategic decisions under pressure, visit Asbatra.comto explore one-on-one coaching. We separate fear from facts, identify what actually creates security for you, and build strategic plans that give you runway without compromising what matters. It's for people who want to make financial decisions from strategy, not panic.

Website: www.asbatra.com

Substack: https://asbatracoaching.substack.com/ - Join the community for deeper discussions and downloadable worksheets

Leave feedback: Use the thumbs up/down button in your podcast app or comment on Substack

EPISODE CREDITS

Host & Producer: Asbatra Coaching

Episode Length: 39 minutes