Why is learning to drive so hard?

In this episode, I share why I still don’t have my license in my twenties; my anxiety-ridden driving journey; and what I’ve learned about adulthood through driving.

Full transcript and show notes at tiredtwentiespod.com

Is there such a thing as a dream job?

In this episode, multimedia producer Alana Herlands and I describe our “catfish moments” of a dream job; break down the unhealthy mindset of a dream job culture and tying your identity to your work in the United States; and give advice on how to cultivate a dream life.

Full transcript and show notes at tiredtwentiespod.com.

• Read Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price.
• Subscribe to my newsletter to get updates and behind the scenes on the podcast by clicking here or going to tiredtwenties.substack.com.
• Follow and DM me:
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• Donate to the podcast by clicking here or by going to buymeacoffee.com/tiredtwenties.
• Don’t miss my last episode on being okay with not being okay here.

Alana Herlands is a multimedia producer who is passionate about critical thinking and making truth widely accessible and far reaching through a compassionate lens. She has produced video, editorial, and audio content for companies big and small, including The New York Times, the Jane Goodall Hopecast, Georgetown University and the United Nations Department of Peace Operations, Pfizer, Greenhouse, Shelter in Place podcast, and others.

Currently, Alana is taking her years of project and client management as well as her creativity and applying them to a new and exciting endeavor, as she transitions into the tech industry.

She is a born-and-bred New Yorker but doesn’t have the accent (even though her mother does). She bakes a mean vegan chocolate chip banana bread, enjoys long walks and weight lifting, and reads a new book (mostly) every week.

Alana and Melissa met during their time at the Shelter in Place podcast training program, and have been having deep conversations about the nature of work, the meaning of fulfillment, and life in their 20s ever since.

Find her on LinkedIn here. Her website is: www.thegrooch.com and her Twitter is @AlanaHerlands.

What do you do when you’re not okay?

In this off-the-cuff episode, I speak honestly about my stress, and also about the stress we feel as a generation in our twenties. Your mental health is important.

Full transcript and show notes at tiredtwentiespod.com

• Stress in America March 2022 by the American Psychological Association
• Subscribe to my newsletter to get updates and behind the scenes on the podcast by clicking here or going to tiredtwenties.substack.com.
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• Don’t miss our last episode on the building blocks of financial independence here or at tiredtwentiespod.com.

How do you start becoming financially independent in your twenties?

In this episode, certified financial planner Elizabeth Pennington breaks down five essential financial goals, including savings, credit, and retirement planning, along with other best practices to start planning a healthy relationship with money in your twenties.

Full transcript and show notes at tiredtwentiespod.com

• Check out Elizabeth Pennington, CFP and her team’s work on www.fearlessfinance.com, or @fearlessfinance on IG, FB, Twitter.
• Read Broke Millennial by Erin Lowry or Get Money by Kristin Wong, recommendations by Elizabeth.
• “Individual Retirement Account (IRA)” by The Investopedia Team, Investopedia
• “Rainy Day Fund vs. Emergency Fund – Do You Need Both?” by Rachel Morgan Cautero, The Balance
• “How Much is TOO MUCH Credit Card Debt?” by Lori Atwood, Fearless Finance
• “Majority of Americans Say Parents Are Doing Too Much for Their Young Adult Children” by Amanda Barroso, Kim Parker, and Richard Fry via Pew Research Center
• “Most Americans think young adults should be financially independent by 22—but only 24% are” by Alicia Adamczyk via CNBC Make It
• Subscribe to my newsletter to get updates and behind the scenes on the podcast by clicking here or going to tiredtwenties.substack.com.
• Follow and DM me:
  • Tik Tok or Instagram: @tiredtwentiespod
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• Donate to the podcast by clicking here or by going to buymeacoffee.com/tiredtwenties.
• Don’t miss our last episode on ending toxic hustle culture here.

Elizabeth Pennington is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ with Fearless Finance, which offers fee-only, hourly financial advice virtually to clients around the U.S. After starting a policy career in Washington, DC, Elizabeth initially struggled with her own finances and had to learn how to manage her money. As she started her financial journey, she realized that she wanted to work to make financial advice accessible to everyone - not just people who were already wealthy. She switched careers and joined Fearless Finance in 2019. Elizabeth specializes in working with young professionals to help them start financially strong and meet their goals.

Elizabeth is originally from Iowa, and she currently lives in the Cleveland, Ohio area with her dog, Wallace, and cats, Norman, Demon, and Smokey. Elizabeth also volunteers to help women seeking higher education, including UStrive mentoring and the Philanthropic Educational Organization.

Why are we buying so much into hustle culture?

In this episode, I dive into how I’ve fallen into the pitfalls of hustling, how hustle culture can lead to burnout, and how to get past the idea of overworking yourself to have a more balanced and fulfilling life.

Full transcript and show notes at tiredtwentiespod.com

• What hustle culture is and how it can be harmful
• My personal experiences falling into the toxic side of hustling
• The negative health effects of overwork and the benefits of leisure
• How to rise above toxic hustle culture and lead healthy, fulfilling lives

• Check out Steph Fuccio’s Global Podcast Editors’ newsletter by clicking here or going to globalpodcasteditors.substack.com. Thanks for the support Steph!
• Read “Rest is not something to be earned,” an issue of the Quarter-Life Crisis newsletter by Sofia S. Thanks for listening Sofia, this issue was so great to find before this episode aired!
• “How to Identify Hustle Culture and What You Can Do to Break Away From It” by Adele Jackson-Gibson via Good Housekeeping
• “Survey: Nearly 1 In 3 Side Hustlers Needs The Income To Stay Afloat” by Amanda Dixon via Bankrate
• “Working Long Hours Makes Us Drink More” by Sarah Green Carmichael via Harvard Business Review
• “Chronic stress puts your health at risk” by Mayo Clinic Staff
• “Long working hours increasing deaths from heart disease and stroke: WHO, ILO” via World Health Organization
• “Real-Time Associations Between Engaging in Leisure and Daily Health and Well-Being” by Matthew J. Zawadzki Ph.D., Joshua M. Smyth Ph.D. & Heather J. Costigan B.S. via Springer and Annals of Behavioral Medicine
• “Why You Should Take More Time Off from Work” by Emma Seppala via Greater Good Magazine
• “People at Work 2022: A Global Workforce View” by Nela Richardson, Ph.D. and Marie Antonello via ADP Research Institute
• Subscribe to my newsletter to get updates and behind the scenes on the podcast by clicking here or going to tiredtwenties.substack.com.
• Follow and DM me:
  • Tik Tok or Instagram: @tiredtwentiespod
  • Twitter: @tiredtwenties
• Donate to the podcast by clicking here or by going to buymeacoffee.com/tiredtwenties.
• Don’t miss the previous episode on renting your first apartment by clicking here or by going to tiredtwentiespod.com.

How do you finally move out of your parents’ house and make a place your home?

In this episode, we’ll hear from my best friend Isabel Gouse on how she got ready to move out, budgeted for a place with her partner, worked with a real estate broker, faced rejection, balanced her needs vs. wants, and finally, made an empty apartment her first home in her twenties through thrifty finds, DIY, and a lot of heart.

Full transcript and show notes at tiredtwentiespod.com

• How to budget for your first apartment
• What to expect from brokers or realtors
• When you have to balance needs vs. wants
• How to make a house a home in your 20s when you're broke and also your identity keeps shifting

• “Fact check: 47% of American young adults currently live with their parents by Bayliss Wagner” via USA TODAY
• “How To Budget for an Apartment” by Paula Pant via The Balance
• “How To Tell If You Are Ready To Move Out” by Miriam Caldwell via The Balance
• “Rental Broker Fees in NYC” by Property Club Team via Property Club
• “How to Survive a Rental Bidding War” by Ronda Kaysen via The New York Times
• “With bidding wars for rentals increasing, here's how to stay on top of the competition” by Emily Myers via Brick Underground
• Subscribe to my newsletter to get updates and behind the scenes on the podcast by clicking here or going to tiredtwenties.substack.com.
• Follow and DM me:
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• Donate to the podcast by clicking here or by going to buymeacoffee.com/tiredtwenties.

I am a Masters student at Columbia Mailman, pursuing an MPH with a focus on sexual and reproductive health and rights. When I am not busy studying or working as a research assistant, I love to try new food with my partner, spend time with friends, and care for my plant babies. I am also an avid rock climber.

Instagram: isabel_gouse

How do you start dating again after a long-term relationship?

In this episode, we’ll hear from my friend Rebecca Alisandratos on when and how she made the decision to start dating again after a long-term relationship, and how her process was more about building her confidence and focusing on herself more than anything. She’ll also share her online dating experiences, how she connected with others after her relationship, and what dating culture and online dating is like in your twenties.

Full transcript and show notes at tiredtwentiespod.com.

• Finding closure after a long-term relationship
• Building confidence in yourself and your identity
• How it feels to connect to other people after leaving something long-term
• What dating culture and online dating is like in your 20s

• Subscribe to my newsletter to get updates and behind the scenes on the podcast by clicking here or going to tiredtwenties.substack.com.
• Follow and DM me:
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Hello! I'm Rebecca, I'm 23 and I'm a marine mammal trainer. I'm just starting to figure out my adult life and am learning new things about myself and the world along the way.

Instagram: tiny_rebeccersss

Have you ever felt like you’re being pulled in every direction but also have no direction at the same time?

In this episode, I dive into how life after college set me to reconsider my career path and other ideas of what adulthood would be like. I’ll also go into having limitless potential in your 20s, but also the restlessness of too many options. And I’ll explain how that feeling contributed to the making of this podcast.

Full transcript and show notes at tiredtwentiespod.com.

In this episode, we cover:

• Feeling directionless after college
• Becoming disillusioned with a career path you’ve planned
• Why I created this podcast

Show notes:

• Subscribe to my newsletter to get updates and behind the scenes on the podcast by clicking here or going to tiredtwenties.substack.com.
• Follow and DM me:
  • Tik Tok or Instagram: @tiredtwentiespod
  • Twitter: @tiredtwenties
• Donate to the podcast by clicking here or by going to buymeacoffee.com/tiredtwenties.