The Rest of Us with Dana Tenille Weekes

Dana Tenille Weekes
  • 5.0 (31)
  • Health & Fitness
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The Rest of Us podcast explores rest as self-liberation for advocates and professionals who are losing themselves to the demands of work, loved ones, friends, strangers, and this dizzying world. The Rest of Us cultivates a community through honest reflections, conversations, and laughter for people willing to embrace rest differently. 

  1. 2d ago ·  Bonus

    Poetic Interlude - Elizabeth Spenst reading "I Am"

    Who are you and the people you come from? In this Poetic Interlude, Elizabeth Spenst reads her poem “I Am.” Creatives, including poets, show us how to embrace our humanity and act on our truths. We in The Rest of Us community view this as a deep connection to one’s own agency — our definition of rest. Settle into the work of Elizabeth Spenst and even explore your own creativity, which we define as liberatory rest. ABOUT ELIZABETH Elizabeth Spenst is a poet with work appearing in Rattle, On the Seawall, The Ekphrastic Review, and elsewhere. A child of Trinidadian and Mennonite Diasporas, she’s currently at home in Brooklyn, NY. Say “hello” to Elizabeth on Instagram @afterallitbecame. You can also visit therestofuspodcast.com to read Elizabeth's poem and reflection prompt, along with other featured poets in the Poetic Interlude community. PODCAST TEAM Host, Dana Tenille Weekes Producer, Annabelle Oh Editor, Sagheer Muhammad Content Manager, Annabelle Oh If this episode feels like a message or mirror, feel free to share it with someone who is looking to think about rest differently.  🎙️ Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.  ⭐ Leave a 5-star review. (We are grateful for you doing so.)  Until next time, rest, my friends. Connect with Us Website: www.therestofuspodcast.com  Instagram: @therestofus.podcast@danatenilleweekesSubstack: @therestofuspodcastLinkedIn: Dana Tenille Weekes

  2. 2d ago ·  Bonus

    Poetic Interlude - Nicole J. Evans reading "Strategies of a Savior"

    How else can we stay grounded in our knowing amid turmoil? In this Poetic Interlude, Nicole J. Evans reads her poem "Strategies of a Savior.” Creatives, including poets, show us how to embrace our humanity and act on our truths. We in The Rest of Us community view this as a deep connection to one’s own agency — our definition of rest.  Settle into the work of Nicole J. Evans and even explore your own creativity, which we define as liberatory rest. ABOUT NICOLE Nicole J. Evans (she/her) is a Black woman, born and reared in Los Angeles, who writes poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction. 2024 James Kirkwood Prize nominee, with poetry anthologized in FlowerSong Press and Blacklandia/Inlandia Books. Nicole is Pre-Matriarch, future Ancestor, Black sheep, vision alchemist, generational curse breaker, generational blessing manifestor, dream catcher, tale weaver, aspiring griot, empath, latent gardener, inherent inherited beautician, poet by heart, writer by revelation, and singer of her own songs. Say “hello” to Nicole on Instagram @itsnicolejeanine. You can also visit therestofuspodcast.com to read Nicole's poem and reflection prompt, along with other featured poets in the Poetic Interlude community. PODCAST TEAM Host, Dana Tenille Weekes Producer, Annabelle Oh Editor, Sagheer Muhammad Content Manager, Annabelle Oh If this episode feels like a message or mirror, feel free to share it with someone who is looking to think about rest differently.  🎙️ Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.  ⭐ Leave a 5-star review. (We are grateful for you doing so.)  Until next time, rest, my friends. Connect with Us Website: www.therestofuspodcast.com  Instagram: @therestofus.podcast@danatenilleweekesSubstack: @therestofuspodcastLinkedIn: Dana Tenille Weekes

  3. 2d ago

    Ep 31: A Love Letter to Your Possibilities

    What possibilities were you created to make real? In this episode, Dana reads a love letter she wrote for The Rest of Us community, calling us to settle into the unfamiliar parts of ourselves. Because Dana believes that's where our greatest possibilities exist.  But to live in our possibilities, Dana talks about the need to break many of the norms we've embraced, which is where the fear of being ourselves lives. What You'll Settle Into How the familiar parts of ourselves are a kind of normal where we subconsciously have given in (or up), or think they serve us but actually undermine us.How it is impossible to fear your possibilities.How deconditioning, unlearning, and facing what we've normalized requires fear.Key Quotes & Insights "What you've been feeling is you missing you.""You are the only one who can hold your possibilities and make them real.""You just have to decide that you have the desire and agency to unlearn, decondition, face what you've normalized. It is this attachment that you fear letting go of.""You may call your details ordinary, as in mundane. But maybe you haven't lived in them to find out just how extraordinary, or rather extra-ordinary, they are." PODCAST TEAM Host, Dana Tenille Weekes Editor, Sagheer Muhammad If this episode feels like a message or mirror, feel free to share it with someone who is looking to think about rest differently.  🎙️ Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.  ⭐ Leave a 5-star review. (We are grateful for you doing so.)  Until next time, rest, my friends. Connect with Us Website: www.therestofuspodcast.com  Instagram: @therestofus.podcast@danatenilleweekesSubstack: @therestofuspodcastLinkedIn: Dana Tenille Weekes

  4. Aug 10 ·  Bonus

    Poetic Interlude - Gauri Awasthi reading "Prayer from a Non-Believer"

    How is liberation possible in life and death? In this Poetic Interlude, Gauri Awasthi reads her poem "Prayer from a Non-Believer" in her debut poetry collection Mother Wound (Trio House Press, October 2026). Creatives, including poets, show us how to embrace our humanity and act on our truths. We in The Rest of Us community view this as a deep connection to one’s own agency — our definition of rest. Settle into the work of Gauri Awasthi and even explore your own creativity, which we define as liberatory rest. ABOUT GAURI  Gauri Awasthi (she/her), born in Kanpur, India, is a multidisciplinary artist who is based in New York City. She has won fellowships from Yaddo, the Hambidge Center, Hedgebrook, the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Djerassi, and the Sundress Academy for the Arts. Her writing has been published in Best New Poets 2023, Quarterly West, Notre Dame Review, The Rumpus, Buzzfeed, and others. Her debut poetry collection, Mother Wound, is forthcoming from Trio House Press in 2026. WEBSITE: www.gauriawasthi.com PUBLICATION: Mother Wound (Trio House Press, October 2026)  Say “hello” to Gauri on Instagram @gauriawasthi. You can also visit therestofuspodcast.com to read Gauri's poem and reflection prompt, along with other featured poets in the Poetic Interlude community. PODCAST TEAM Host, Dana Tenille Weekes Producer, Annabelle Oh Editor, Sagheer Muhammad Content Manager, Annabelle Oh If this episode feels like a message or mirror, feel free to share it with someone who is looking to think about rest differently.  🎙️ Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.  ⭐ Leave a 5-star review. (We are grateful for you doing so.)  Until next time, rest, my friends. Connect with Us Website: www.therestofuspodcast.com  Instagram: @therestofus.podcast@danatenilleweekesSubstack: @therestofuspodcastLinkedIn: Dana Tenille Weekes

  5. Aug 10 ·  Bonus

    Poetic Interlude - Omavi Shukur reading "thingafication of a soul"

    How would you describe the difference between liberatory rest and predatory leisure? In this Poetic Interlude, Omavi Shukur shares his poem "thingafication of a soul" (originally published in Hanging Loose magazine, Issue 118).  Creatives, including poets, show us how to embrace our humanity and act on our truths. We in The Rest of Us community view this as a deep connection to one’s own agency — our definition of rest. Settle into the work of Omavi Shukur and even explore your own creativity, which we define as liberatory rest. ABOUT OMAVI Omavi Shukur is a poet, civil rights attorney, and legal scholar from Little Rock, Arkansas. His writing appears in various publications, including The Root, Hanging Loose Magazine, and the Georgetown Law Journal.  Say “hello” to Omavi on Instagram @omavispeaks. You can also visit therestofuspodcast.com to read Omavi's poem and reflection prompt, along with other featured poets in the Poetic Interlude community. PODCAST TEAM Host, Dana Tenille Weekes Producer, Annabelle Oh Editor, Sagheer Muhammad Content Manager, Annabelle Oh If this episode feels like a message or mirror, feel free to share it with someone who is looking to think about rest differently.  🎙️ Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.  ⭐ Leave a 5-star review. (We are grateful for you doing so.)  Until next time, rest, my friends. Connect with Us Website: www.therestofuspodcast.com  Instagram: @therestofus.podcast@danatenilleweekesSubstack: @therestofuspodcastLinkedIn: Dana Tenille Weekes

  6. Aug 10

    Ep. 30: Calling All Leaders: Let Your Workplace Hero Identity Go with Guest Robb King

    “When you take on being the hero, you’re willing to sacrifice relationships and social connections because your worth is tied to producing. There’s pride attached to it.” What resonates when you read this? In this episode of The Rest of Us podcast, Robb King, Facilitator and Founder of Blume Theory, joins Dana in conversation to call us in (not out) about holding tight to the workplace hero identity.   Through laughter, honesty, and a framework, Dana and Robb examine the workplace hero identity through the lens of consumption. And in doing so, we talk about why there is magic in being ordinary and how to do L.E.S.S when you default to doing more.  Once you’ve listened to this episode, join Dana and Robb on Substack for Afterthoughts, the conversation after the (podcast) conversation. Be sure to subscribe on Substack (@therestofuspodcast) and have the conversation delivered to your inbox. What You'll Settle Into What the workplace hero identity is and why so many of us take it on.Examining consumptive behaviors tied to workplace heroes and how such behaviors undermine leadership and a sustainable culture.What it means to do L.E.S.S.A framework that helps workplace heroes shift to doing L.E.S.S.Key Quotes & Insights "There is magic in being ordinary." - Robb King"Consumption is not a good or bad thing. Consuming is doing things at a rate that is not sustainable. It is thinking about taking your and other people’s energy in order to complete unsustainable tasks." - Robb King"When you play the hero, you start to enter a space of loneliness because there is a willingness to sacrifice relationships and social connections because your identity is tied to it. This identity makes you think of yourself as the only." - Robb KingROBB KING is a modern-day griot who helps people and organizations rethink the way they work. Through reflection, storytelling, and thoughtful questioning, he gently challenges outdated beliefs, uncovers unnecessary complexity, and helps leaders and teams discover simpler paths to impact. He creates space for clarity, joy, and sustainable growth, believing there is more than one way to succeed. Through Blume Theory, he helps people explore what doing less at work looks like in practice. As a freelance consultant, he helps organizations find clarity in their work, simplify their operations, and build sustainable ways of working. Visit Blume Theory Follow Robb on LinkedIn PODCAST TEAM Host, Dana Tenille Weekes Editor, Sagheer Muhammad If this episode feels like a message or mirror, feel free to share it with someone who is looking to think about rest differently.  🎙️ Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.  ⭐ Leave a 5-star review. (We are grateful for you doing so.)  Until next time, rest, my friends. Connect with Us Website: www.therestofuspodcast.com  Instagram: @therestofus.podcast@danatenilleweekesSubstack: @therestofuspodcastLinkedIn: Dana Tenille Weekes

  7. Jul 27 ·  Bonus

    Poetic Interlude - Derrick Weston Brown reading "Pool"

    What bodily sensations can you recall that signify rest should be near? In this Poetic Interlude, Derrick Weston Brown shares his poem “Pool” (previously published in Narrative Northeast Journal). Creative expression is a portal to rest as liberation. Creatives, including poets, show us how to embrace our humanity and act on our truths. We in The Rest of Us community view this as a deep connection to one’s own agency — our definition of rest.  Settle into the work of Derrick Weston Brown and even explore your own creativity, which we define as liberatory rest. ABOUT DERRICK Derrick Weston Brown holds an MFA in creative writing from American University. He is a native of Charlotte, North Carolina. He was an adjunct professor of English and Literature at Prince George’s Community College and is a full-time Creative Writing faculty member at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Derrick’s debut poetry collection, Wisdom Teeth, was released in April 2011 on Busboys and Poets Press/PM Press. His second collection, On All Fronts, was released along with two other poetry chapbooks in a bound series from Upper Rubber Boot Press titled Floodgates Vol.5, in March of 2019.  Visit Derrick's website. Say “hello” to Derrick on Instagram @theoriginalderrickwestonbrown. You can also visit therestofuspodcast.com to read Derrick's poem and reflection prompt, along with other featured poets in the Poetic Interlude community. PODCAST TEAM Host, Dana Tenille Weekes Producer, Annabelle Oh Editor, Sagheer Muhammad Content Manager, Annabelle Oh If this episode feels like a message or mirror, feel free to share it with someone who is looking to think about rest differently.  🎙️ Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.  ⭐ Leave a 5-star review. (We are grateful for you doing so.)  Until next time, rest, my friends. Connect with Us Website: www.therestofuspodcast.com  Instagram: @therestofus.podcast@danatenilleweekesSubstack: @therestofuspodcastLinkedIn: Dana Tenille Weekes

  8. Jul 27 ·  Bonus

    Poetic Interlude - Jae Nichelle reading "Sci-fi Black Lead"

    What are some simple things we overlook with each blink? How do we share apples with no urgency? In this Poetic Interlude, Jae Nichelle shares her poem “Sci-fi with Black Lead." Creatives, including poets, show us how to embrace our humanity and act on our truths. We in The Rest of Us community view this as a deep connection to one’s own agency — our definition of rest. Settle into the work of Jae Nichelle and even explore your own creativity, which we define as liberatory rest. ABOUT JAE Louisiana-born Jae Nichelle (she/her) is the author of God Themselves (Andrews McMeel, 2023) and the chapbook The Porch (As Sanctuary) (YesYes Books, 2019). A graduate fellow of The Watering Hole, Jae won the inaugural John Lewis Writing Award in poetry from the Georgia Writers Association and was a finalist for a 2023 Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Fellowship. Her poetry has appeared in Best New Poets 2020, Washington Square Review, The Offing, Muzzle Magazine, and elsewhere. Her latest book, Grownfolk Blues: a musical in poems, is forthcoming (Host Publications, Fall 2026). WEBSITE: Learn more at www.jaenichelle.com. PUBLICATIONS: Grownfolk Blues: a musical in poems (Host Publications, Fall 2026) God Themselves The Porch (As Sanctuary) breaking, broken (A Short Film) Visit Jae's website. Say “hello” to Jae on Instagram @croptopassasin. You can also visit therestofuspodcast.com to read Jae's poem and reflection prompt, along with other featured poets in the Poetic Interlude community. PODCAST TEAM Host, Dana Tenille Weekes Producer, Annabelle Oh Editor, Sagheer Muhammad Content Manager, Annabelle Oh If this episode feels like a message or mirror, feel free to share it with someone who is looking to think about rest differently.  🎙️ Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.  ⭐ Leave a 5-star review. (We are grateful for you doing so.)  Until next time, rest, my friends. Connect with Us Website: www.therestofuspodcast.com  Instagram: @therestofus.podcast@danatenilleweekesSubstack: @therestofuspodcastLinkedIn: Dana Tenille Weekes

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The Rest of Us podcast explores rest as self-liberation for advocates and professionals who are losing themselves to the demands of work, loved ones, friends, strangers, and this dizzying world. The Rest of Us cultivates a community through honest reflections, conversations, and laughter for people willing to embrace rest differently. 

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