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Welcome to Season 12! This season is something special. I’m counting down YOUR Top 12 most-listened episodes of all time 🎉

When I dug into the data, a few patterns emerged. You tune in during high-pressure career moments, including interviews, negotiations, new roles, and tricky conversations.

And you’re drawn to conversations about energy, alignment, and the rituals that make work feel meaningful.

I’m thrilled to see that HEART-based career planning is resonating.

For season 12, each week I’ll add a fresh intro with what I’ve learned since recording, why I think it resonated, and one 5-minute-to-flourish tiny action you can apply right now.

Celebrating 12 for 12: 12 of your all-time faves in Season 12 🎙️

🥂 To celebrate these most loved episodes, I’m giving away a complimentary In Season planner! 

Here’s how to join the giveaway:

→ Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts about your favorite episode

→ Screenshot it and send it to jennifer.smith@flourish.careers, or tag me on social

→ I’ll send you the link to grab your planner—just cover shipping 

P.S. This is for US-based listeners only (I learned a lesson the hard way that shipping internationally doesn’t work 🫠). Also, this giveaway is for 2026 only (in case you’re listening in the future).

Here’s to your next best season 🌿

Coming in at #12: Clearing the Air of Three BIG Career Myths

In this episode, I tackle three myths a lot of us were raised to believe: that resume gaps are deal-breakers, that success means a rigid 40-hour week, and that you have to stay in one job, one title, one lane.

Spoiler: none of it holds up anymore. We get into why career breaks are being recognized (not penalized), how project-based work is reshaping the landscape, and what a portfolio career can actually look like.

If you’ve ever felt behind, boxed in, or like you’re playing by rules that no longer apply — this one’s for you.

Key Takeaways From Today’s Episode

+ Myth 1 Debunked: Embrace Career Breaks
Gaps in your resume no longer ruin your chances of landing a good job, and employers increasingly recognize the value of career breaks.

Proactively showcase career breaks and focus on the skills, experiences, and insights gained during the breaks. Leveraging platforms like LinkedIn’s Career Breaks tool and seeking employers who support sabbaticals or extended leaves can enhance personal growth and future employability.

+ Myth 2 Debunked: Rethink the 40-hour Workweek
Success isn’t solely dependent on adhering to a traditional 40-hour workweek.

Adapt to the evolving nature of work by embracing project-based work and “flash teams,” allowing for exploration of different industries and diversification of skill sets. This shift towards value-based work contributes to a more balanced and fulfilling professional life, allowing for negotiating fairer compensation and a better work-life balance.

+ Myth 3 Debunked: Develop a Portfolio Career 
Having more than one job at a time is possible and beneficial in today’s gig economy.

Cultivate a portfolio career that aligns with personal desires and values, leading to fulfilling work, multiple income streams, and enhanced employability. Engaging in heart-based career planning, taking small actions towards big ambitions, building an unconventional network across industries, and celebrating every win are crucial steps in crafting a diversified and rewarding career.

🌱 Your 5 Minutes to Flourish Tiny Action:

Write down one career “rule” you’ve been following that you didn’t consciously choose. Then ask: Does this still serve me, or is it just familiar? Grab your In Season journal and see what comes up.

🌟 The Flourish Careers Podcast is proudly highlighted in the Top Career Podcast Guide

Ways to work with me:
+ Join Fried to Flourishing, the self-paced career change course or virtual coaching experience.
+ You’re invited to the Gathering Ground, an insider circle where careers take root, grow, and flourish.
+ Browse around the shop and check out the playbooks: Make The Leap, Ultimate Playbook for Heart-Based Career Change | The Complete Interview Prep Playbook | Jumpstart Your Job Search, Gift for Grads

5 Minutes to Flourish

You’ve Got To Nourish To Flourish!

Five minutes a day to a healthier, happier, and more well-rounded you.
That’s all it takes. Your family, your friends, and your colleagues will love you for it.
You will love you for it!

ACCESS THE DOWNLOAD HERE

Want more career wisdom? Check out these podcast episodes/blog posts!

+ Celebration is In Season: An Invitation to Pause
+ Reflect + Renew: 10 Questions For Midyear Celebration
+ The Myth of Starting Over in Your Career

For more insider stories, quick tips, and #CareerTalk, I invite you to connect with me on Instagram @flourish.careers.

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