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The Next Best Thing

The Next Best Thing

By: Aundrea Cline-Thomas
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About this listen

 This is a podcast about making changes in all areas of your life, even when you don’t know where to start. This is the antidote to your Sunday scaries. It bucks cultural standards that can leave you burned out and broken. It’s not about activating a Plan B or a career pivot; both of those terms indicate abandoning how you started. No, this is about continuing on your path and using all of your experiences to make a shift your future self will thank you for. Each episode includes a different example of what navigating your NEXT could look like. So get comfy…we’re on this journey together!Copyright Aundrea Cline-Thomas Career Success Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Why Your Job is Costing You Your Health: Healing from Burnout and Career Grief

    Why Your Job is Costing You Your Health: Healing from Burnout and Career Grief
    Feb 25 2026
    "Maybe it is time to stop pushing through."

    In this episode, host Aundrea Cline-Thomas sits down with award-winning psychologist and author Dr. Charmaine Jackman to unpack the heavy reality of career grief and burnout. Whether you’ve recently lost a job or you’re still "armored up" in a toxic environment, this conversation is a reminder that you don't have to carry the weight of your workspace alone.
    Dr. Jackman shares her personal journey from a driven 9-to-5 career to "choosing herself" through entrepreneurship, and why even a therapist needs therapy when the environment becomes exploitative.

    We dive deep into:
    1. The 5 Stages of Career Grief: Why losing a job (or a dream) feels like losing a loved one.
    2. The Body Keeps the Score: How to recognize the physical triggers of being "out of alignment" before the breakdown comes.
    3. Survival Mode vs. Safety: Why we keep working like we're being chased, even after we've escaped.
    4. The ACT Framework: A step-by-step process to Assess, Choose, and Tackle your well-being.

    📩 Stay Connected with the Next Best Thing:     Don’t navigate your transitions alone. Subscribe to Next Nuggets, my weekly newsletter helping you navigate career and life transitions with purpose and clarity. https://link.therewritecourse.com/widget/form/yFBDlj7mHmblPa028xyd


    As Dr. Jackman says, our environments are often designed to exploit us, but we can choose a different path. It's time to stop giving work your "best" while your family and health get the "scraps."
    Connect with Dr. Charmaine Jackman:
    1. Book: The Black Therapist's Guide to Private Practice and Entrepreneurship
    2. Website: InnoPsych.com
    3. Instagram: @AskDrCharmain
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    56 mins
  • Voice Note: Why You Aren't For Everyone (And That’s Your Superpower)

    Voice Note: Why You Aren't For Everyone (And That’s Your Superpower)
    Feb 23 2026
    In this week’s Nuggets Voice Note, Aundrea explores the liberating power of Jill Scott’s new album title, "To Whom This May Concern." Reflecting on her transition from the "appeal to everyone" world of journalism to the "find your tribe" reality of life and business, she shares why your worth isn't defined by your palatability. Whether you're navigating a career shift or dealing with "keyboard courage" critics, this is your reminder to focus on the people who actually need what you have to offer.

    Join the tribe: If you're navigating your own career transition, sign up for The NEXT Nuggets newsletter. It’s where I share the raw, unpolished tools and resources (grammar mistakes and all) to help you find your lane and own your story: http://aundreact.com/NEWSLETTER


    Music by Elysium Audio Labs
    Track: “Let It Flow” www.elysiumaudiolabs.com
    License: https://bit.ly/3wR1UKp
    YouTube: • Funky Upbeat Hip Hop Background Music For ...
    Spotify: http://spoti.fi/3as7DLr
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    11 mins
  • Stop Making Rich People Richer: How To Work LESS and Live MORE Abroad

    Stop Making Rich People Richer: How To Work LESS and Live MORE Abroad
    Feb 18 2026
    Is the "American Dream" actually a math problem that doesn't add up? In this episode, I'm joined by Stephanie Perry and Roshida Dowe, the founders of the Exodus Summit. We’re breaking down the literal cost of freedom, like how one woman they coached traded a $2,700 daycare bill in the US for $550 in Panama.

    Stephanie and Roshida aren't just "retired," they are working, living, and bopping around the world on their own terms. We discuss why that jealousy you feel when looking at their lives is actually a map to your own future, and how to stop making rich people richer with your labor.

    Stay in touch:
    Exodus Summit: https://www.instagram.com/exodussummit/
    Stephanie Perry: https://stephanie-perry.mykajabi.com/site/about
    Roshida Dowe: https://www.roshidadowe.com/

    Get these gems directly in your inbox: http://aundreact.com/NEWSLETTER

    Follow The NEXT Best Thing on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nextbestthingpod/
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    1 hr
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