After 15 years in the workplace, Dr. Shannon Whittington was outed before she was ready –– and everything changed.

In this episode of Things Go Sideways, KiKi L'Italien sits down with Shannon to talk about the quiet moments when dignity is tested: being seen when you didn't choose visibility, losing safety at work, and realizing someone in power is trying to block your future.

Shannon reflects on:

• Being outed and treated differently overnight

• Starting over after career sabotage

• Learning to sit with failure without letting it define you

• Why exhaustion doesn't mean you're done

This is a grounded, honest conversation about care, courage, and what it really takes to keep going when life takes an unexpected turn.

Welcome to Things Go Sideways. I'm KiKi L'Italien. In Season 1: Episode 1 of Things Go Sideways, I'm joined by Stacy Heisey Terrell (career ownership coach and former HR/organizational leader) for a real conversation about burnout, reinvention, identity, and agency, especially in seasons where you're "fine"… but something inside you knows you're not.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The difference between burnout and misalignment
• Why "I should be happy… so why am I not?" is a real signal
• What happens when your career goals don't match your life goals anymore
• How identity loss shows up after a job shift (or a long season ends)
• Why you don't have to have the next answer yet

Listen, reflect, and if you want more conversations like this, follow Things Go Sideways.

Check out Stacy Heisey Terrell and her great resources at her website: mylifemybiz.com

https://sheisey-terrell.esourcecoach.com/

Question of the Week: What's one sign you've been "shrinking on the inside" at work...even if everything looks fine on paper?

#ThingsGoSideways

When life or leadership go sideways, the story's just getting interesting.

Things Go Sideways with KiKi L'Italien shares real stories of transformation, resilience, and trust from leaders, creators, and changemakers navigating disruption.

Each episode explores how we rebuild identity, agency, and purpose in a world defined by uncertainty, reinvention, and courage. Listen weekly for authentic conversations that help you grow through change — and design what comes next.

Podcast Launch: Friday, January 23, 2026