March 31, 2025 • 15 mins
Pre-order your copy of Phoenix Rising - Ignite Your Job Search
That stomach-tightening moment when a calendar notification appears - could this be the meeting that transforms decades of dedicated service into statistics? For too many professionals, career catastrophe arrives unexpectedly, challenging our very sense of identity and worth.
This Phoenix Career Chronicles episode delves into the psychological landscape of professional identity disruption through Jillian's story - a seasoned CMO whose 20-year career vanished in the shortest meeting she ever had with her boss. Her poignant realization that "loyalty is just a legacy code that doesn't compute anymore" captures the disillusionment many feel when discovering their dedication hasn't guaranteed stability.
When career shocks strike, leverage the innovative centering technique we explore in this episode to help you find your emotional anchor.
What makes the "Phoenix Rising" job search approach unique is its focus on whole-person renewal rather than just resume renovation. Your professional journey continues to be written with each mindful step, creating not just a path to your next position, but a more centered, resilient version of yourself. Career disruption becomes professional elevation when approached with strategic optimism and mindful intention.
Join our community of thriving leaders navigating complex work environments with clarity and purpose.
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- Pick up your Mindful in 5 Book and Journal from Amazon
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Spiwe Jefferson (00:08):
Welcome to Mindful in 5, where busy
professionals find your peacefuloasis to thrive in complex work
environments.
I am Spiwe Jefferson attorney,certified mindfulness
practitioner and author of theMindful in 5 book series.
(00:28):
Here to guide you to a clearer,softer and more supported life.
Join me and your fellow mindfulninjas as we explore
science-backed mindfulnessstrategies for successful
leaders that you can implement,starting with just five minutes
(00:49):
a day.
Elevate your work, empower yourlife, work higher, live
stronger.
Let's go.
That sound your stomachtightens, your chest constricts,
because somewhere in yourneural pathways you know that
(01:11):
innocent calendar notificationcould be the meeting, the one
that transforms decades ofdedicated service into
statistics.
You've seen it happen to othersthe carefully and these days
not so carefully scriptedcorporate language, the avoided
(01:35):
eye contact, the hollow promisesto stay in touch.
But you never thought it wouldbe your story until it was.
Welcome to the Phoenix CareerChronicles, where we unpack job
search strategies to help yourise from the ashes of career
(01:56):
catastrophe and soar into yournext adventure.
Today we are illuminating thepsychological landscape of
professional identity disruptionthrough the lens of Jillian, a
seasoned chief marketing officerat an apparel company whose
20-year career evaporated in theshortest meeting she ever had
(02:19):
with her boss.
At least it was in person, Isuppose At least it was in
person.
I suppose the hardest part sheconfided to her husband, gene, I
realized my entire professionalidentity was built on an
illusion.
I thought loyalty was currency,but in today's economy loyalty
(02:41):
is just a legacy code thatdoesn't compute anymore.
Loyalty is just a legacy codethat doesn't compute anymore.
So this is Jillian's experienceand that is her disappointment.
Picture this she starts herWednesday like any other.
20 years of dedicated serviceshape her professional identity.
Then a short meeting rewritesher entire career story.
(03:04):
Part of the disappointment sheshares with her husband is that
she thought if she worked hard,dedicated herself to the company
, it would love her back andtake care of her.
That belief pattern may bedwindling these days, but it's
one that many professionals havecarried in their career
(03:24):
expectation toolkit If I workhard, give 110%, I will be
rewarded by the company takingcare of me too.
But today there are many, manypeople in the workforce who are
learning.
Not only that, that is not true, but some are being dismissed
(03:44):
in the most casual, dismissive,demeaning and degrading ways, as
if their life's work anddedication meant absolutely
nothing.
So today we are taking a steptowards rewiring that narrative.
We are exploring how careerrenewal through mindful
(04:17):
transition strategies canactivate your inherent capacity
for transformation.
Let's explore what I call thealive centering technique, a
neuropsychological approach toemotional anchoring when career
shocks destabilize yourprofessional identity.
And, by the way, you can usethis any time that this
centering technique can help you, regardless of where you are in
(04:41):
your career journey.
To practice this technique,find a quiet place where you can
sit uninterrupted.
Sit in an ergonomically correctposture spine straight, legs at
90 degrees to your torso andcalves and feet if you are in a
(05:02):
chair, or you can do what Iprefer, which is to sit
cross-legged on the floor on ameditation pillow to support
your spine.
So, first, acknowledge yourphysical sensations.
This isn't just mindfulness.
It is pattern interruption foryour nervous system.
(05:24):
It is pattern interruption foryour nervous system.
Take 90 seconds to scan yourbody.
Notice where career anxietylives physically.
Is it in your belly, in yourshoulders, in your shoulders
(05:50):
pulsating or pounding stress inyour head?
Acknowledge your physicalsensations.
Next, label emotions withoutjudgment.
Remember emotions are data, notdirectives.
(06:15):
Try this reframe.
For example, this is panicseeking expression, not truth
defining my worth.
Let's pause right there and dothis together.
Ground yourself in the presentmoment with me.
(06:36):
If you are stressed out aboutsomething at work, stop what
you're doing and let's just bestill together.
Put your hand over your heartand take three deep breaths
(06:57):
Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale.
(07:20):
Now repeat this phrase after me.
This is panic-seekingexpression, not truth defining
my worth Again.
(07:53):
This is panic-seekingexpression, not truth defining
my worth.
One more time.
This is panic seekingexpression, not truth defining
the I in alive is for inhalethrough your nose and out.
(08:28):
What you might have noticed isthat when we did it together, it
caused you to slow down.
It is very hard to be fearfulwhen your body is calm.
Those two things don't exist inthe same space together, and so
if you are panicked this is why, when people are
hyperventilating on planes, oneof the things that they're given
(08:53):
is a bag the I in alive is forinhale.
One of the things you mighthave noticed is that when we did
that breathing exercisetogether, your body probably
slowed down.
It calmed down, it slowed medown.
(09:16):
I can feel the change in theenergy even as I was leading us
through that exercise.
This is a deliberateparasympathetic activation
calibrating your nervous systemfor greater calm and clarity.
(09:38):
Sometimes we wait until we arecalm to think clearly, but what
this hopefully shows you is thatyou can actually do it the
other way.
You can gain clarity byessentially breathing your body
(10:01):
into calmness and tricking yourbrain into being more calm, just
by breathing.
The V in ALIVE is visualize yourprofessional safe space.
Sometimes, when we are anxiousabout something, it gets so big
(10:25):
in our minds that you kind offeel like everything is this one
problem.
And being able to access amemory of a past achievement or
a future vision that you'reexcited about can create new
neural pathways of possibilityand restore you to your
(10:46):
optimistic, resilient self.
The E in ALIVE is express onecareer gratitude.
This can also facilitatestrategic reframing and
(11:06):
hopefully you can think of atleast one thing to be grateful
for related to your careerjourney or the job you have now.
I can list a whole bunch ofthings, why they pay me to work
there.
I love my boss.
I think he is absolutelyamazing.
I really enjoy working with mysenior leadership team.
They are an awesome group ofsmart, capable, competent
(11:30):
individuals.
We challenge each other, wewrestle ideas to the ground
always, always with the goal ofcoming up with the best
solutions for our company.
I am grateful to be in thecompany of the kind of people
who are so focused and sowell-intentioned, both towards
(11:51):
one another as well as towardsour organization.
That is an amazing place towork.
Those are just the careergratitude components that I have
in my head, that I can come upwith head that I can come up
with when I think about mycareer.
Over the spectrum of myexistence.
(12:12):
It has not been predictable andyet it has landed me in the
place where I wanted to get to.
At times it felt like I wasclimbing a ladder.
At times it felt a bit like anelectrocardiograph Wildly
unpredictable swings sometimes.
(12:32):
And I am grateful for all theups, the downs, all the plateaus
, because all of them brought mehere.
And so expressing careergratitude doesn't require you to
ignore the challenges.
It isn't calling you to justsee the things about your career
(13:01):
that were easy or that youliked.
It is embracing the entirejourney, because every part of
that journey brought you to theperson that you are and to the
point in your career where youare.
And so this is how you practicethe ALIVE technique.
Brief recap the ALIVE techniquestands for acknowledge your
(13:26):
physical sensations, label youremotions without judgment.
Inhale slowly, visualize yourprofessional safe space and then
express one career gratitude.
(13:47):
Express one career gratitude.
These and more strategies canhelp you redefine your
experience, from sitting in theashes of despair to soaring to
your next adventure.
Finally, transform your careerdisruption into professional
elevation, into professionalelevation.
(14:13):
Your professional journey isstill being written and with
each mindful step, you're notjust seeking a new position, you
are creating a more centered,resilient version of yourself.
Thank you for joining me todayon Mindful in 5.
Stay present, stay purposefuland keep building your path
forward with strategic optimism.
(14:36):
Until next week, this is BeWeighed, saying be mindful and
be well.
James@DiscovertheVoice (14:44):
Thank you for listening to Mindful in
5.
If you enjoyed it, share itwith a friend, follow and rate
it on your favorite podcastplatform.
Pick up your signed copy of thebook and journal from
spiwejeffersoncom, or unsignedcopies from Amazon, barnes,
noble or wherever you get yourbooks.
Visit spiwejeffersoncom todownload sample chapters of the
(15:09):
book, watch videos and become amindful ninja.
Join us on the LinkedIn Mindfulin 5 group and share your
thoughts.
Until next time, be mindful andbe well.
Welcome to Mindful in 5, where busy
professionals find your peacefuloasis to thrive in complex work
environments.
I am Spiwe Jefferson attorney,certified mindfulness
practitioner and author of theMindful in 5 book series.
(00:28):
Here to guide you to a clearer,softer and more supported life.
Join me and your fellow mindfulninjas as we explore
science-backed mindfulnessstrategies for successful
leaders that you can implement,starting with just five minutes
(00:49):
a day.
Elevate your work, empower yourlife, work higher, live
stronger.
Let's go.
That sound your stomachtightens, your chest constricts,
because somewhere in yourneural pathways you know that
(01:11):
innocent calendar notificationcould be the meeting, the one
that transforms decades ofdedicated service into
statistics.
You've seen it happen to othersthe carefully and these days
not so carefully scriptedcorporate language, the avoided
(01:35):
eye contact, the hollow promisesto stay in touch.
But you never thought it wouldbe your story until it was.
Welcome to the Phoenix CareerChronicles, where we unpack job
search strategies to help yourise from the ashes of career
(01:56):
catastrophe and soar into yournext adventure.
Today we are illuminating thepsychological landscape of
professional identity disruptionthrough the lens of Jillian, a
seasoned chief marketing officerat an apparel company whose
20-year career evaporated in theshortest meeting she ever had
(02:19):
with her boss.
At least it was in person, Isuppose At least it was in
person.
I suppose the hardest part sheconfided to her husband, gene, I
realized my entire professionalidentity was built on an
illusion.
I thought loyalty was currency,but in today's economy loyalty
(02:41):
is just a legacy code thatdoesn't compute anymore.
Loyalty is just a legacy codethat doesn't compute anymore.
So this is Jillian's experienceand that is her disappointment.
Picture this she starts herWednesday like any other.
20 years of dedicated serviceshape her professional identity.
Then a short meeting rewritesher entire career story.
(03:04):
Part of the disappointment sheshares with her husband is that
she thought if she worked hard,dedicated herself to the company
, it would love her back andtake care of her.
That belief pattern may bedwindling these days, but it's
one that many professionals havecarried in their career
(03:24):
expectation toolkit If I workhard, give 110%, I will be
rewarded by the company takingcare of me too.
But today there are many, manypeople in the workforce who are
learning.
Not only that, that is not true, but some are being dismissed
(03:44):
in the most casual, dismissive,demeaning and degrading ways, as
if their life's work anddedication meant absolutely
nothing.
So today we are taking a steptowards rewiring that narrative.
We are exploring how careerrenewal through mindful
(04:17):
transition strategies canactivate your inherent capacity
for transformation.
Let's explore what I call thealive centering technique, a
neuropsychological approach toemotional anchoring when career
shocks destabilize yourprofessional identity.
And, by the way, you can usethis any time that this
centering technique can help you, regardless of where you are in
(04:41):
your career journey.
To practice this technique,find a quiet place where you can
sit uninterrupted.
Sit in an ergonomically correctposture spine straight, legs at
90 degrees to your torso andcalves and feet if you are in a
(05:02):
chair, or you can do what Iprefer, which is to sit
cross-legged on the floor on ameditation pillow to support
your spine.
So, first, acknowledge yourphysical sensations.
This isn't just mindfulness.
It is pattern interruption foryour nervous system.
(05:24):
It is pattern interruption foryour nervous system.
Take 90 seconds to scan yourbody.
Notice where career anxietylives physically.
Is it in your belly, in yourshoulders, in your shoulders
(05:50):
pulsating or pounding stress inyour head?
Acknowledge your physicalsensations.
Next, label emotions withoutjudgment.
Remember emotions are data, notdirectives.
(06:15):
Try this reframe.
For example, this is panicseeking expression, not truth
defining my worth.
Let's pause right there and dothis together.
Ground yourself in the presentmoment with me.
(06:36):
If you are stressed out aboutsomething at work, stop what
you're doing and let's just bestill together.
Put your hand over your heartand take three deep breaths
(06:57):
Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale.
(07:20):
Now repeat this phrase after me.
This is panic-seekingexpression, not truth defining
my worth Again.
(07:53):
This is panic-seekingexpression, not truth defining
my worth.
One more time.
This is panic seekingexpression, not truth defining
the I in alive is for inhalethrough your nose and out.
(08:28):
What you might have noticed isthat when we did it together, it
caused you to slow down.
It is very hard to be fearfulwhen your body is calm.
Those two things don't exist inthe same space together, and so
if you are panicked this is why, when people are
hyperventilating on planes, oneof the things that they're given
(08:53):
is a bag the I in alive is forinhale.
One of the things you mighthave noticed is that when we did
that breathing exercisetogether, your body probably
slowed down.
It calmed down, it slowed medown.
(09:16):
I can feel the change in theenergy even as I was leading us
through that exercise.
This is a deliberateparasympathetic activation
calibrating your nervous systemfor greater calm and clarity.
(09:38):
Sometimes we wait until we arecalm to think clearly, but what
this hopefully shows you is thatyou can actually do it the
other way.
You can gain clarity byessentially breathing your body
(10:01):
into calmness and tricking yourbrain into being more calm, just
by breathing.
The V in ALIVE is visualize yourprofessional safe space.
Sometimes, when we are anxiousabout something, it gets so big
(10:25):
in our minds that you kind offeel like everything is this one
problem.
And being able to access amemory of a past achievement or
a future vision that you'reexcited about can create new
neural pathways of possibilityand restore you to your
(10:46):
optimistic, resilient self.
The E in ALIVE is express onecareer gratitude.
This can also facilitatestrategic reframing and
(11:06):
hopefully you can think of atleast one thing to be grateful
for related to your careerjourney or the job you have now.
I can list a whole bunch ofthings, why they pay me to work
there.
I love my boss.
I think he is absolutelyamazing.
I really enjoy working with mysenior leadership team.
They are an awesome group ofsmart, capable, competent
(11:30):
individuals.
We challenge each other, wewrestle ideas to the ground
always, always with the goal ofcoming up with the best
solutions for our company.
I am grateful to be in thecompany of the kind of people
who are so focused and sowell-intentioned, both towards
(11:51):
one another as well as towardsour organization.
That is an amazing place towork.
Those are just the careergratitude components that I have
in my head, that I can come upwith head that I can come up
with when I think about mycareer.
Over the spectrum of myexistence.
(12:12):
It has not been predictable andyet it has landed me in the
place where I wanted to get to.
At times it felt like I wasclimbing a ladder.
At times it felt a bit like anelectrocardiograph Wildly
unpredictable swings sometimes.
(12:32):
And I am grateful for all theups, the downs, all the plateaus
, because all of them brought mehere.
And so expressing careergratitude doesn't require you to
ignore the challenges.
It isn't calling you to justsee the things about your career
(13:01):
that were easy or that youliked.
It is embracing the entirejourney, because every part of
that journey brought you to theperson that you are and to the
point in your career where youare.
And so this is how you practicethe ALIVE technique.
Brief recap the ALIVE techniquestands for acknowledge your
(13:26):
physical sensations, label youremotions without judgment.
Inhale slowly, visualize yourprofessional safe space and then
express one career gratitude.
(13:47):
Express one career gratitude.
These and more strategies canhelp you redefine your
experience, from sitting in theashes of despair to soaring to
your next adventure.
Finally, transform your careerdisruption into professional
elevation, into professionalelevation.
(14:13):
Your professional journey isstill being written and with
each mindful step, you're notjust seeking a new position, you
are creating a more centered,resilient version of yourself.
Thank you for joining me todayon Mindful in 5.
Stay present, stay purposefuland keep building your path
forward with strategic optimism.
(14:36):
Until next week, this is BeWeighed, saying be mindful and
be well.
James@DiscovertheVoice (14:44):
Thank you for listening to Mindful in
5.
If you enjoyed it, share itwith a friend, follow and rate
it on your favorite podcastplatform.
Pick up your signed copy of thebook and journal from
spiwejeffersoncom, or unsignedcopies from Amazon, barnes,
noble or wherever you get yourbooks.
Visit spiwejeffersoncom todownload sample chapters of the
(15:09):
book, watch videos and become amindful ninja.
Join us on the LinkedIn Mindfulin 5 group and share your
thoughts.
Until next time, be mindful andbe well.
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