Work Sucks, But I Like It

What does it mean to be a good corporate person? Tony welcomes back HR veteran and Seed Sower Coach Kirk McCarley to discuss workplace values, leadership, active listening, and helping employees grow. Kirk also shares how forgiveness and resilience shaped his recovery after a serious cycling accident—and what trees can teach us about teamwork.

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www.worksucksbutilikeit.com

🔥 Are you burned out—or have you just gotten really good at functioning while burned out?

What does burnout actually look like before you hit the wall?

And maybe the bigger question: Is burnout really an individual problem, or are we asking individuals to survive unhealthy systems?

On Work Sucks, But I Like It, I brought together three experts with very different perspectives on workplace burnout:

🎙️ Garrett Wood — Gnosis Therapy
🎙️ Trisha Vinatieri, Psy.D. i — Healthcare Well-Being Consultant
🎙️ Cynthia Drake Morrow — Assistant Professor, Michigan State University

We dig into what burnout really is, what we're getting wrong about it, and what both employees and organizations can do differently.

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Want to find out more? Check out the website:

www.worksucksbutilikeit.com

What does it mean to be successful at work without sacrificing your health, relationships, or personal fulfillment? In this episode of Work Sucks, But I Like It, Nicole Anderson shares her journey from climbing the corporate ladder to redefining success on her own terms. We explore the connection between burnout and personal values, the importance of recognizing what your body and mind need, and why work-life balance looks different in every season of life. Nicole discusses how to challenge society’s expectations and the “shoulds” that shape our careers, find the intersection of professional impact and personal integrity, and build healthier workplaces through curiosity, empathy, and effective leadership. She also shares what she has learned about starting her own business and why collaboration matters when working independently. If you’re navigating career burnout, questioning your definition of success, or looking for a more meaningful and sustainable approach to work, this conversation offers insights into creating a career that aligns with your values.

Connect:

https://www.audacialeadership.com/

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Want to find out more? Check out the website:

www.worksucksbutilikeit.com

What does it mean to practice yoga beyond the postures? In this special book-launch episode of Yoga Is a Practice, Not a Performance, Emily interviews Tony Tenaglier about his new book, In a Rush to Go Nowhere: Finding Savasana. Tony shares what inspired him to explore the roots of yoga, question what yoga means in the modern world, and connect yoga philosophy with neuroscience and psychology. 

They discuss the importance of slowing down, finding stillness in Savasana, navigating our relationship with phones and social media, and bringing the lessons of yoga off the mat and into everyday life. Tony also reflects on what it means to be a yoga teacher, why breath is such an important tool for navigating challenging moments, and how the book can support teachers and students who want to explore yoga beyond physical postures. This isn't about having all the answers, but about starting a conversation and putting yoga's teachings into practice. Listen in to learn more about Tony's book, In a Rush to Go Nowhere: Finding Savasana, and discover the companion workbook at inarushtogonowhere.com.

Want to find out more? Check us out at:

www.inarushtogonowhere.com

www.youtube.com/@emilywallyoga

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Want to find out more? Check out the website:

www.worksucksbutilikeit.com

What if the things you want most in life are just outside your comfort zone? In this episode of Work Sucks, But I Like It, therapist Lynn Anne Palmer joins us to discuss resilience, mental health, nervous system regulation, and how we can change the patterns that keep us stuck. Drawing on more than 40 years of experience as a therapist, Lynn Anne explains why leaning into discomfort can build confidence, how movement and breathing techniques can help calm the nervous system, and why slowing down may actually make us more effective. We also explore the importance of human connection, the role of therapy in personal growth, and how the space between a trigger and our response gives us an opportunity to make a different choice. This conversation offers practical insights into emotional well-being, personal development, and creating a more fulfilling life.

Connect:

https://lynnannepalmer.com/

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Want to find out more? Check out the website:

www.worksucksbutilikeit.com

Tony reflects on burnout, perfectionism, phone distraction, and the challenge of doing too much. Drawing on recent conversations with guests, he explores how to stay present, build the “subtraction muscle,” and focus on what matters most. The takeaway: growth isn’t only about adding more—it’s also knowing what to let go.

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Want to find out more? Check out the website:

www.worksucksbutilikeit.com

What does it mean to be successful without losing yourself in the process? In this episode of Work Sucks, But I Like It, Dr. Carla Caturia joins us to talk about success, self-worth, identity, achievement, burnout, and finding meaningful work without giving up the rest of your life. Carla shares her RISE framework—Regulation, Identity, Standards, and Expansion—and explains how emotional regulation, understanding who you are becoming, setting healthy boundaries, and integrating new habits can build confidence and resilience. We talk about what happens when achievement becomes too closely tied to your sense of self, how to recognize when you’re losing yourself in the pursuit of success, and what it looks like to build a life that feels meaningful both inside and outside of work. Whether you’re questioning your career, feeling burned out, navigating achievement pressure, or simply trying to create a more balanced life, this conversation offers a thoughtful look at what it means to succeed without losing yourself along the way.

Connect:

https://thehouseofrise.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@drcarlacaturia

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Want to find out more? Check out the website:

www.worksucksbutilikeit.com

What if success isn’t about adding more—but knowing what to subtract? In this episode of Work Sucks, But I Like It, Tony talks with Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey, subtraction activist and founder of Subtract to Succeed, about systematic subtraction, intentionality, productivity, and building a life that feels as good as it looks. Nell explains why we’re wired to add more to our work and lives, how developing our “subtraction muscle” can help us make better decisions, and why discernment and internal data are essential for figuring out what actually belongs in our lives. This episode also explores systems thinking, social media, external versus internal validation, experimentation, and the challenge of accepting that we simply can’t do everything. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by too many commitments, too many options, or the pressure to constantly add more, this conversation offers a different way to think about success, work, and living a life true to yourself.

Connect:

https://www.nell3d.com/

https://nell3d.kit.com/stopdroproll

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Want to find out more? Check out the website:

www.worksucksbutilikeit.com

How does work affect our relationships, health, and life outside of work? In this conversation, Dr. Merideth Thompson, founder of Partner Lab and a researcher in organizational behavior and relationships, discusses work-life balance, leadership, technology, and the importance of intentionality. We talk about how negative work experiences can spill over into our personal lives, the impact of phones and “phubbing” on relationships, why disconnecting from technology can help us be more present, and how to challenge the assumptions that shape our decisions at work and at home. Dr. Thompson also shares practical tools for managing stress and anxiety, navigating conflict, becoming a stronger leader, and changing the way we talk to ourselves. If you’ve ever wondered how to create healthier boundaries between work and life—or how your work life might be affecting your relationships—this conversation is for you.

Connect:

https://merideththompson.com/

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Want to find out more? Check out the website:

www.worksucksbutilikeit.com

In this episode of Work Sucks, But I Like It, Loren Silverman, life coach and founder of Silverman Coach, shares his journey from a successful 20-year career in technology to finding work that aligns with his values and brings him joy. We talk about career burnout, personal values, curiosity, human connection and creating community, and what happens when the work you’re doing no longer feels aligned with who you are. Loren explains how his experiences in Ukraine helped him recognize the importance of aligning his actions with his values, and why curiosity can be such a powerful tool for navigating difficult experiences, asking better questions, and understanding what is really going on beneath the surface. We also discuss how his coaching practice uses ideas from gaming and RPGs to help people set goals, overcome obstacles, and “level up” in their lives. If you’ve ever experienced burnout, questioned your career path, felt disconnected from your work, or wondered how to create a life that feels more aligned and meaningful, this conversation offers practical ideas for finding clarity, curiosity, connection, and purpose.

Support the show

Want to find out more? Check out the website:

www.worksucksbutilikeit.com