Designed Pause Podcast

You've been telling yourself you just need a vacation. A week off, some rest, a reset. And maybe that's true.
But if you've come back from every trip feeling fine for two weeks — and then the hollow feeling returns right on schedule — that's not a rest problem. That's data.
In this episode, I'm walking you through a four-question framework to help you figure out what you're actually dealing with: burnout that rest can fix, or something deeper that rest just delays.
We cover: — Why vacations and pauses solve completely different problems — The difference between physical exhaustion and identity exhaustion — How to tell if your question is a passing thought or a pattern — What it actually takes for the feeling to go away permanently
If something lands for you in this episode, the free journaling prompts I mention are in the link below. Thirty prompts, no cost, built for the person who knows something needs to change but doesn't have language for it yet.
Grab the free journaling prompts www.designedpause.com

What Happens to Your Relationships When You Leave Corporate
Nobody warns you about this part.
You plan for the financial shift. You prepare for the identity questions. But what about the people? What actually happens to your relationships when you step away from corporate life?
In this episode, I'm getting honest about one of the most unexpected parts of a designed pause — the way your connections shift, who stays, who fades, and the surprising new relationships waiting for you on the other side.
We talk about:
Why some corporate relationships don't survive the transition — and why that doesn't mean they weren't real
The role intentionality plays in the relationships you want to keep
How to stay open to the new connections that will propel your next chapter
What happens with family — the ones who don't understand and the ones who show up completely
And the simple, ordinary moments that end up meaning everything
This one is personal. And if you're a high-achieving professional privately questioning whether the life you've built is actually the life you want — it will meet you exactly where you are.
🎁 Grab the free journaling prompts to start your own designed pause: www.designedpause.com
Keywords: career break, sabbatical, burnout recovery, women in leadership, leaving corporate, relationship shifts, intentional living, life after corporate, career transition, high achieving women

She Took a Break From Her Career — And Found Herself | A Mother's Story
What does it actually feel like to walk away from a career that defined you — and come out the other side with more clarity than you've ever had?
In this episode, I sit down with someone who lived it: my mom. She took a designed pause before it had a name, before there was a roadmap, before anyone was telling high-achieving women it was okay to stop.
We talk about the moment she knew she had to step away, what she thought a break would feel like versus what it actually felt like, and the unexpected shift that helped her finally hear herself clearly.
If you're a director, VP, or senior leader who is quietly exhausted and still telling yourself you're fine — this one is for you.
🎁 Grab the free journaling prompts to start your own designed pause: www.designedpause.com
Keywords: career break, intentional living, burnout recovery, women in leadership, sabbatical, life after corporate, high achieving women, finding yourself, self-discovery, career transition

If you take a career pause, you’re probably going to miss some things about corporate life — and that’s normal.
Missing parts of your old life does not mean you made a mistake.Often, what you’re missing is the familiarity of old patterns, not the job itself.
My name is Deidra Green, and welcome to Designed Pause — a space for women who are intentionally rethinking their careers and learning how to stay grounded through change.
In this episode, I share:
Why missing corporate life is normal during a career pause
The top three things I miss about corporate life
The top three things I don’t miss — and why
How predictability, people, and identity show up after leaving corporate
Why you have to “land” in your decision instead of romanticizing it
How to stay grounded when nostalgia creeps in
This conversation is for corporate Black women who are considering a career pause and want an honest, balanced perspective — not fear, guilt, or fantasy.
You can appreciate what corporate life gave youand still choose something different.
Get the Designed Pause Decision Kit: www.designedpause.com
✨ Subscribe for calm, honest conversations about intentional career pauses💬 Comment below: What’s one thing you think you’d miss — or wouldn’t miss — about corporate life?👍 Rate this episode if it helped you feel more grounded in your decisions

Living abroad can be beautiful — but it’s not always easy.
During my Designed Pause, I’ve been spending part of my time living in Saint Lucia, and while there are many upsides, I want to share some of the unexpected challenges that don’t always show up on social media.
My name is Deidra Green, and welcome to Designed Pause — a space for women who want to think through lifestyle shifts and career pauses intentionally, not romantically.
In this episode, I share:
What it’s really like arriving and departing from a small island airport
Why patience and flexibility matter when living abroad
The realities of driving, traffic, and infrastructure in Saint Lucia
How daily life works without dryers, traditional addresses, or online bill pay
What housing, landlords, and transportation actually look like
Why island life requires a different pace — and mindset
This conversation is for women who are considering living abroad or incorporating travel into a career pause and want a realistic picture, not just the highlight reel.
Living abroad isn’t about expecting things to work the same way they do in the U.S.It’s about adapting to a new way of being.
Get the Designed Pause Decision Kit here: www.designedpause.com
✨ Subscribe for honest conversations about intentional career pauses and life design💬 Comment below: What would be a deal-breaker for you when living abroad?👍 Rate this episode if you appreciate realistic, grounded perspectives

Corporate life prepares you for many things — but not everything you need for an intentional career pause.
My name is Deidra Green, and welcome to Designed Pause, a space for women who are thoughtfully rethinking their careers and learning how to design what comes next with clarity and intention.
In this episode, I reflect on:
What corporate life prepared me for that still serves me today
Why documenting your work and keeping “receipts” matters during a pause
How project planning and time management support a hybrid career pause
Why it’s okay — and often necessary — to change direction
How building optionality reduces fear during transitions
What corporate life did not prepare me for, including trusting your instincts
Why pauses require self-trust, patience, and internal validation
This conversation is for corporate Black women who are successful on paper but want to move into their next chapter with intention — not urgency or pressure.
Corporate skills don’t disappear during a pause. They evolve.
www.designedpause.com
✨ Subscribe for calm, honest conversations about intentional career pauses💬 Comment below: What skill did corporate life prepare you for — and what did it not?👍 Like this video if it helped you rethink how your experience still serves you

Many women worry that if they slow down, they’re somehow falling behind — behind their peers, behind a timeline, or behind the life they were “supposed” to be building.
But slowing down intentionally is not the same as losing momentum.
My name is Deidra Green, and welcome to Designed Pause — a space for women who are rethinking their careers, their pace, and the lives they’re designing with intention.
In this episode, we explore:
Why slowing down feels so uncomfortable in high-achieving environments
The difference between intentional pauses and unintentional stagnation
How invisible work like reflection, planning, and discernment actually counts
Why comparison makes thoughtful decisions harder
How to reframe your pause as alignment, not delay
This conversation is for corporate Black women who are successful on paper but know that speed without alignment comes at a cost.
Slowing down doesn’t mean you’re falling behind.Sometimes it’s how you finally get clear on where you’re going.
www.designedpause.com
✨ Subscribe for calm, honest conversations about intentional career pauses💬 Comment below: What does slowing down bring up for you — relief, fear, or both?👍 Like this video if it helped you rethink pace and progress

After money, the second biggest reason many women hesitate to take a career pause is identity.
Who are you without your job title?What will people think?What will you say when someone asks, “So… what do you do?”
In this episode of Designed Pause, host Deidra Green explores the deeper, often unspoken fear behind stepping away from work: the loss of external validation and the pressure to remain “successful on paper.”
As a millennial who checked all the boxes and climbed the ladder, Deidra reflects on how true fulfillment in her life has often come from moments that went against the grain — decisions others might have labeled mistakes or risks.
This conversation is about reclaiming your identity beyond your title, trusting that nothing you’ve accomplished can ever be taken from you, and learning how to protect your vision when others don’t yet understand it.
✨ In this episode, we discuss:
Why identity is a major barrier to taking an intentional career pause
How job titles become entangled with self-worth
Why your skills, experience, and lessons always come with you
What people at the end of their lives actually regret — and what they don’t
How to guard your heart and protect your ideas during a transition
Why you are worthy simply because you exist
How a Designed Pause can help you realign with what truly matters
🔗 Resources mentioned:
Mel Robbins Podcast episode with Dr. Karl Pillemer (on end-of-life regrets)
Free journaling prompts to help you reflect on identity and desire
The 7 Primal Questions (book) — to explore the deeper question driving your ambition

Money is the main reason most women count themselves out of taking a career pause — and that concern is valid.
My name is Deidra Green, and welcome to Designed Pause, a space for women who want to take an intentional career pause without creating unnecessary financial stress.
In this video, we talk honestly about money and career breaks, including:
Why money fears stop women from pausing — even when they want to
The importance of planning a career pause instead of “jumping ship”
How to take inventory of your finances without judgment
Being honest about the lifestyle you want during your pause
The difference between expectations and financial reality
The real financial changes I made to design my own pause
I share practical examples from my life — downsizing, restructuring expenses, using credit strategically, and increasing cash flow — not as a blueprint, but as proof that there are more options than you might think.
This conversation isn’t about deprivation or hustle.It’s about honesty, planning, and designing a pause that actually works for your life.
If you’re a corporate Black woman considering a career break, sabbatical, or transition — this video will help you think differently about money and possibility.
✨ Subscribe for conversations about intentional career pauses and designing your life💬 Comment what expense or mindset shift you think would make the biggest difference for you👍 Like this video if it helped you reframe money and career pauses

What I thought a career break would be — and what it actually is — are two very different things. My name is Deidra Green, and welcome to  @DesignedPause  , a space for women who are thinking about taking an intentional career pause.
In this episode, I share:
Why a career break must be planned before you take it
How a lack of planning can turn a pause into a new source of stress
What my first career pause taught me after leaving a director role at a large financial firm
How I’ve been intentionally preparing for my second pause for years
The three types of career pauses: Passive, Active, and Hybrid
I’m currently on my second career pause — traveling between the United States and Saint Lucia, doing contract work, and building Designed Pause — and this time, the difference is intentional planning.
This conversation is for corporate Black women who are successful on paper but know something needs to shift. Not because they’re tired — but because they’re uninspired or misaligned. If you’re considering a career break, sabbatical, or simply want exposure to new options, this episode will help you rethink what a pause actually requires.
Here is a link to the tool I mention in the episode: www.designedpause.com
✨ Subscribe for conversations about intentional career pauses and designing your life 💬 Comment which type of pause you think you need right now: passive, active, or hybrid
👍 Like this video if it helped you reframe what a career break really is