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If you’re a burned-out teacher wondering how to leave teaching but you don’t have clarity yet, this episode is your nervous system’s permission slip to slow down and get oriented—before you start “fixing your resume” for a job you don’t even want.
Vanessa connects Brendan Fraser’s comeback story to something teachers know in their bones: you can’t self-care your way out of an unsafe, unsustainable system. Healing starts with safety—then the energy returns, the fog lifts, and the next step becomes visible.
In This Episode, We Cover
- Brendan Fraser’s return and what it looks like when a person starts to feel safe again
- The real problem with “just practice self-care” advice (hint: your nervous system has to be able to receive it)
- Clutter as stress—and how teachers carry “clutter” mentally and emotionally, not just physically
- The EBB + FLOW framework for career transition momentum:
- EBB = Evaluate, Breathe, Build
- FLOW = Focus, Leverage, Own, Win
- Why “fix your resume” is the wrong first step when you don’t have direction yet
- Vanessa’s driverless car analogy for career-quiz sites and AI tools: helpful assistants, terrible drivers
- Introducing SCOUT: an AI-supported tool that helps translate your teacher stories into real-world skills and language
Key Takeaways for Burned-Out Teachers
- If rest doesn’t feel like rest, it’s not because you’re “bad at self-care.” It’s because your system has been bracing for too long.
- Clarity comes before the resume. Otherwise, you’re packing for a trip without a destination.
- AI can help you organize and spot patterns—but you still have to choose the direction (and the life) those patterns serve.
Mentioned in the Episode (Links & Resources)
- SF neighbors dealing with Waymo cars honking at night (ABC7 / KGO). (ABC7 San Francisco)
- Austin incident where a Waymo vehicle blocked an ambulance response (Texas Tribune; additional local coverage also exists). (The Texas Tribune)
- Happier in Hollywood — Episode about “ebb and flow.” (Happier in Hollywood)
- Peter Walsh — Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat? (Oprah)
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Teachers in Transition is independently produced. If the show helps you feel less alone or more clear, you can support the podcast by sharing with a friend, continuing to listen, and you can even help support it financially via the Buzzsprout support page. Thank you for being here in whatever way you can.
Connect with Vanessa
- Email: Vanessa@TeachersinTransition.com
- Voicemail/Text: 512-640-9099
- Discovery Session: teachersintransition.com/calendar
- LinkedIn: Vanessa Jackson (Teachers in Transition)
- Bluesky: @beyondteaching.bsky.social
- Instagram/Threads: @teachers.in.transition
- Facebook: Teachers in Transition (official page)
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