In this episode of The Unobstructed Podcast, Rachael and I talk about misaligned expectations. We share personal stories about burnout, being vulnerable with managers, and feeling pressure to say “i’m fine” when you’re not.

What starts as a conversation about mental health in the workplace quickly opens into something bigger:

The invisible penalties of full honesty at work and why post-COVID “flexibility” was pretty much just an act.

The conversation also steers into how childhood anxiety connects to the rise of the attention economy and the myth that addiction is the problem (spoiler: it’s not).

Emotional regulation is the survival skill no one taught us. A new class of “mental wealth” is taking shape.

***

The Unobstructed Podcast: Listen in on big thoughts and small steps for navigating agency, grief, and creativity in daily life. New episodes every month.

About the hosts:

Derek MacDonald — writer, thinker, coffee drinker. Started Becoming Unobstructed after 15+ years in marketing, software systems, outdoor education, and leadership development to share what he's learned with others.

Rachael Sink — owner and business consultant at Rachael's Ink, LLC, a HubSpot Gold Solutions Partner agency.

Visit Derek’s website: theunobstructed.com

Visit Rachael’s website: rachaelsink.com

Get full access to Becoming Unobstructed at explore.theunobstructed.com/subscribe