The Unemployment Diaries

Aisha Ommaya
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

This podcast isn’t about work. It’s about the beliefs, systems, and expectations that “employ” us. Through interviews with experts and honest conversations with people who’ve chosen a less-known path, we explore what it takes to break old patterns and choose differently. Become “unemployed” from anyone else’s definition of a life well-lived, and design your own.

  1. 1d ago

    The science behind the heart’s intelligence

    On this podcast, we explore the beliefs and systems that hold us back. But what if our mind isn’t the only source of intelligence and discernment in the body?  Jeff Goelitz is the Director of Education at the HeartMath Institute where they’ve spent the last 35 years studying science-based tools to access your heart’s intuitive wisdom, transforming how you navigate stress, make decisions, and connect with others.  In this conversation, we get into the mechanics of heart rate variability and coherence, what the research shows about non-local intuition (the kind of knowing that has no clear rational explanation) and how regulating our nervous system directly affects the quality of our decisions. Jeff also shares findings from HeartMath's work with nurses, doctors, and the military, where building resilience through simple daily practices has measurably changed outcomes under high-stress conditions — plus how you can use those same practices to access your own heart's regulating and intuitive power. Chapters  (00:00) Introducing: Jeff Goelitz (01:01) From teacher to HeartMath's Director of Education (03:11) What HeartMath discovered about the heart's intelligence (09:33) Measuring the heart's rhythm (it's not just fitness) (15:53) Coherence vs. optimization (18:44) The practice of heart-focused breathing (25:24) Random number generators and mass emotion (30:27) Is the heart the source of our energetic field? (35:21) Inside hospitals, schools, and the military (40:27) Why stress hijacks decision-making (47:01) From "California new age" to hard science (50:12) Making coherence a daily habit (56:11) Non-local intuition and sensing beyond time (1:00:35) The origin story of HeartMath (1:05:57) One belief about the heart worth dismantling (1:08:05 )Where to start practicing today Learn more about The HeartMath Institute http://www.heartmath.org https://www.youtube.com/user/HeartMathInstitute For more from The Unemployment Diaries Stay up to date on Instagram Go behind the scenes on Substack Watch on YouTube

  2. Aug 4

    Why rest alone won’t fix burnout with Dr. Talissa Dorsaint

    As a licensed clinical psychologist who's spent over a decade at the intersection of mental health, burnout, and creativity, Dr. Talissa Dorsaint makes the case that most of us have burnout completely wrong. It's not just "doing too much at work." It's the gap between what you want and where you actually are.  And she should know. She experienced burnout herself amidst a windstorm of racism, mounting debt, and a pandemic she was not professionally equipped for.  We get into what burnout really looks like versus depression, the seven types of rest almost nobody talks about, and why quitting the systems that aren't working for you isn't failure. Talissa also shares how she found her way back through creativity: learning to DJ, taking up salsa dancing, and getting comfortable being bad at something in public again. If you've ever wondered whether you're burnt out, quitting too soon, or just finally being honest with yourself — this one's for you. Chapters (00:00) Introducing: Talissa Dorsaint (01:57) Becoming a psychologist and burnout specialist (05:21) Racism, debt, and therapy during a pandemic (10:13) The journey to burnout (14:05) When to quit (21:57) TikTok and rediscovering creativity (28:07) What burnout REALLY is (30:17) The 7 types of rest (33:10) Overcoming the inner critic (36:44) Getting creative on purpose (40:31) Taking small (salsa) steps (42:37) Recognizing the signs of burnout (46:08) Reconnecting with your creativity (49:20 ) The belief she had to change Where to find Talissa https://www.instagram.com/talideephd/ https://www.tiktok.com/@talideephd https://www.drdorsaint.com/ For more from The Unemployment Diaries Stay up to date on Instagram Go behind the scenes on Substack Watch on YouTube

  3. Jul 23

    Writer and data scientist on building a life without a finish line

    Today’s guest trained almost every day for five years chasing a national championship and still lost. But that loss taught him something he's used ever since: how to play a long game without needing to see the finish line. Ryan Boyd is in his 20s, working full-time as a supply chain data scientist, coaching rowing, and writing the Substack newsletter Present & Progressing… all at once. He doesn't treat the job as an excuse to put life on hold. Instead, he's using this decade deliberately: building financial stability, acquiring skills, and setting up a foundation now for a future he's not in a rush to define. But this conversation isn't just for people in the first quarter of their lives. Ryan's approach to delayed gratification, discipline over motivation, and detaching from outcomes is a mindset anyone can use.  We talk about the "pillars" he uses to structure his life around what actually matters to him, a practice most people have never heard of and what it looks like to build a full, intentional life without waiting for permission or the "right" job to start it. If you’ve ever wondered how to balance your ambition with your ability to enjoy the current moment, this episode is for you.   Chapters (00:00) Introducing: Ryan Boyd (00:57) From rowing to writing (06:42) Building your perspective (09:40) The philosophy of Present and Progressing (11:22) Outcomes are overrated (14:43) A crash course in delayed gratification (17:34) Time management vs. energy management (22:36) Discipline vs. motivation (25:53) Handling setbacks and maintaining momentum (28:23) Tools to shape your mindset (35:29) Writing letters to his future self (41:00) What if you're in the wrong job? (45:33) Self-comparison and community (47:47) How to really be ambitious Where to find Ryan Substack: https://presentandprogressing.substack.com/ For more from The Unemployment Diaries Stay up to date on Instagram Go behind the scenes on Substack Watch on YouTube

  4. Jul 8

    The opera singer who cracked the code on being heard

    On this podcast, we talk a lot about the process of becoming unemployed from beliefs and systems that hold you back. But what happens when you know what you want to say, but can’t figure out why you’re not being heard? Before he coached executives to command a room, Michael Hewitt spent a decade commanding rooms himself performing opera without a microphone for audiences of over a thousand people. Then the pandemic hit, the performances stopped, and Michael did what most people don't: he didn't just find a new career. He found himself. Today he works with founders, CEOs, and enterprise sellers who know their material but can't figure out why they're not landing. The answer, according to Michael, is almost always the voice. In this episode, Michael shares his story and: Why he walked away from opera and how his friends are singing at the Met What it cost him to let go of the one thing he believed made him special The surprising overlap between cold calling and performing opera Why most presentation coaches get it wrong  The 7 Skills of Tonality and why five of them have nothing to do with your voice What it means to speak at the frequency of truth What 10 days of silence taught him about equanimity and showing up in a room What to do in the car on the way to an important meeting Chapters  Where to find Michael www.commandaroom.com https://www.instagram.com/michaelhewitt23/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhewitt23/ For more from The Unemployment Diaries Stay up to date on Instagram Go behind the scenes on Substack Watch on YouTube

  5. Jul 1

    The Calm Traveler on layoffs, reinvention, and planning trips differently

    What happens when a 9/11 survivor, Navy veteran, and 28-year corporate travel veteran gets laid off on a Zoom call with 4,000 other people ? Harold Wilkerson didn't panic or spiral. He has too much experience with hard things for that. He got quiet, got intentional, and built The Calm Traveler: a Substack and travel consultancy helping people over 50 rethink how they move through the world. This episode is about more than travel. It's about what happens when the life you built for decades gets pulled out from under you, and you finally decide to bet on yourself. In this episode, Harold and I discuss: How surviving 9/11 permanently changed his relationship with time, risk, and what actually matters Getting laid off via Zoom alongside 4,000 colleagues and feeling an unexpected sense of calm Why he went back to college in his 50s while working full time The philosophy behind The Calm Traveler Why your packed itinerary is the reason you need a vacation from your vacation How he grew an audience by telling the truth instead of doing what he thought creators were supposed to do Why betting on yourself gets a lot easier when you stop waiting for family and friends to be your biggest fans Chapters (00:00) Introducing: The Calm Traveler (07:01) Lessons from 9/11 (14:19) The Zoom call that ended it all (21:56) Betting on himself and finding a new path (26:41) The philosophy behind The Calm Traveler (31:54) Why we ruin trips with overpacked itineraries (34:15) Who The Calm Traveler is really for (39:01) The loneliness of entrepreneurship (42:46) The emotional aspect of travel (48:03) YouTube vs. Substack: Finding your voice (54:30) The learning journey: Fordham to ElevenLabs (01:01:32) The best thing that ever happened to him (01:07:31) Building a unique perspective in spite of fear Where to find Harold Website: https://thecalmtraveler.com/ Substack: https://thecalmtraveler.substack.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCalmTravelerGuide For more from The Unemployment Diaries Stay up to date on Instagram Go behind the scenes on Substack Watch on YouTube

  6. Jun 25

    Comedian-actor-strategist on finding your voice and using it

    Will is a triple threat: stand-up comedian, actor, and B2B content strategist with a newsletter that gets a 70% open rate. He's also someone who spent years flattening himself to fit inside corporate culture (anyone else resonate?) — and is now methodically peeling every layer back. We talk about what it actually means to build an audience, why human content will always beat AI, and how Will is redefining success not by what he's gaining, but by what he's refusing to become again. In this conversation we discuss: Dropping out 7 classes short to build one of the first web companies What panic-applying after a layoff actually feels like and why he stopped waiting to be picked Why comedian + actor + content strategist just makes sense The content mistake most brands make and the 70% open rate that proves there's a better way His architectural approach to content development What he was tolerating in corporate that he couldn't name until he left Success by subtraction: becoming more you by refusing to be anything else Why he almost turned this podcast down and what that says about how we measure ourselves Chapters (00:00) Introducing: Will Thomas (01:07) How comedian-actor-strategist answers "what do you do?" (05:59) The bold decision to drop out of college (11:50) Finding discipline in a crazy commute (15:10) From corporate to creative freedom (21:03) What Will was tolerating  (25:54) The importance of support systems (27:16) Architectural approach to content creation (29:41) Emotional intelligence in content creation (32:07) Leveraging humor and unique perspectives (35:47) Building a personal brand (39:14) Defining success on your own terms (45:54) Authenticity over comparison Where to find Will  Newsletter: https://www.williamathomas.com/sunday-setup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamathomas/ Website: https://www.5thhouseleo.com/ For more from The Unemployment Diaries Stay up to date on Instagram Go behind the scenes on Substack Watch on YouTube

  7. Jun 18

    Pro-athlete turned writer on taking her skills off the court

    How many people do you know who are actually building the life they want, instead of the one they settled for? Jessica (Jess) Almeida played basketball for Portugal from the age of 13. At 24, she traded the sport for a corporate paycheck — and spent years wondering if she'd made a mistake. Today, she still works full time. But she found writing: same discipline, same obsession, different game. Now she's helping others do the same, building a framework for people with multiple interests and not enough direction. In this episode, we chat about: How growing up in an elite athletic program shaped the discipline that still drives her today The financial reality of women's sports that pushed her toward a corporate career How writing became her coping mechanism through grief, identity loss, and coming out to her family The "restart cycle" of side hustles that never stuck — and what finally did How she manages her passion while working full-time Her mental breakdown in 2024, moving back in with her mom at 31, and the moment she got sick enough of her own attitude to change The Integrator Model: her framework for helping people with multiple interests find one direction that holds them all The insight she’d give herself about generational impact  Chapters (00:00) Introducing: Jessica (Jess) Almeida (00:50) Jess, the pro basketball player (06:21 ) Jess, the side hustle queen (08:21) Jess, the writer (10:20) Comparing writing and basketball (13:58) The myth of the overnight success (15:57) Being disciplined about your passion (18:15) The power of writing as a tool (20:29) Why Jess stopped complaining (26:08) Managing time and creative energy (26:57) The integrator model (31:22) Having generational impact Where to find Jess  The Integrator Model The JD Letter on Substack For more from The Unemployment Diaries Stay up to date on Instagram Go behind the scenes on Substack Watch on YouTube

  8. Jun 9

    CEO of MindHug on why you can’t think your way to change

    Change. Whether it's a shift in career, lifestyle, or behavior patterns — we usually know what we need to do differently. So then… why can't we do it? Raj Singh had the career everyone told him to want. LSE economist. Bank of England. Stable, prestigious, on track. And then one night, it fell apart. What followed wasn't just a pivot. It was a reckoning. With how the mind actually works. With what behavior is really signaling. With why knowing better almost never leads to doing better. Raj went from central banking to neuroscience research to founding MindHug, a company helping individuals and institutions get unstuck — not through mindset hacks or motivation, but by starting where most approaches never begin: the nervous system. In this episode, Raj shares his story and: Why the breakdown was years in the making and what signals he wishes he'd paid attention to sooner The difference between actual threat and perceived threat — and why your mind can't always tell them apart What dopamine, neural pathways, and epigenetics have to do with your worst habits The SURE model and why psychological safety is the non-negotiable first step to any real change How MindHug uses VR, breathwork, and sound to help people experience (not just understand) new ways of being Why building a new habit beats trying to quit an old one every time What he'd tell himself before the night everything came crashing down Chapters (00:00) Introducing: Raj Singh (02:06) From autopilot to breakdown (03:59) From Bank of England to MindHug (07:27) Why info alone isn't enough to change behavior (08:04) How the mind gets hijacked (11:36) Innovative approaches to psychological safety (14:32) The role of tech and AI in behavior change (19:01) AI vs human readiness (20:50) The SURE model: Safety, Understanding, Reframing, Experience (26:08) Our reactions are pre-programmed (34:33) Like bio-hacking, but psycho-hacking (36:31) Perception and reality: The illusion of life (38:55) Reading your own signals (42:05) Case Study: Addressing phone addiction (46:53) Don't break old habits — build new ones (51:58) Advice before the breakdown Where to find MindHug https://mindhug.com/ https://www.instagram.com/mymindhug/ Where to find Raj https://www.instagram.com/rajmindhug/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chitraj-raj-singh-583b46b/ For more from The Unemployment Diaries Stay up to date on Instagram Go behind the scenes on Substack Watch on YouTube

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About

This podcast isn’t about work. It’s about the beliefs, systems, and expectations that “employ” us. Through interviews with experts and honest conversations with people who’ve chosen a less-known path, we explore what it takes to break old patterns and choose differently. Become “unemployed” from anyone else’s definition of a life well-lived, and design your own.

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