Could getting fired be the best thing that ever happened to you? In this deeply personal episode of The Messy Parts, journalist Brooke Baldwin sits down with Maryam to discuss her journey from heartbreak to healing after she was let go from her dream job at CNN. Brooke talks about speaking truth to power, walking through fear, and redefining success on her own terms. The two explore what happens when your identity is tied to your career — and how to rebuild when it all unravels. Whether you’re facing a layoff, a breakup, or a life transition, Brooke’s story will help you remember: sometimes losing it all is how you finally find yourself.
Key Moments:
Trusting Your Gut: When You Know Something’s Off
Brooke shares how that inner “spidey sense” told her something wasn’t right at work—and why we so often ignore it.
Kill Them with Kindnes💄
How politeness and perfectionism can hold women back and the high cost of always saying yes.
When Your Dream Job Stops Feeling Like One 💔
Brooke reflects on how the news industry changed, and how her joy slowly faded at CNN.
Being Sidelined and Staying Silent 🤐
What it feels like to be removed from your own job and how masking pain becomes a survival skill in corporate culture.
Speak Up (Before It’s Too Late) 🗣️
Brooke reveals what she wishes she’d done differently and how to find the courage to speak up with both grace and strength.
Fired but Not Free Yet 🔒
The truth behind her on-air goodbye, the NDA that silenced her, and the emotional toll of pretending everything was fine.
The Charade of the Perfect Life 🎭
Brooke connects her workplace silence to her childhood, where appearances mattered more than truth.
When It All Unravels: Career + Marriage 💥
Two major endings collide, and Brooke learns that sometimes losing everything can be the start of becoming yourself.
Make Your Own Money 💲
Brooke explains how saving money over the years gave her the freedom to bet on herself after she was fired and her marriage fell apart.
Healing at the Hoffman Institute 🌿
A week of deep emotional work helps Brooke find clarity, courage, and connection after loss.
Living Without the Armor ✨
Brooke embraces her natural self, her truth, and the “messy middle”—and reminds us that the mess is life, so we might as well surrender to it.
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