If you’re working toward meaningful work — whether through a career change, a new consultancy, or building a purpose-led business — you’ve probably already discovered that the path is not straightforward. People often assume it’s a lack of clarity, confidence, or the “right idea” that holds them back. But in reality, most people are derailed by a small set of predictable stumbling blocks that show up again and again — especially when you’re trying to do this alone. In this episode, I break down the seven patterns that quietly sabotage meaningful work long before the work itself even begins. These aren’t dramatic failures, and they’re not signs you’re doing anything wrong. They’re simply the natural friction points that arise when you’re stepping out of corporate norms and into a more aligned, intentional way of working. Whether you’re navigating burnout, questioning your direction, or trying to find your purpose, understanding these seven patterns will help you: recognise why your motivation wobbles avoid slipping back into old habits make smarter, more strategic decisions for 2026 build work that is not only meaningful, but sustainable I also share the one thing I would do differently if I were starting my first business again — and why trying to do this work completely alone is one of the biggest hidden risks. If you want 2026 to be the year you stop circling meaningful work and actually build it, this episode will give you the clarity and structure to start strong. Next steps: If you’re considering a meaningful business or consultancy next year, the Meaningful Business Incubator is designed to give you the structure, support, and strategic guidance to build work that lasts. Explore whether it’s right for you: Connect with me on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisamurphy) Book a discovery call (https://calendly.com/regenerativeworklife/how-to-build-your-own-meaningful-business-in-2026) Related episodes: → Sick of the job market? Why now is the perfect time to build your own business with purpose (https://smartlink.ausha.co/fromcorproateintocalling/57-sick-of-the-job-market-why-now-is-the-perfect-time-to-build-your-own-business-with-purpose) → Don’t Just Quit Your Job — Pivot with Purpose (https://app.ausha.co/app/channel/296015/show/189629/library/episodes/preview/9848997) → The 3 Types of People Who Need to Quit Corporate (and Find Meaningful Work) (https://app.ausha.co/app/channel/296015/show/189629/library/episodes/preview/9545874) Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

If you’re in the middle of a career change, feeling burned out, or trying to build meaningful work that actually sustains you, there are two foundations you cannot skip. Most people focus on ideas, values, or purpose. But without defining how you want work to feel, and who urgently needs your work enough to pay for it, you end up recreating the same patterns that drove you to burnout in the first place. This episode breaks down the two decisions that determine whether your business or consultancy will thrive or drain you. You’ll learn how to design work that fits the rhythm and boundaries you need, and how to identify the specific people who feel the problem sharply, recognise your value immediately, and can invest in it. If you want to find your purpose and generate real momentum in your next chapter, start here. And if you want support applying this to your own meaningful business, I’m teaching it live on 9 December in a practical 90-minute workshop. Details and sign up here: https://calendly.com/regenerativeworklife Next steps: ✦ Discover the Meaningful Business Incubator (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/courage-to-quit) ✦ Subscribe to my emails (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/subscribe) ✦ Book a call with me (https://calendly.com/regenerativeworklife) Related episodes: → EP11: How To Talk To Your Partner About Regenerative Career Change → EP7: Pause Is a Career Power Move (Regenerative Unsticking Point with Shweta) → EP3: Tips to Avoid Corporate Greenwash in Your Sustainable Job Search Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

If you’re in the middle of a career change, feeling trapped in a collapsing job market, or questioning whether your work still fits the life you want, this episode will speak directly to you. Right now the job market is more unstable than ever. Burnout is rising. Meaningful work is getting harder to find inside corporate systems. And many purpose-led roles are being diluted or quietly dismantled. So what do you do with that reality? In this episode, we walk through five reasons why you don’t need to wait for more stability, more clarity or more certainty to build a business rooted in purpose and meaningful contribution. You’ll hear why relying on a traditional job may no longer offer the security you think it does, why the job market is unlikely to “normalise,” and why putting your energy into your own work might be the most life-giving decision you can make. Whether you're exploring a career change, navigating burnout, searching for more meaningful work, or just beginning to find your purpose, this episode will help you see your next steps with much more clarity. In this episode: The job market collapse and what it means for your career transition Why meaningful work is becoming harder to sustain inside corporate life The link between burnout, misalignment and purpose How to use your current job as a bridge to your next chapter Why waiting for “normal” is keeping you stuck If you’re ready to build meaningful work on your own terms: The Meaningful Business Incubator is now open. It’s a six-month programme where we design, test and build the foundations of your own purpose-led business or consultancy, with personalised support and a regenerative approach to work and life. Read the MBI Programme Overview (https://preview.convertkit-mail2.com/click/dpheh0hzhm/aHR0cHM6Ly9kcml2ZS5nb29nbGUuY29tL2ZpbGUvZC8xWUxBemw2dnhraktNWmlhWVdTM3Bic2tLX0Y3c1JWLS0vdmlldz91c3A9ZHJpdmVfbGluaw==) Book a no-pressure call (https://preview.convertkit-mail2.com/click/dpheh0hzhm/aHR0cHM6Ly9jYWxlbmRseS5jb20vcmVnZW5lcmF0aXZld29ya2xpZmUvY29ubmVjdGlvbi1jYWxsP2JhY2s9MSZtb250aD0yMDI1LTEx)to discuss joining the January cohort Follow the Meaningful Business Incubator page (https://preview.convertkit-mail2.com/click/dpheh0hzhm/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubGlua2VkaW4uY29tL2NvbXBhbnkvbWVhbmluZ2Z1bC1idXNpbmVzcy1pbmN1YmF0b3I=)for updates and events Related episodes: → Don’t Just Quit Your Job — Pivot with Purpose (https://podcast.ausha.co/fromcorproateintocalling/56-don-t-just-quit-corporate-pivot-with-purpose) → You Don’t Need a New Job! How to Choose Purposeful Career Change Instead (https://podcast.ausha.co/fromcorproateintocalling/ep50-you-don-t-need-a-new-job-how-to-choose-purposeful-career-change-instead) → What It Takes To Build Meaningful Work On Your Own Terms (https://podcast.ausha.co/fromcorproateintocalling/56-what-it-takes-to-build-meaningful-work-for-anyone-hating-their-job-craving-career-change-or-ready-to-leave) Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

So many people reach a point in their career where the work looks meaningful from the outside but feels empty, exhausting or impossible on the inside. Not because they’re failing or burnt out beyond repair, but because corporate systems dilute their values and limit their ability to create the impact they came for. If you’re craving a career change, questioning your purpose or wondering why the work you once believed in no longer feels aligned, this episode will give you a clearer way forward. You’ll learn why meaningful work starts with what genuinely matters to you — not with a niche or a strategy. You’ll explore how the way you want work to feel becomes the foundation of your business design. And you’ll understand why commercial viability is not the enemy of purpose-driven or regenerative work, but the thing that keeps your contribution alive long term. I also talk honestly about the parts no one prepares you for: the unlearning required after years in corporate, the confidence wobbles, the courage to choose yourself, and why community is the most stabilising force when you’re building work on your own terms. If you’re standing at the edge of career change, feeling the early signs of burnout or hungry to find your purpose, this conversation will give you a grounded framework for what meaningful work truly requires — and why it's far more possible than you think. If this is the season for you to deepen, refine or finally build the work you’ve been longing for, here are your next steps: Read the MBI Programme Overview (https://preview.convertkit-mail2.com/click/dpheh0hzhm/aHR0cHM6Ly9kcml2ZS5nb29nbGUuY29tL2ZpbGUvZC8xWUxBemw2dnhraktNWmlhWVdTM3Bic2tLX0Y3c1JWLS0vdmlldz91c3A9ZHJpdmVfbGluaw==) Book a no-pressure call (https://preview.convertkit-mail2.com/click/dpheh0hzhm/aHR0cHM6Ly9jYWxlbmRseS5jb20vcmVnZW5lcmF0aXZld29ya2xpZmUvY29ubmVjdGlvbi1jYWxsP2JhY2s9MSZtb250aD0yMDI1LTEx)to discuss joining the January cohort Follow the Meaningful Business Incubator page (https://preview.convertkit-mail2.com/click/dpheh0hzhm/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubGlua2VkaW4uY29tL2NvbXBhbnkvbWVhbmluZ2Z1bC1idXNpbmVzcy1pbmN1YmF0b3I=)for updates and events Next steps: ✦ Discover the Meaningful Business Incubator (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/courage-to-quit) ✦ Subscribe to my emails (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/subscribe) ✦ Book a call with me (https://calendly.com/regenerativeworklife) Related episodes: → You Don’t Need a New Job! How to Choose Purposeful Career Change Instead (https://smartlink.ausha.co/fromcorproateintocalling/ep50-you-don-t-need-a-new-job-how-to-choose-purposeful-career-change-instead) → Is Corporate Burnout Blocking Your Career Change? (https://app.ausha.co/app/channel/296015/show/189629/library/episodes/preview/9655815) → Don’t Just Quit Your Job — Pivot with Purpose (https://app.ausha.co/app/channel/296015/show/189629/library/episodes/preview/9848997) Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

When you quit your job, it’s easy to think the hard part is over. You’ve made the bold move, chosen freedom, and finally said no to something that didn’t fit. But as today’s episode explores, leaving is just the beginning. The real work begins when you start to build something of your own — because without intention, your new worklife can start to look a lot like the system you just left. In this episode, Alisa unpacks the two meanings of the word pivot: the empowering kind that completely changes the foundation of how you work, and the kind that keeps you spinning in circles around old habits, fears, and burnout patterns. She shares a client story about taking voluntary redundancy, starting a holistic wellness business, and learning what it truly means to pivot with purpose — from clarity, not panic. You’ll learn: Why quitting your job is just the first step in real career change The seven foundations of a sustainable, regenerative business How to reconnect with your why and build meaningful work that lasts What it takes to move from burnout and fear to confidence and clarity How to make bold changes without recreating corporate pressure in disguise If you’re ready to stop spinning and start creating meaningful work on your own terms, this episode is for you. If you’ve quit your job — or you’re ready to — but want to build something that lasts, the Meaningful Business Incubator is where that happens. It’s a six-month journey to design, test, and launch your next chapter — with structure, clarity, and community every step of the way. Book a call (https://calendly.com/regenerativeworklife) with me to learn more. Next steps: ✦ Book Courage to Quit (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/courage-to-quit) — a 90-minute session to create your personalised exit plan. ❖ Subscribe to my emails (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/subscribe) — your weekly lifeline out of corporate. ↗ Explore more (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/) and read transcripts on the website. Related episodes: → EP55: Caught in the Corporate Layoffs? 6 Regenerative Approaches for What Comes Next (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/podcast/caught-in-the-corporate-layoffs-6-regenerative-approaches-for-what-comes-next) → EP50: You Don’t Need a New Job! How to Choose Purposeful Career Change Instead (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/podcast/you-dont-need-a-new-job-how-to-choose-purposeful-career-change-instead) → EP52: Finding Purpose - How Clare Left Corporate Agencies to Build Meaningful Work for Changemakers (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/podcast/is-corporate-burnout-blocking-your-career-change-fgctr) Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Just been laid off? Don’t rush to replace one problem with another. Consider a radically different approach to career change — even when it’s been thrust upon you. After another wave of corporate layoffs, thousands of people are facing uncertainty, exhaustion, and burnout. The system that promised security has once again shown its cracks. If you’ve just lost your job, or you’re questioning the stability of the one you’re in, this episode is your invitation to pause — and reimagine what comes next. Rather than panic-applying or polishing your CV, I share 6 regenerative strategies to help you: Reframe what’s happening and release the shame Treat redundancy as seed funding for reinvention Rediscover your purpose and design work that truly fits This isn’t about bouncing back — it’s about rebuilding differently. If you’re ready to find meaningful work, purpose, and a path that brings life back to you (and the world around you), this episode is where it begins. Next steps: To learn more about the Meaningful Business Incubator, book a call here. (https://calendly.com/regenerativeworklife) ✦ Book Courage to Quit (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/courage-to-quit) — a 90-minute session to create your personalised exit plan. ❖ Subscribe to my emails (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/subscribe) — your weekly lifeline out of corporate. ↗ Explore more (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/) and read transcripts on the website. Related episodes: → EP53: Who would you be without your job title? (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/podcast/who-would-you-be-without-your-job-title) → EP50: You Don’t Need a New Job! How to Choose Purposeful Career Change Instead (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/podcast/you-dont-need-a-new-job-how-to-choose-purposeful-career-change-instead) → EP49: The 3 Types of People Who Need to Quit Corporate (and Find Meaningful Work) (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/podcast/the-3-types-of-people-who-need-to-quit-corporate-and-find-meaningful-work) Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

If you’re still in your corporate job — serving someone else’s agenda, showing up for work that doesn’t fit who you are or what you believe in — this episode is for you. n this short, punchy episode, I’m breaking down four reasons it takes so much courage to quit corporate — and how to move through each of them so you can make a confident, grounded exit into more meaningful work of your own. Because if you’ve been scheming, dreaming, and planning your career change for months (or years) but somehow still haven’t made your move, there’s a reason for that. You’re not lazy, incapable, or confused — you’re human. And your fears are doing their job: trying to keep you safe. We’ll unpack what’s really keeping you stuck — and what to do about it. In this episode you’ll learn how to: Recognise the real fears hiding beneath practical excuses Reframe burnout as a signal, not a failure Build a personalised, empowered exit plan Take grounded action toward meaningful, purpose-led work If you’re ready to stop planning and start acting, I can help you map your next steps. Book your Courage to Quit session at regenerativeworklife.com/courage (https://regenerativeworklife.com/courage) Next steps: ✦ Book Courage to Quit (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/courage-to-quit) — a 90-minute session to create your personalised exit plan. ❖ Subscribe to my emails (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/subscribe) — your weekly lifeline out of corporate. ↗ Explore more (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/) and read transcripts on the website. Related episodes: 💰 Money — How corporate systems deliberately use money as leverage, and practical ways to loosen that control so financial fear doesn’t dictate your next move. → Listen next: EP17 – Regeneration and Money: A Financial Plan for Your Purpose-Led Career (https://app.ausha.co/app/channel/296015/show/189629/library/episodes/preview/8044746) 🧠 Identity — Why your job title feels inseparable from your self-worth (and how to remember who you are beyond your work). → Listen next: EP53 – Who Are You Without Your Job Title? (https://app.ausha.co/app/channel/296015/show/189629/library/episodes/preview/9731931) 😬 Self-Doubt — Why even the most capable professionals struggle to trust themselves outside of corporate systems — and how to “outsource your confidence” until it becomes your own. → Listen next: EP14 – Three Fears Holding You Back from Purposeful, Regenerative Work (https://app.ausha.co/app/channel/296015/show/189629/library/episodes/preview/7972833) Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What happens when your job becomes your identity? In this episode, we explore the deep emotional work behind career change — the moment when you realise that the title you’ve spent years building no longer fits who you are. You’ll hear how one GP, completely burned out by a system she once loved, began to rediscover herself beyond her role. And I’ll share my own experience of letting go of “CEO and Founder Alisa” to find purpose and freedom on the other side of quitting. This conversation is for anyone who feels stuck between loving their work but hating their job — anyone wondering who they might be without the label. If you’re ready to rebuild your confidence, find meaningful work, and design a career that serves your life (not the other way around), this episode will help you take that first step. Next steps: ✦ Book Courage to Quit (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/courage-to-quit) — a 90-minute session to create your personalised exit plan. ❖ Subscribe to my emails (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/subscribe) — your weekly lifeline out of corporate. ↗ Explore more (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/) and read transcripts on the website. Related episodes: → EP44: Making Space for Change,The Non-Negotiable of a Regenerative Career Transition (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/podcast/making-space-for-change-the-non-negotiable-of-a-regenerative-career-transition) → EP49: The 3 Types of People Who Need to Quit Corporate (and Find Meaningful Work) (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/podcast/the-3-types-of-people-who-need-to-quit-corporate-and-find-meaningful-work) → EP52: Finding Purpose - How Clare Left Corporate Agencies to Build Meaningful Work for Changemakers (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/podcast/is-corporate-burnout-blocking-your-career-change-fgctr) Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

“I remember one Christmas Eve… instead of being with my husband and not-yet-two-year-old, I was finishing a project because that felt more important.” If your career looks great on paper but feels wrong in your bones, Clare’s story will resonate. This is the first episode in my Finding Purpose series—monthly conversations with clients and other brave souls who’ve left corporate, done the inner and outer work, and built regenerative careers on their own terms. These episodes are about real transitions, not highlight reels: the fears, the false starts, and the choices that lead to meaningful work. Clare spent years in London’s creative agencies, living the long-hours rhythm that corporate culture normalises. Then life forced a rethink—pregnancy, twins, a move out of London, and the dawning realisation that the “fun had stopped.” We talk about how burnout drains the imagination you need for career change, and how the fear of slipping back into burnout can keep you in limbo even after you’ve left. Together we reframe work from the ground up: start with how you want life to feel (family first, balance, a sense of craft) and only then design the work around it. What’s powerful about Clare’s path is that nothing was wasted. She turned years of brand/communications experience and a master’s in sustainability into Story Labs (https://www.flockforchange.com/)—participatory, community-led sessions that surface lived experience and weave it into collective narratives for places, projects and changemakers. Listen for: How corporate conditioning leads us to over-work—and why we double down on it ourselves. Why burnout doesn’t end when you quit, and how to move despite the fear of repeating old patterns. The mindset shifts that unlocked momentum: slowing down, committing, and building something to last. If Clare’s journey resonates and you’re ready to reimagine your relationship with work, let’s talk. The Meaningful Business Incubator is my six-month intensive coaching program where we will design, test, and launch your regenerative business or offering. Book a call with me (https://calendly.com/regenerativeworklife)and we’ll talk about what the Meaningful Business Incubator can unlock for you. Related episodes: → EP51: Is Corporate Burnout Blocking Your Career Change? (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/podcast/is-corporate-burnout-blocking-your-career-change) → EP50: You Don’t Need a New Job! How to Choose Purposeful Career Change Instead (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/podcast/you-dont-need-a-new-job-how-to-choose-purposeful-career-change-instead) → EP49: The 3 Types of People Who Need to Quit Corporate (and Find Meaningful Work) (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/podcast/the-3-types-of-people-who-need-to-quit-corporate-and-find-meaningful-work) Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Corporate burnout can block your career change long before you even hand in your notice — and long after you’ve left. Before you quit, burnout drains the confidence and imagination you need to move. After you quit, fear of slipping back into overwhelm and exhaustion can stop you from building the meaningful work you really want. We’ll dig into what’s actually behind burnout — not just overwork, but the deeper cost of squeezing yourself into an extractive system that values output over life. In this episode, you’ll learn how to: Understand the hidden roots of corporate burnout and why it lingers Recognise how burnout holds you back from career change and meaningful work Quit consciously and rebuild your relationship with work in a regenerative way Find your purpose without repeating the same exhausting patterns Ready to act? Courage to Quit is a confidential 90-minute session to take you from trapped and anxious to clear, grounded, and free — with a personalised exit plan you can act on with confidence. Next steps: ✦ Book Courage to Quit (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/courage-to-quit) — a 90-minute session to create your personalised exit plan. ❖ Subscribe to my email (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/subscribe)s — your weekly lifeline out of corporate. ↗ Explore more and read transcripts on the website (https://www.regenerativeworklife.com/). Related episodes: → EP11: How To Talk To Your Partner About Regenerative Career Change → EP7: Pause Is a Career Power Move (Regenerative Unsticking Point with Shweta) → EP3: Tips to Avoid Corporate Greenwash in Your Sustainable Job Search Hosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.