Figure Out Your Life with Toya T

It's my birthday month, y'all, and I'm celebrating with a deep, personal episode on reinvention. I'm unpacking my own major career pivot — leaving the classroom after years as an educator to become an education policy specialist — and tracing my journey from adjunct professor to PhD to my role at the state Department of Education.

I also get into other life transitions I've been through: becoming a homeowner, financial ups and downs, watching my parents retire and shift roles (and my own shift into a caregiving role), and the emotional weight of changing identities.

The heart of the episode: four strategies I use for reinventing yourself after a life pivot —

1. Know yourself — your passions, skills, and values
2. Envision what's next — manifest and plan your future
3. Find your community — accountability partners and support systems
4. Be authentic and intentional — about your image and how you show up

I close things out with a spirited, humorous take on Yung Miami's "Spend That" and the discourse around it, tying it back to authenticity and calling out double standards.

Having addressed how to cope with burnout and how to recover from it, I am now turning to the element I believe holds the entire process together — rest.

This is the final installment of my three-part burnout recovery series, and in this episode I explore the seven types of rest that have been instrumental in helping me pour back into myself after years of burnout, significant life transitions, and a five-year hiatus from this podcast. Sleep is only one form of rest. Most of us are neglecting the other six entirely.

In this episode, I discuss:

• Physical Rest — the importance of naps, restorative movement, and giving the body the recovery time it requires • Mental Rest — distinguishing between physical fatigue and cognitive overload, and practical strategies to quiet a mind that is carrying too much • Emotional Rest — creating space to authentically feel your emotions rather than performing wellness for the benefit of others • Sensory Rest — understanding how overstimulation from screens, noise, and constant input depletes us, and how to intentionally reduce it • Creative Rest — what I learned from stepping away from content creation entirely for two months, and how stillness refuels inspiration • Social Rest — the practice of identifying the people and environments that restore your energy versus those that deplete it, and honoring that distinction • Spiritual Rest — reconnecting with your values, your purpose, and the relationships and practices that remind you why any of this matters

I also share personal reflections on reclaiming my health after gaining thirty pounds during burnout, my daily affirmation practice, and other moments from my own ongoing recovery journey.

You cannot be at your best without rest. I hope this episode serves as both a reminder and a permission slip.

🎧 If this episode resonated with you, I would be grateful if you shared it and left a review. 📲 Follow along on Instagram and visit www.figureoutyourlifeblog.com for show notes and resources.

After a five-year hiatus, I'm back — and ready to share where I've been. The short answer? Recovering from burnout. Multiple times. In this candid comeback episode of Figure Out Your Life Podcast, I get personal about my burnout journey across multiple life transitions and share 3 hard-won strategies for how to recover and move forward after hitting a wall.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Sign Up For Figure Out Your Life Newsletter

Sick and tired? Need a break? In this episode of Figure Out Your Life Podcast, I discuss workplace burnout and emotional exhaustion and share 6 ways to deal with this psychological syndrome.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Burnout harms workers' physical health through many pathways
• Overloaded | Beyond Burnout
• Workplace burnout is real and here's how to cope
• Emotional exhaustion: what it is and how to treat it
• 8 black therapists on their best advice for coping right now
• 7 Virtual Mental Health Resources Supporting Black People Right Now
• Filling our Cups: 4 Ways People of Color can Foster Mental Health and Practice Restorative Healing
• How to Refuel When You're Feeling Emotionally Drained
• How I Learned to Stop Glorifying the Hustle and Start Living Intentionally
• Sign Up For Figure Out Your Life Newsletter

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed):

http://figureoutyourlife.libsyn.com/rss

Announcements:

Looking for life advice? Send questions for the new "listener's letter" segment that's coming to the podcast. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can add this segment to the show. Email [email protected] and put hashtag #AskingToyaT in the subject.

Social Media Info:

Have thoughts about the episode? Share on social media using #FigureOutYourLifePod and follow the podcast on Instagram. Email [email protected] with thoughts and questions!

Contact with Toya T on social media:

Website: www.figureoutyourlifeblog.com

Instagram: @figureoutyourlifepod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/figureoutyourlifepod

Twitter: @LuvBeing_ToyaT

eeudROpxGjmiBpS1O0bf

In this episode of Figure Out Your Life Podcast, I reflect on my 20s and share 10 lessons I learned from it. So much happened in that decade that has impacted my life now--especially how I think and approach life--and I thought it would be helpful to share what I learned from those experiences in my 20s with others. Hopefully, this will help twentysomethings avoid some of the hard lessons I had to learn, or inspire thirtysomethings and older to reflect back and figure out what they learned from their 20s.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Toya T's 30 Things Before 30 YouTube Playlist
• Vela Negra Candles
• Sign Up For Figure Out Your Life Newsletter

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed):

http://figureoutyourlife.libsyn.com/rss

Announcements:

Looking for life advice? Send questions for the new "listener's letter" segment that's coming to the podcast. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can add this segment to the show. Email [email protected] and put hashtag #AskingToyaT in the subject.

Social Media Info:

Have thoughts about the episode? Share on social media using #FigureOutYourLifePod and follow the podcast on Instagram. Email [email protected] with thoughts and questions!

Contact with Toya T on social media:

Website: www.figureoutyourlifeblog.com

Instagram: @figureoutyourlifepod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/figureoutyourlifepod

Twitter: @LuvBeing_ToyaT

The term "imposter syndrome" was coined by psychologists Clance and Imes in 1978 to describe the persistent feeling that one's achievements have come about through some sort of accident, luck, or deception and that at any minute other people might find out you're an "imposter." People of Color are particularly vulnerable to this phenomenon due to experiences with racial discrimination, racial-gender stereotypes of intellectual inferiority, and underrepresentation in professional spaces. In this episode of Figure Out Your Life podcast, I discuss imposter syndrome and share five tips on how to fight it before it hinders your success.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• CCW's Alumnae Author Series with Mary Pattillo CC'91 and moderator LaToya Tavernier CC'05
• Imposter Syndrome Hits Harder When You're Black
• Why Imposter Syndrome Is Worse for Women of Color
• The Effects of Imposter Syndrome
• How to mitigate the detrimental effects of imposter syndrome in the workplace
• 9 Ways to Deal With Imposter Syndrome Before It Hinders Your Success
• Sign Up For Figure Out Your Life Newsletter

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed):

http://figureoutyourlife.libsyn.com/rss

Announcements:

Looking for life advice? Send questions for the new "listener's letter" segment that's coming to the podcast. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can add this segment to the show. Email [email protected] and put hashtag #AskingToyaT in the subject.

Social Media Info:

Have thoughts about the episode? Share on social media using #FigureOutYourLifePod and follow the podcast on Instagram. Email [email protected] with thoughts and questions!

Contact with Toya T on social media:

Website: www.figureoutyourlifeblog.com

Instagram: @figureoutyourlifepod

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/figureoutyourlifepod

Twitter: @LuvBeing_ToyaT

Many black women in America feel pressured to act like or be seen as "strong," projecting themselves as self-sacrificing, emotionless, and unbreakable in their daily lives. However, the "strong black woman" identity can actually be harmful to black women. In this episode of Figure Out Your Life podcast, I talk with my friends Claire Gibson, an intellectual property attorney, and Courtenay Barton, a philanthropist, about being black women in America and explore how the "strong black woman" identity can negatively impact black women's lives and well-being.

Links mentioned in this episode:

• The Misconception of the Strong Black Woman
• How the "Strong Black Woman" Identity Both Helps and Hurts
• Taraji P. Henson On Why She Denies The 'Strong Black Woman' Damages Us
• If You've Ever Called A Black Woman "Strong" or "Black Girl Magic," You Need To Hear Taraji P. Henson's Thoughts On It
• Sign Up For Figure Out Your Life Newsletter

Where to find our guests:

Claire Gibson

Website: www.gibsonlaw.nyc

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gibsonlawnyc/

Courtenay Barton

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/highheelsnbooks/

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed):

http://figureoutyourlife.libsyn.com/rss

Announcements:

Looking for life advice? Send questions for the new "listener's letter" segment that's coming to the podcast. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can add this segment to the show. Email [email protected] and put hashtag #AskingToyaT in the subject.

Social Media Info:

Have thoughts about the episode? Share on social media using #FigureOutYourLifePod and follow the podcast on Instagram. Email [email protected] with thoughts and questions!

Contact with Toya T on social media:

Website: www.figureoutyourlifeblog.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/latoyat/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/figureoutyourlifepod

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LuvBeing_ToyaT

Dating can be complicated even during "normal" times. Add in masks, social distancing, and a highly contagious virus for which there is no cure or vaccine, and you get a bunch of people trying to figure out how to safely meet someone during a pandemic. In this episode of Figure Out Your Life podcast, I talk with the Flirty Savage, a Law of Attraction coach, about dating, relationships, and sex, and she shares tips for manifesting the relationship you're looking for.

Listen on iTunes, SoundCloud, Spotify, or Stitcher

Links mentioned in this episode:

• Flirty Savage
• How to Date During a Pandemic
• The Only 8 Flirting Moves You'll Ever Need
• Sign Up For Figure Out Your Life Newsletter

Where to find the Flirty Savage:

https://www.flirtysavage.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFlirtySavage

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theflirtysavage/

Flirty Savage Spirit: https://www.instagram.com/flirtysavagespirit/

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed):

http://figureoutyourlife.libsyn.com/rss

Announcements:

Looking for life advice? Send questions for the new "listener's letter" segment that's coming to the podcast. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can add this segment to the show. Email [email protected] and put hashtag #AskingToyaT in the subject.

Social Media Info:

Have thoughts about the episode? Share on social media using hashtag #FigureOutYourLifePod and follow the podcast on Instagram. Email [email protected] with thoughts and questions!

Follow Toya T everywhere on social media---Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter

Have you been feeling emotionally drained or exhausted in a way that you hadn't before back when life was "normal"? This type of mental and physical exertion are symptoms of "Zoom Fatigue." With more and more people working from home, attending meetings, communicating with family and friends, and learning through video conferencing applications like Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, this fatigue is becoming a growing concern. In this episode of Figure Out Your Life podcast, I discuss "Zoom Fatigue" and share 5 simple things you can do to prevent it.

Listen on iTunes, SoundCloud, Spotify, or Stitcher

Links mentioned in this episode:

• 'Zoom fatigue' is setting in: What it is and how to prevent it
• How to Combat Zoom Fatigue
• Here's Why You're Feeling Zoom Fatigue
• 'Zoom fatigue' is taxing the brain. Here's why that happens.
• Jeremy Bentham and the Panopticon Prison
• Sign Up For Figure Out Your Life Newsletter

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed):

http://figureoutyourlife.libsyn.com/rss

Announcements:

Looking for life advice? Send questions for the new "listener's letter" segment that's coming to the podcast. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can add this segment to the show. Email [email protected] and put hashtag #AskingToyaT in the subject.

Social Media Info:

Have thoughts about the episode? Share on social media using hashtag #FigureOutYourLifePod and follow the podcast on Instagram. Email [email protected] with thoughts and questions!

Follow Toya T everywhere on social media---Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter

In a world where the more you have, the more security you can provide for you and your family, why is being a gold digger not considered a positive attribute? In this episode of Figure Out Your Life podcast, I discuss why we all need to be gold diggers and share 5 simple ways to begin gold digging.

Listen on iTunes, SoundCloud, Spotify, or Stitcher

Links mentioned in this episode:

• In The Hot Seat: The Gold Digger
• The Art of Gold Digging
• The Net Worth of America's 600-Plus Billionaires Has Increased By More Than $400 Billion During The Pandemic
• Sign Up For Figure Out Your Life Newsletter

Click here to subscribe via RSS feed (non-iTunes feed):

http://figureoutyourlife.libsyn.com/rss

Announcements:

Looking for the perfect outfit for your first outing post QUARANTINE? Check out Rent The Runway Unlimited. Here's $100 off your first month to get you started: https://rtr.app.link/e/w1EmVAYaX3

Social Media Info:

Looking for life advice? Send questions for the new "listener's letter" segment that's coming to the podcast. Once I get a critical mass of questions, I can add this segment to the show. Email [email protected] and put hashtag #AskingToyaT in the subject.

Have thoughts about the episode? Share on social media using hashtag #FigureOutYourLifePod and follow the podcast on Instagram. Email [email protected] with thoughts and questions!

Follow Toya T everywhere on social media---Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter