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Originally aired in May 2024, this encore episode might just be more relevant now in January 2026. If your New Year energy already feels like it’s running on fumes, take this as your permission slip to pause.

Vanessa explores the emotional and physical exhaustion teachers face—and how lack of sleep, overcommitment, and guilt get tangled together. She shares a powerful metaphor about “big rocks” and challenges you to re-evaluate how you’re spending your time vs. what actually matters to you.

You’ll hear:

• Why sleep isn’t a luxury—it’s a survival need
• What “big rocks” really mean and how to identify yours
• A teacher hack to boost student confidence (and your own)
• A guided reflection exercise from Finding Your Element by Sir Ken Robinson
• Three guiding principles to start clarifying who you are beyond the classroom
  
  

Whether you’re in the middle of burnout, questioning your next move, or just trying to reclaim your sanity—this episode is a compassionate nudge back to yourself.

Keywords:
Teacher burnout recovery, leaving teaching, teacher exhaustion, self-care for teachers, time management for educators, career clarity, Ken Robinson Finding Your Element, big rocks metaphor, prioritizing what matters, teacher stress relief, post-burnout career paths, Vanessa Jackson podcast, Teachers in Transition

Ready to take the next step?
Vanessa helps burned-out teachers transition into new careers with clarity and confidence. If you're ready to explore your options, schedule a free Discovery Session here:
👉 www.teachersintransition.com/calendar

📲 Stay Connected!
📧 Vanessa@TeachersinTransition.com
📱 Text/Voicemail: 512-640-9099
🔗 Follow on Instagram + Threads @teachers.in.transition
📘 Facebook: Teachers in Transition
👥 Join the Podcast Club Facebook Group
🔗 LinkedIn: Vanessa Jackson
🐦 X (Twitter): @EduExitStrategy
🟦 Bluesky: @beyondteaching.bsky.social

The transcript of this podcast can be found on the podcasts’ homepage at Buzzsprout.

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In this encore episode, Vanessa breaks down how learning to say no can help teachers reclaim their time, sanity, and future. If you’ve ever felt guilty turning things down or stuck in the cycle of "yes" to everything—this one’s for you.

We’ll also explore:

• A quick, elegant grading hack to save time
• Why “no” is a complete sentence (and how to say it with grace)
• Petal 5 in our What Color Is Your Parachute series: salary, benefits, and value-aligned goals
  
  

Resources Mentioned:

• What Color is Your Parachute 2024
• Parachute Budget Worksheet
• F*** No by Sarah Knight (Heads up: spicy title, wise advice!)
  
  

Have a teacher hack or story of your own to share?
Email me at Vanessa@TeachersinTransition.com—I love hearing from you.

Stay Connected

• 💬 Email: Vanessa@TeachersinTransition.com
• 📱 Text or voicemail: 512-640-9099
• 🗓️ Book a free Discovery Session: teachersintransition.com/calendar
• 💼 Connect on LinkedIn: Vanessa Jackson
• 📷 Follow on IG + Threads: @teachers.in.transition
• 🐦 X (Twitter): @EduExitStrategy
• 🟦 Bluesky: @beyondteaching.bsky.social
• 👍 Facebook: Teachers in Transition

And remember to send your comments, stories, and random thoughts to me at Vanessa@TeachersinTransition.com ! I can’t wait to read them.

The transcript of this podcast can be found on the Episode’s page at Buzzsprout.

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What if your job search had an engine—and you just needed to spark it?
In this episode of Teachers in Transition, host Vanessa Jackson (former middle school teacher turned career transition coach) breaks down the power of hope, the weight of shame, and the five career hacks every burned-out educator needs right now.

Whether you're exploring new paths or rewriting your résumé mid-meltdown, this episode will help you jumpstart momentum and reclaim your agency.

✨ In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why hope is your starter, momentum is your engine, and habits are your alternator
• Vanessa goes on a crusade against shame and secrecy
• Permission to call out medical gaslighting
• Why your résumé isn’t landing—and exactly how to fix it
• The 20-minute trick that kickstarts your job pivot
• A power paragraph that makes your LinkedIn and cover letters sparkle
• How to answer “Why did you leave teaching?” without the trauma dump
• Why LinkedIn isn’t a stage—it’s a hallway (and how to walk it with confidence)

🎯 This episode is especially for:

• Teachers exploring career transitions beyond the classroom
• Educators dealing with burnout, shame, or medical dismissal
• Women navigating midlife health challenges while still showing up for others
• Anyone feeling stuck and ready for a small but powerful next step

CONNECT WITH VANESSA

• 💌 Email: Vanessa@teachersintransition.com
• 📱 Call or Text: 512-640-9099
• 📅 Book a Free Discovery Call: teachersintransition.com/calendar
• 🔗 Bluesky: @beyondteaching.bsky.social
• 📸 Instagram & Threads: @teachers.in.transition
• 👍 Facebook: Teachers in Transition
• 🐦 X (Twitter): @EduExitStrategy

Programming Note from Vanessa’s Assistant:

Vanessa will be off the mic for the next few weeks while recovering from surgery. Tune in to some replayed favorites, and know she’ll be back soon—with updates, real talk, and new resources to keep your momentum going.

You’ve given enough. It’s time to build a future that gives back.

Teachers in Transition is an independently produced podcast created to support educators navigating burnout, change, and what comes next.

If this podcast has been helpful to you, you now have the option to support the show financially. Contributions are completely optional and help cover production costs so this resource can remain accessible.

Whether you choose to support or simply keep listening, thank you for being part of this community.

keywords:

Teachers, Career Change, burnout, hope, habits, New Year's Resolutions, shame, women's health, teachers in transition

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Are you standing at the edge of a new year wondering which way to go and how far you'll go? In this Teachers in Transition episode, Vanessa Jackson invites teachers, career changers, and dream‑seekers to discover their Word of the Year — a guiding compass that turns hope into directional momentum. Vanessa shares her word of the year and her 26-in-26 goals. This episode helps you find clarity and purpose for 2026, with real stories, practical goal‑setting tools, and a little pop culture wisdom.

🎯 Whether you’re thinking about leaving toxic school environments, redefining your life direction, or simply seeking deeper fulfillment, Vanessa shows you how to turn hope into movement — and movement into lasting change.

📬 Find your guiding word. Build the tools that help you get where you’re going.

📍 Resources Mentioned

🎙 Word of the Year Podcast Reference
👉 Happier with Gretchen Rubin Episode 563 – Need a One‑Word Theme for Next Year?
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-563-need-a-one-word-theme-for-next-year-we/id969519520?i=1000739465433

💡 Word Discovery Tools
• MyIntent Word Finder – pick your guiding word: https://myintent.org/pages/word-finder
• MyIntent “What’s Your Word?” Quiz – guided discovery: https://myintent.org/pages/whatsyourwordquiz

🎥 Pop Culture Inspiration

Moana — How Far I’ll Go (Official DisneyMusicVEVO)
🎥 https://youtu.be/cPAbx5kgCJo

Rush — Wish Them Well
🎥 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF7ihyprGtk (YouTube)

📣 Next Steps

Tell Vanessa your Word for 2026!
1. Send a voice message or email to Vanessa@TeachersinTransition.com
2. Schedule a free Discovery Call:

👋 CONNECT WITH VANESSA

• 💌 Email: Vanessa@teachersintransition.com
• 📱 Call or Text: 512-640-9099
• 📅 Book a Free Discovery Call: teachersintransition.com/calendar
• 🔗 Bluesky: @beyondteaching.bsky.social
• 📸 Instagram, Threads & TikTok: @teachers.in.transition
• 👍 Facebook: Teachers in Transition
• 🐦 X (Twitter): @EduExitStrategy

Keywords

Teacher burnout • teacher career transition • Word of the Year • goal setting • vision + momentum • hope + direction • career coaching • teacher purpose • intentional living •

The transcript to this podcast is found on the episode’s homepage at Buzzsprout

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Feeling burned out, used up, or overwhelmed as the year ends? You are not alone.

In this Christmas Eve episode, Vanessa wraps up the “12 Gifts of Christmas” series with the final three gifts every teacher needs heading into a new year:
💫 Faith – in yourself, your future, and the world beyond the classroom.
🚀 Momentum – why it matters more than motivation and how to build it gently.
🌟 Possibility – permission to dream again and practical ways to set bold, joyful goals for 2026.

Vanessa shares real stories, teacher wisdom, and powerful tools including:

• A letter to your future self (Faith)
• The Small Wins Action Planner (Momentum)
• The Vision for 2026 worksheet (Possibility)
  
  

Whether you’re sneaking in this episode during gift wrapping, or you’ve locked yourself in the car for a breather—you’ll walk away feeling seen, grounded, and reminded that you are worthy of receiving. Not just during the holidays—but every day after.

🔗 Mentioned in This Episode:

• Follow Jenny’s peaceful dot art journey: @dotalongak on TikTok and YouTube
• Commit30 Planner: https://commit30.com
• Make your own 2026 Bingo Card: bingobaker.com or myfreebingocards.com
• Gretchen Rubin’s “23 in 23” concept: https://gretchenrubin.com
  
  

🛠️ Free Tools from the Episode:

• 📄Letter to Your Future Self – Faith Gift #10
• 📋Small Wins Action Planner – Momentum Gift #11
• 🧭 Vision for 2026 Worksheet – Possibility Gift #12
  
  

📌Tags and Keywords

Teacher burnout, teacher career change, transition out of teaching, faith after burnout, momentum over motivation, teacher vision planning, 2026 goals, holiday survival for teachers, career reinvention, Teachers in Transition podcastTop of Form

Bottom of Form

👋 CONNECT WITH VANESSA

• 💌 Email: Vanessa@teachersintransition.com
• 📱 Call or Text: 512-640-9099
• 📅 Book a Free Discovery Call: teachersintransition.com/calendar
• 🔗 Bluesky: @beyondteaching.bsky.social
• 📸 Instagram & Threads: @teachers.in.transition
• 👍 Facebook: Teachers in Transition
• 🐦 X (Twitter): @EduExitStrategy

The transcript to this podcast is found on the episode’s homepage at Buzzsprout

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Episode Summary

Ever feel like no matter what you do—someone’s unhappy?
As a teacher, it can feel like your job is to keep kids, parents, admin, and coworkers content... all while your own needs take a back seat.

In this week’s episode of Teachers in Transition, Vanessa Jackson shares a powerful parable, a pop-culture reminder, and a personal story about a cup holder (yes, really) to walk you through three powerful gifts that every teacher deserves to claim:

• 🎁 The Gift of Joy: Why choosing joy doesn’t require permission—and how a Joy Bingo card can bring play back into your day.
• 🎁 The Gift of Learning: How to reclaim learning for yourself, not just for your students or your school.
• 🎁 The Gift of Adaptability: How every fire drill, tech glitch, and schedule change proves you're more career-ready than you think.

From Aesop’s fable of the man, the boy, and the donkey...
To Monica Geller’s meltdown over mashed potatoes...
To a water bottle rolling across a 4Runner floor...

This episode reminds you that you’ve already adapted, you’re allowed to laugh, and you deserve to build a future that gives back.

🔗 Links to the Free Gifts Mentioned:

• 🧡 Gift 9: Joy Bingo Card
• 📘 Gift 8: Learning Path Mini Planner
• ✅ Gift 7: Adaptability Checklist

🔗 Links to other things mentioned
Teachers In Transition - Episode 179: The Four Rules
Teachers in Transition – Episode 250: Interview with Jenny Long
Happier in Hollywood – Episode 395 Hunting for Disproportionate Joy

🧠 Keywords: teacher burnout, teacher transition, jobs for former teachers, emotional labor, transferable skills, classroom exit plan, teacher identity shift, joy in education, job search for teachers

👋 CONNECT WITH VANESSA

• 💌 Email: Vanessa@teachersintransition.com
• 📱 Call or Text: 512-640-9099
• 📅 Book a Free Discovery Call: teachersintransition.com/calendar
• 🔗 Bluesky: @beyondteaching.bsky.social
• 📸 Instagram & Threads: @teachers.in.transition
• 👍 Facebook: Teachers in Transition
• 🐦 X (Twitter): @EduExitStrategy

The transcript to this podcast is found on the episode’s homepage at Buzzsprout

Send us a text

Feeling maxed out this December? You’re not alone. In this episode of Teachers in Transition, Vanessa Jackson dives into the real root of burnout — capacity overload — and offers three powerful tools to help you begin rebuilding your life and identity beyond the classroom.

Discover how the seasonal pressure of “doing it all” ties into long-term exhaustion, and learn how to shift from survival mode into intentional recovery with the Three C’s: Grace, Clarity, and Connection.

Vanessa shares personal reflections (including how her Christmas tree is decorated for easy post-surgery takedown), explains why networking isn’t gross or gimmicky, and guides you toward tools that can truly support your career transition — without toxic positivity or hustle-culture nonsense.

Whether you're a teacher on the edge or already exploring what's next, this episode is your permission slip to slow down, think deeply, and take one brave step forward.

🎁 Download This Week’s Free Gifts:

• Gift #4 – The Clarity Mini-Inventory: Reflect on what lights you up and what you're no longer willing to compromise.
  Download Gift #4
• Gift #5 – The Networking Tracker: A simple tool to help you track connections, conversations, and career possibilities.
  Download Gift #5
• Gift #6 – Grace in Progress Worksheet: Give yourself the same compassion you offer everyone else.
  Download Gift #6

🔍 Keywords:

teacher burnout, holiday stress for teachers, career change for teachers, clarity and identity, teacher career transition, networking for educators, resume alternatives for teachers, overcoming burnout, second careers for teachers, Vanessa Jackson podcast, Teachers in Transition

👋 CONNECT WITH VANESSA

• 💌 Email: Vanessa@teachersintransition.com
• 📱 Call or Text: 512-640-9099
• 📅 Book a Free Discovery Call: teachersintransition.com/calendar
• 🔗 Bluesky: @beyondteaching.bsky.social
• 📸 Instagram & Threads: @teachers.in.transition
• 👍 Facebook: Teachers in Transition
• 🐦 X (Twitter): @EduExitStrategy

The transcript to this podcast is found on the episode’s homepage at Buzzsprout

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Episode Summary:

December isn’t just tinsel and teacher mugs. It’s also the season when most educators crash - emotionally, physically, and financially. In this powerful kickoff to her “12 Gifts of Christmas” series, this episode delivers the first three transformative gifts every burned-out teacher needs:

🎁 Gift #1: Permission to Rest

Why your body’s exhaustion isn’t laziness. It’s the result of systemic design. Vanessa hands you a literal and metaphorical permission slip to stop apologizing for rest.

🎁 Gift #2: A Guided Gratitude Reflection

Gratitude isn’t toxic positivity. It’s a secret weapon in career transition. Learn how to reframe your teaching experience as proof of your strength, skill, and value as a headstart on resumes and an updated LinkedIn Page.

🎁 Gift #3: The Courage to Dream Again

Dreaming is an act of resistance. Vanessa offers a compassionate path back to your future, with baby steps, brave moments, and a gentle reminder that your courage doesn’t need to roar.

Along the way, Vanessa also tackles:

• The real math behind “paid vacations” (spoiler: you’re not)
• How loan reclassifications are gatekeeping leadership roles
• The student loan trap that targets teachers, nurses, and social workers
• Why burnout is not your fault—and what to do with the wisdom it left behind

💌 GRAB YOUR FREE DECEMBER GIFTS:

These three resources are yours to download — no strings attached.

🎁 Gift #1: Permission to Rest
🎁 Gift #2: Gratitude Reflection Guide
🎁 Gift #3: Courage to Dream Worksheet

Need help getting them? Email Vanessa directly at Vanessa@TeachersinTransition.com and she’ll send them your way.

👋 CONNECT WITH VANESSA

You are not alone—and you were never the problem. Stay connected for weekly wisdom and resources:

• 💌 Email: Vanessa@teachersintransition.com
• 📱 Call or Text: 512-640-9099
• 📅 Book a Free Discovery Call: teachersintransition.com/calendar
• 🔗 Bluesky: @beyondteaching.bsky.social
• 📸 Instagram & Threads: @teachers.in.transition
• 👍 Facebook: Teachers in Transition
• 🐦 X (Twitter): @EduExitStrategy

🎧 Listen & Subscribe!

Available on Apple, Spotify, Buzzsprout & everywhere you get your podcasts.

The transcript to this podcast is found on the episode’s homepage at Buzzsprout