Sabbatical Stories Podcast By Rebecca Thomas cover art

Sabbatical Stories

Sabbatical Stories

By: Rebecca Thomas
Listen for free

Unlock the power of taking a break with Sabbatical Stories, a podcast hosted by Rebecca Thomas from Feel Good Getaways. Through insightful and engaging discussions, Rebecca explores the motivations behind career breaks and sabbaticals, debunks myths, and highlights their invaluable benefits. With a mission to inspire courage and normalise taking time off for personal growth, Sabbatical Stories is a beacon for those seeking inspiration, encouragement, and guidance on their journey to self-discovery. Tune in to learn how taking a break can transform your life and career.Rebecca Thomas Career Success Economics
Episodes
  • Career Break to Self-Leadership: Overcoming Burnout & Redefining Success, A Sabbatical Story with Sophia Mikelionis

    Career Break to Self-Leadership: Overcoming Burnout & Redefining Success, A Sabbatical Story with Sophia Mikelionis
    Mar 19 2026
    To kick off Season 4 of Sabbatical Stories, Sophia Mikelionis shares her journey from high-performing finance leader to speaker and facilitator helping women lead with clarity, capacity and sustainable power.After years of being celebrated for performance while privately running on empty, Sophia made the decision to take a career break and sabbatical not because she lacked ambition, but because burnout had become unsustainable.We explore what happens when success on paper no longer feels aligned, how hustle culture quietly erodes identity, and why stepping away can be the most strategic leadership move you make.We dive into:The moment she realised high performance was masking burnoutWhy a career break became a leadership decision not an escapeHow hustle culture disconnects women from their identitySmall, strategic habit shifts that rebuild energy and capacitySetting boundaries without sacrificing ambitionThe emotional reality of transitioning from corporate to entrepreneurshipNavigating reintegration after a sabbaticalLeading with presence instead of productivityWhy self-leadership is the foundation of sustainable successTimestampsto followOther episodes you may enjoy: The Power of Sabbaticals: Ritual & Renewal with Nele VandersmissenDiscovering Inner Wisdom Through a Career Break: Danielle Dacunha-Howarth’s Sabbatical JourneyGet in touch: If you are interested in sharing your sabbatical story, we would love to hear from you. Buzz us a DM on Instagram - ⁠@Sabbatical_Stories⁠ or reach out on LinkedIn - ⁠Bex Thomas.⁠Career transition, sabbatical and career break coaching: As a career transition, sabbatical, and career break coach, I inspire, challenge, and support people like you to create a life that feels deeply aligned with your values, dreams, and authentic self. Whether you’re craving a new direction, a chance to pause, or the courage to pursue what really matters, I’m here to guide you toward your own version of success on your terms.Together, we’ll break free from societal blueprints, rewrite the rules, and design a future you’re excited to wake up to. Learn more ⁠here⁠💫 Ready to make the most of your time away from work? Download my free guide, "5 Ways to Maximise Your Career Break", packed with practical tips and soulful insights to help you pause with purpose and return with clarity. Whether you're dreaming, planning, or already on sabbatical, this is your essential companion.👉 Grab your free copy ⁠here⁠Guest bio: Sophia is a former finance leader who after living the cycle of overdelivering and burnout, learned to lead differently and now teaches other women to do the same. Sophia partners with HR teams, ERG leaders, and L&D departments to deliver workshops, keynotes, and reintegration support that teach women to lead with clarity, capacity, and sustainable power. Her work isn't about adding more to your plate. Her programs focus on small, strategic shifts, tiny habits that help women rebuild capacity, lead with conviction, and perform without overextending.Get in touch with Sophia on LinkedIn or using the links below:gearingtogether.comhttps://www.youtube.com/@GearingTogetherWith special thanks to: Aunty B at The Flaxen, our amazing, talented and patient producer whose expertise helps make this podcast shine. Nicky Sweetland, our brilliant creative force behind all things social media and visual, whose eye for detail and design brings the podcast to life beyond the mic.Joanna Cooke, whose soulful blend of smooth vocals we are lucky enough to use throughout the show. Listen and connect with Joanna via your favourite medium:https://open.spotify.com/artist/7EyKy53TsVFLJFZFyYzBZQ?si=HaCSIRCETS2uYB3LBLcrWAWebsite - https://joannacooke.co.ukYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/joannacookeInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joanna.cooke/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/joannacookemusic/
    Show more Show less
    43 mins
  • Top tips for sabbaticals & career breaks: Highlights from Season 3

    Top tips for sabbaticals & career breaks: Highlights from Season 3
    Jan 22 2026
    In this special New Year wrap-up episode, Bex and Aunty B sit down to reflect on the most meaningful moments from Season 3 of Sabbatical Stories, a season that explored what happens when we step away from work and give ourselves permission to question the blueprint.Across these conversations, we heard deeply human stories about family, identity, money, purpose, and growth. From financial planning and prototyping future lives, to motherhood, fatherhood, ritual, renewal, and building something new on the other side of a break, Season 3 showed that career breaks are rarely just about rest. They’re about recalibration.Whether you’re considering a sabbatical, navigating a career pause, or figuring out how to integrate what you’ve learned back into work and life, this episode brings together the most powerful insights from the season.We dive into:How financial planning can create peace of mind and expand what’s possible on a sabbaticalWhy prototyping life during a career break can unlock clarity and confidenceThe role of gratitude, reflection, and perspective when stepping away from workHow identity shifts through parenthood, and major life transitionsWhat career breaks can teach us about building businesses, brands, and careers that truly fitThe power of ritual, renewal, and intentionally breaking away from inherited career blueprintsWhy time away often fuels deeper growth — personally, professionally, and with relationshipsOther episodes you may enjoy: The truth about career breaks: Research insights from PhD scholar Patrick MazzoccoHow a career break can prepare you for emigration: Liz Ferguson’s sabbatical storyGet in touch: If you are interested in sharing your sabbatical story, we would love to hear from you. Buzz us a DM on Instagram - ⁠@Sabbatical_Stories⁠ or reach out on LinkedIn - ⁠Bex Thomas.⁠Career transition, sabbatical and career break coaching: As a career transition coach and career break coach, I inspire, challenge, and support people like you to create a life that feels deeply aligned with your values, dreams, and authentic self. Whether you’re craving a new direction, a chance to pause, or the courage to pursue what really matters, I’m here to guide you toward your own version of success on your terms.Together, we’ll break free from societal blueprints, rewrite the rules, and design a future you’re excited to wake up to. Learn more ⁠here⁠💫 Ready to make the most of your time away from work? Download my free guide, "5 Ways to Maximise Your Career Break", packed with practical tips and soulful insights to help you pause with purpose and return with clarity. Whether you're dreaming, planning, or already on sabbatical, this is your essential companion.👉 Grab your free copy ⁠here⁠Guest bio: Laura is a seasoned marketing leader turned fractional Head of Marketing with over 15 years’ experience building strategy, process, and campaigns for startups and scaling teams.After a transformative five-month sabbatical across Europe, she traded the corporate grind for a career that offers true freedom helping growing businesses solve big marketing challenges while living life on her own terms.When she’s not leading strategy sessions or supporting clients with marketing, Laura can be found sipping coffee in new cities, dancing at family weddings, or soaking up the Connecticut sunshine with her loved ones.👉 Connect with Laura on LinkedInWith special thanks to: Aunty B at the Flaxen, our amazing, talented and patient producer whose expertise helps make this podcast shine. Joanna Cooke, whose soulful blend of smooth vocals we are lucky enough to use throughout the show. Listen and connect with Joanna via your favourite medium:https://open.spotify.com/artist/7EyKy53TsVFLJFZFyYzBZQ?si=HaCSIRCETS2uYB3LBLcrWAWebsite - https://joannacooke.co.ukYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/joannacookeInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joanna.cooke/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/joannacookemusic/
    Show more Show less
    32 mins
  • Designing a Life Full of Flexibility and Connection after a Career Break with Laura Blagys

    Designing a Life Full of Flexibility and Connection after a Career Break with Laura Blagys
    Nov 20 2025
    In this conversation, Laura shares her honest and inspiring journey from corporate marketing to building a thriving fractional business that gives her the freedom to live and work from anywhere.After 15+ years in full-time marketing roles, Laura hit pause and set off on a five-month “Eat, Pray, Love”-style adventure around Europe. What started as a soul-searching sabbatical became the catalyst for a complete career and lifestyle redesign.Back in Sydney, the idea of returning to a traditional role no longer felt right. Through reflection, courage, and a few key conversations, Laura transitioned into life as a fractional Head of Marketing working part-time with multiple clients, aligning work with joy, and designing a life full of flexibility, purpose, and connection.We dive into:What prompted Laura to take her five-month sabbatical across EuropeThe personal and professional shifts that unfolded during her breakHow she navigated the uncertainty of returning home and job hunting post-sabbaticalThe turning point that inspired her to start her own businessWhat it really means to work as a fractional Head of MarketingLessons in confidence, courage, and creating a life you truly want to liveOther episodes you may enjoy: How to take a career break like a pro: Katerina McGee, The Queen of time offHow a career break can prepare you for emigration: Liz Ferguson’s sabbatical storyGet in touch: If you are interested in sharing your sabbatical story, we would love to hear from you. Buzz us a DM on Instagram - ⁠@Sabbatical_Stories⁠ or reach out on LinkedIn - ⁠Bex Thomas.⁠Career transition, sabbatical and career break coaching: As a career transition coach and career break coach, I inspire, challenge, and support people like you to create a life that feels deeply aligned with your values, dreams, and authentic self. Whether you’re craving a new direction, a chance to pause, or the courage to pursue what really matters, I’m here to guide you toward your own version of success on your terms.Together, we’ll break free from societal blueprints, rewrite the rules, and design a future you’re excited to wake up to. Learn more ⁠here⁠💫 Ready to make the most of your time away from work? Download my free guide, "5 Ways to Maximise Your Career Break", packed with practical tips and soulful insights to help you pause with purpose and return with clarity. Whether you're dreaming, planning, or already on sabbatical, this is your essential companion.👉 Grab your free copy ⁠here⁠Guest bio: Laura is a seasoned marketing leader turned fractional Head of Marketing with over 15 years’ experience building strategy, process, and campaigns for startups and scaling teams.After a transformative five-month sabbatical across Europe, she traded the corporate grind for a career that offers true freedom helping growing businesses solve big marketing challenges while living life on her own terms.When she’s not leading strategy sessions or supporting clients with marketing, Laura can be found sipping coffee in new cities, dancing at family weddings, or soaking up the Connecticut sunshine with her loved ones.👉 Connect with Laura on LinkedInWith special thanks to: Aunty B at the Flaxen, our amazing, talented and patient producer whose expertise helps make this podcast shine. Joanna Cooke, whose soulful blend of smooth vocals we are lucky enough to use throughout the show. Listen and connect with Joanna via your favourite medium:https://open.spotify.com/artist/7EyKy53TsVFLJFZFyYzBZQ?si=HaCSIRCETS2uYB3LBLcrWAWebsite - https://joannacooke.co.ukYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/joannacookeInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joanna.cooke/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/joannacookemusic/
    Show more Show less
    38 mins
No reviews yet