In this episode of 'Sh*t I Just Quit My Job?', host Maricella Herrera talks about the emotional and practical aspects of taking a career break. She reflects on her breakiversary and discusses her journey with career coach Katrina McGhee, author of 'Taking a Career Break for Dummies.' Maricella asks listeners to share their own career change stories and emphasizes the importance of community in navigating job transitions. Katrina shares her own experience of leaving corporate life, overcoming financial and emotional challenges, and finding her true path. The episode touches on themes like reclaiming one's life, setting personal goals, and redefining success.

About Katrina McGhee:

Katrina McGhee is a career break and sabbatical coach, speaker and author of the bestselling book, Taking a Career Break for Dummies. With her wealth of knowledge and experience, Katrina helps mid-career professionals design transformative life breaks that lead to happier, healthier and more fulfilling lives.

Katrina developed the Break Blueprint©️, a guiding framework she's used to help nearly 100 clients rejuvenate their lives by taking a break to travel the world, launch a business, write a novel, change careers and more.

Katrina's work was inspired by her own 20-month career break where she saved $40,000 in just 18 months to quit her corporate job to travel the world. As an avid world traveler and digital nomad, her expertise on career breaks and travel has been featured in prestigious outlets such as NBC, ABC, Forbes, Smarter Travel, Thrive Global, and Yahoo.

Key Lessons:

* Plan Thoroughly: Assess your financial situation, budget carefully, and prepare emotionally before taking a career break.

* Clarify Your Purpose: Define your "why" to stay motivated and focused during your break. Include three to four themes that you can come back to.

* Reframing Productivity and Overcoming Guilt: Learn to value rest and self-care as essential components of personal growth and redefine what productivity means to you.

* Embracing and Explaining Your Break: Transform your break into a compelling narrative of growth and self-discovery, making you stand out to future employees.

Episode Notes:

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:52 Community Involvement and Listener Stories

01:54 Introducing Today's Guest: Katrina McGhee

03:40 Katrina's Career Break Journey

07:08 Navigating Corporate Life and Realizing the Need for a Break

10:05 Planning and Taking the Career Break

19:06 Reframing Productivity and Self-Worth

25:57 Transitioning to a Career Break Coach

31:01 The Importance of Reentry Periods

31:10 Reflecting on Personal Growth

31:45 Embracing Breaks and Self-Improvement

32:42 Sharing Your Break Experience

34:20 Extending the Break

35:11 Financial Management During Breaks

36:33 Unexpected Breaks and Self-Discovery

43:54 The Power of Permission

51:29 Maintaining Break Benefits Post-Reentry

57:29 Advice for Aspiring Break-Takers

Resources:

Katrina’s Website: https://www.kmcgheecoaching.com/

Taking a Career Break for Dummies: Bookshop.org, Amazon

The Sabbatical Project: https://thesabbaticalproject.org/

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