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In episode of Teachers in Transition, career coach and former middle school teacher Vanessa Jackson uses the cult classic Groundhog Day as a metaphor for the emotional and professional loop so many educators feel stuck in. Vanessa dissects the 5 stages of grief not only as they appear in Bill Murray’s iconic time-loop comedy, but as they show up in the lives of teachers contemplating an exit from education.

Listeners will discover:

• Why Groundhog Day is more than a comedy—it’s a career transition parable
• How teachers experience denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance in their own version of “the loop”
• The “Pink Sock Strategy” for standing out on job applications
• Tips for building resilience during a job hunt that feels repetitive and demoralizing
• How your quirkiest skills (like Vanessa’s concert pianist degree) may be your secret weapon

Vanessa also shares a deeply personal connection to the film and uses it as a jumping-off point to affirm one simple truth: change is possible, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now.

If you’re a burned-out teacher wondering, “Is this all there is?”—this episode is a must-listen.

CONNECT WITH VANESSA:
📧 Email: Vanessa@TeachersinTransition.com
📞 Text/Voicemail: 512-640-9099
🗓 Schedule a Free Discovery Session: Book here
🔗 LinkedIn: Vanessa Jackson
📘 Facebook: Teachers in Transition
🌐 Website: TeachersinTransition.com
🧵 Instagram/Threads: @teachers.in.transition
🌌 Bluesky: @beyondteaching.bsky.social

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Please share this podcast with someone that you think might like what it has to say – many teachers are aching to find a way to a new career. You can help them. People find new podcasts mostly because they’ve been recommended by someone they know.

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