The Rest of Us with Dana Tenille Weekes

In this important episode, host Dana Tenille Weekes questions the non-stop exhaustion that we call ambition: What are you chasing, and is it even meant for you? 

Through thoughtful reflection, storytelling, and three main points, Dana unpacks why so many of us are trapped in the "chase" (striving, following, and supporting - yes, even supporting) that steals our agency to live a life of expectations ... a life that was nev...

In this motivational episode, Dana Tenille Weekes speaks to the tension between knowing what you're meant to do and avoiding doing it. Her message? Just do the thing. 

Whether you're stuck in the loop of overthinking, waiting on the perfect sign, drowning in comparisons, or buried under the weight of others' expectations, this episode calls you out (with love) and invites you to stop planning and start acting.

If you&a...

In this episode, Dana Tenille Weekes challenges the commonly overlooked confusion between niceness and professionalism and how that confusion can create a work culture of unrest.

Dana explores how avoiding the truth under the guise of being "polite" or “professional” leads to unrest for you and your colleagues. She offers a retake on the definition of professionalism: "Owning your responsibilities and the truths and r...

In this urgent episode, Dana Tenille Weekes speaks to the global unrest that is happening around us and what it means for rest as self-liberation. She talks directly to listeners who are opting to "rest" to avoid and disengage from the world's realities or those listeners who are refusing to rest for the "sake of the movement." 

Dana continues to build on the past two episodes, which focus on rest in the con...

In this thought-provoking follow-up to “A Love Letter to the Folks Afraid of Their Liberation,” host Dana Tenille Weekes challenges listeners to examine the differences between living a life of comfort, peace, and liberation—and why mistaking one for the other may be holding us back from true rest.

Dana reintroduces her powerful definition of rest as a liberating form of self-acceptance rooted in agency, belonging, and truth. She ar...

What if your comfort isn’t serving you? What if the life you’ve built is actually a quiet form of unrest?

In this heart-opening solo episode, Dana Tenille Weekes reads a deeply personal love letter to those who fear their own liberation. After witnessing loved ones and strangers alike disassociate from their agency and belonging, Dana shares this letter as both a mirror and a message.

She speaks directly to the listener, navigating s...

In part two of this powerful conversation, Dana Tenille Weekes completes the three-part framework for shifting how we think about asking for help, not as a weakness, but as a practice of self-respect.

Picking up from last episode, Dana explores the final and most actionable shift: you must actually tell people how you want to be helped. She offers reflection questions to confront the fear of being a burden and shares a practical fra...

Do you struggle to ask for help, even when you're overwhelmed? Do you find yourself quietly hoping others will understand what you need without ever having to say it out loud?

In this powerful two-part episode of The Rest of Us Podcast, host Dana Tenille Weekes opens up about her own journey from silent strength to unapologetic self-advocacy. She explores how independence, when misapplied, can become a mask—one that isolates us...

In this second half of a special two-part series honoring National Poetry Month, host Dana Tenille Weekes returns to share the final two life lessons she’s learned from her poetry practice—lessons that continue to shape how she defines rest, agency, and belonging.

Even if poetry isn’t your thing, Dana invites you to stay, listen, and reflect. These lessons are about life, not just writing. Through honest storytelling and person...

In honor of National Poetry Month, host Dana Tenille Weekes shares three personal lessons she’s learned from writing poetry—lessons that reach far beyond the page and into the everyday lives of listeners seeking rest as a form of self-liberation. This is part one of a two-part reflection series, filled with honest storytelling, grounded reflection, and one powerful featured poem by poet Corey Barron.

If you’ve never picked up a poet...

You were not created to produce. You were created to exist—freely, thoroughly, and in the details of you.

In this rich and deeply personal episode, Dana Tenille Weekes invites us to pause the production line of life and answer a powerful call: the call to create. Not for performance, not for praise—but for freedom, for joy, and yourself.

Dana unpacks the difference between producing—something we do for others, often at our own expens...

In this episode of The Rest of Us Podcast, host Dana Tenille Weekes unpacks the myth of being indispensable at work and how it fuels unrest in our lives. Building on the last episode’s theme of progress through pause, Dana delves into how we unintentionally create unsustainable work environments by making ourselves irreplaceable. Through personal anecdotes, thought-provoking questions, and a reality check on work-life balance, this...

In this episode, Dana explores the power of pausing as a form of self-liberation and a necessary step toward personal growth. She reflects on her own journey, including her decision to leave a law firm and embrace rest fully. Dana shares five key moments when pausing is essential, emphasizing that true progress is often found in stillness rather than constant striving.

Key Topics Covered:
- [00:00] Introduction and listener refl...

In this episode of the Rest of Us podcast, host Dana Tenille Weekes delves into the crucial topic of standing in one's truth and reclaiming personal power. Dana shares conversations with friends, mentees, and clients who feel overwhelmed and disconnected from their truth due to societal pressures and systemic structures. 

She emphasizes that these systems are designed not to fully contemplate humanity, often causing individuals...

In this episode of 'The Rest of Us' podcast, host Dana Tenille Weekes delves into the concept of rest as a means of self-liberation. Dana explores the profound question 'Whose mountain are you climbing?' and differentiates between succeeding and thriving in life. By sharing personal experiences and offering reflection questions, Dana provides insights into the importance of living authentically and forging one&a...

This episode of 'The Rest of Us Podcast,' hosted by Dana Tenille Weekes, delves into 'liberating rest,' the third form of rest in the Rest Continuum series. After reflecting on daily rest and exploring 'doing nothing' and 'restoration,' this episode focuses on engaging in activities that foster a strong sense of self without external validation. Dana discusses how liberating rest can manifest...

In the inaugural episode of The Rest of Us podcast, host Dana Tenille Weekes explores the concept of rest as a form of self-liberation, highlighting its importance, especially for marginalized communities like Black women. Released on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the day of the U.S. presidential inauguration, the episode delves into Dana's journey of rest and self-acceptance after experiencing severe burnout and mental healt...

In this episode of the Rest of Us podcast, host Dana Tenille Weekes kicks off a three-part series on the rest continuum, focusing on identifying personal rest patterns and activities. Listeners are guided through a reflection exercise to list their recent rest activities or desired forms of rest and categorize them into 'doing nothing,' 'restoring,' and 'liberating.' With an emphasis on self-acceptance...

In this episode of the Rest of Us podcast, host Dana Tenille Weekes delves into the concept of the rest continuum, focusing specifically on two forms of rest: doing nothing, being, and restoring. Dana explains the importance of different approaches to rest and emphasizes the roles of agency and belonging in self-liberation. Through examples such as meditation, bubble baths, talking to friends, and live concerts, Dana illustrates ho...