This is a bonus episode with Karen Worstell as she shares with us her experiences from her own burnout of a CISO to finding a new path in life and how it brought her back to the world of cybersecurity.

Karen Worstell's story of overcoming burnout and finding her purpose inspires us all.

"The truth is, for those of us who especially for women and minorities, underrepresented groups, for those of us in this industry, we're the shoulders that the next group stands on. If we flame out and we leave, those shoulders aren't there."

Karen Worstell is a cybersecurity expert with over 20 years of experience in the industry.  She was a Chief Information Security Officer at Microsoft, where she unfortunately worked herself into a state of burnout. She sought help and was diagnosed with sleep deprivation and started therapy, which was a pivotal moment in her journey. After leaving her job due to a medical emergency, she realized she needed to take care of herself. She became a chaplain and worked in palliative care for three years. Here, she reflected on her experiences in the cybersecurity industry and realized a need for more support for those in the industry. She now works to help people in cybersecurity through burnout and moral injury.

In this episode, you will learn the following:

1. Karen Worstell's experience with burnout and recovery
2. The need for better support for employees experiencing burnout
3. The importance of figuring out one's purpose in life

Show Notes:

• Original Episode: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1892704/11843681
• Karen’s website: https://www.karenworstell.com/
• Acedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acedia
• Flameproof - https://www.beanally.today/optin1585929070869
• Acedia & Sloth - https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/desert-fathers-sins-acedia-sloth
• Hal Elrod, The Miracle Morning -  https://www.amazon.com/Miracle-Morning-Not-So-Obvious-Guaranteed-Transform/dp/0979019710
• Hal Elrod YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@HalElrod
• https://blogs.vmware.com/security/author/karen-worstell

Connect with us:

Website: securitymasterminds.buzzsprout.com

KnowBe4 Resources:

• KnowBe4 Blog: https://blog.knowbe4.com
• Erich Kron - https://www.linkedin.com/in/erichkron
• Jelle Wieringa - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jellewieringa
• James McQuiggan - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmcquiggan
• Javvad Malik: https://www.linkedin.com/in/javvad
• Music Composed by: Brian Sanyshyn - https://www.briansanyshynmusic.com
• Announcer: Sarah McQuiggan - https://www.sarahmcquiggan.com

This show's sound is edited by ProPodcastSolutions - https://propodcastsolutions.com/

Loved this episode? Please leave us a review and rating on your favorite podcast platform!