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What if your job search had an engine—and you just needed to spark it?
In this episode of Teachers in Transition, host Vanessa Jackson (former middle school teacher turned career transition coach) breaks down the power of hope, the weight of shame, and the five career hacks every burned-out educator needs right now.

Whether you're exploring new paths or rewriting your résumé mid-meltdown, this episode will help you jumpstart momentum and reclaim your agency.

✨ In This Episode, You'll Learn:

• Why hope is your starter, momentum is your engine, and habits are your alternator
• Vanessa goes on a crusade against shame and secrecy
• Permission to call out medical gaslighting
• Why your résumé isn’t landing—and exactly how to fix it
• The 20-minute trick that kickstarts your job pivot
• A power paragraph that makes your LinkedIn and cover letters sparkle
• How to answer “Why did you leave teaching?” without the trauma dump
• Why LinkedIn isn’t a stage—it’s a hallway (and how to walk it with confidence)

🎯 This episode is especially for:

• Teachers exploring career transitions beyond the classroom
• Educators dealing with burnout, shame, or medical dismissal
• Women navigating midlife health challenges while still showing up for others
• Anyone feeling stuck and ready for a small but powerful next step

CONNECT WITH VANESSA

• 💌 Email: Vanessa@teachersintransition.com
• 📱 Call or Text: 512-640-9099
• 📅 Book a Free Discovery Call: teachersintransition.com/calendar
• 🔗 Bluesky: @beyondteaching.bsky.social
• 📸 Instagram & Threads: @teachers.in.transition
• 👍 Facebook: Teachers in Transition
• 🐦 X (Twitter): @EduExitStrategy

Programming Note from Vanessa’s Assistant:

Vanessa will be off the mic for the next few weeks while recovering from surgery. Tune in to some replayed favorites, and know she’ll be back soon—with updates, real talk, and new resources to keep your momentum going.

You’ve given enough. It’s time to build a future that gives back.

Teachers in Transition is an independently produced podcast created to support educators navigating burnout, change, and what comes next.

If this podcast has been helpful to you, you now have the option to support the show financially. Contributions are completely optional and help cover production costs so this resource can remain accessible.

Whether you choose to support or simply keep listening, thank you for being part of this community.

keywords:

Teachers, Career Change, burnout, hope, habits, New Year's Resolutions, shame, women's health, teachers in transition

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Are you standing at the edge of a new year wondering which way to go and how far you'll go? In this Teachers in Transition episode, Vanessa Jackson invites teachers, career changers, and dream‑seekers to discover their Word of the Year — a guiding compass that turns hope into directional momentum. Vanessa shares her word of the year and her 26-in-26 goals. This episode helps you find clarity and purpose for 2026, with real stories, practical goal‑setting tools, and a little pop culture wisdom.

🎯 Whether you’re thinking about leaving toxic school environments, redefining your life direction, or simply seeking deeper fulfillment, Vanessa shows you how to turn hope into movement — and movement into lasting change.

📬 Find your guiding word. Build the tools that help you get where you’re going.

📍 Resources Mentioned

🎙 Word of the Year Podcast Reference
👉 Happier with Gretchen Rubin Episode 563 – Need a One‑Word Theme for Next Year?
Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-563-need-a-one-word-theme-for-next-year-we/id969519520?i=1000739465433

💡 Word Discovery Tools
• MyIntent Word Finder – pick your guiding word: https://myintent.org/pages/word-finder
• MyIntent “What’s Your Word?” Quiz – guided discovery: https://myintent.org/pages/whatsyourwordquiz

🎥 Pop Culture Inspiration

Moana — How Far I’ll Go (Official DisneyMusicVEVO)
🎥 https://youtu.be/cPAbx5kgCJo

Rush — Wish Them Well
🎥 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF7ihyprGtk (YouTube)

📣 Next Steps

Tell Vanessa your Word for 2026!
1. Send a voice message or email to Vanessa@TeachersinTransition.com
2. Schedule a free Discovery Call:

👋 CONNECT WITH VANESSA

• 💌 Email: Vanessa@teachersintransition.com
• 📱 Call or Text: 512-640-9099
• 📅 Book a Free Discovery Call: teachersintransition.com/calendar
• 🔗 Bluesky: @beyondteaching.bsky.social
• 📸 Instagram, Threads & TikTok: @teachers.in.transition
• 👍 Facebook: Teachers in Transition
• 🐦 X (Twitter): @EduExitStrategy

Keywords

Teacher burnout • teacher career transition • Word of the Year • goal setting • vision + momentum • hope + direction • career coaching • teacher purpose • intentional living •

The transcript to this podcast is found on the episode’s homepage at Buzzsprout

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Feeling burned out, used up, or overwhelmed as the year ends? You are not alone.

In this Christmas Eve episode, Vanessa wraps up the “12 Gifts of Christmas” series with the final three gifts every teacher needs heading into a new year:
💫 Faith – in yourself, your future, and the world beyond the classroom.
🚀 Momentum – why it matters more than motivation and how to build it gently.
🌟 Possibility – permission to dream again and practical ways to set bold, joyful goals for 2026.

Vanessa shares real stories, teacher wisdom, and powerful tools including:

• A letter to your future self (Faith)
• The Small Wins Action Planner (Momentum)
• The Vision for 2026 worksheet (Possibility)
  
  

Whether you’re sneaking in this episode during gift wrapping, or you’ve locked yourself in the car for a breather—you’ll walk away feeling seen, grounded, and reminded that you are worthy of receiving. Not just during the holidays—but every day after.

🔗 Mentioned in This Episode:

• Follow Jenny’s peaceful dot art journey: @dotalongak on TikTok and YouTube
• Commit30 Planner: https://commit30.com
• Make your own 2026 Bingo Card: bingobaker.com or myfreebingocards.com
• Gretchen Rubin’s “23 in 23” concept: https://gretchenrubin.com
  
  

🛠️ Free Tools from the Episode:

• 📄Letter to Your Future Self – Faith Gift #10
• 📋Small Wins Action Planner – Momentum Gift #11
• 🧭 Vision for 2026 Worksheet – Possibility Gift #12
  
  

📌Tags and Keywords

Teacher burnout, teacher career change, transition out of teaching, faith after burnout, momentum over motivation, teacher vision planning, 2026 goals, holiday survival for teachers, career reinvention, Teachers in Transition podcastTop of Form

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👋 CONNECT WITH VANESSA

• 💌 Email: Vanessa@teachersintransition.com
• 📱 Call or Text: 512-640-9099
• 📅 Book a Free Discovery Call: teachersintransition.com/calendar
• 🔗 Bluesky: @beyondteaching.bsky.social
• 📸 Instagram & Threads: @teachers.in.transition
• 👍 Facebook: Teachers in Transition
• 🐦 X (Twitter): @EduExitStrategy

The transcript to this podcast is found on the episode’s homepage at Buzzsprout