Laid off and grieving. How do you rebuild when everything is taken at once?

If you have experienced job loss, are navigating grief, or are questioning who you are outside of your career, this episode is for you.

In this episode of Pink Slip Pavilion, host Ashley Waddington sits down with criminal justice educator turned coach Adrianne to talk about what it really looks like to lose not just your job, but your identity, your stability, and ultimately, everything you thought you could rely on.

After spending over 20 years teaching and rising through the ranks in education, Adrianne found herself facing multiple terminations, including one where she fought back and set legal precedent. But it was what followed that changed everything.

Shortly after losing her role and identity as an educator, Adrianne experienced the unimaginable loss of her daughter.

What came next was not just grief. It was a complete unraveling… and a rebuilding.

In this conversation, Adrianne shares the emotional toll of repeated job loss, the reality of having your identity stripped away, and the mindset shifts that helped her move from survival to purpose. She opens up about spirituality, nervous system healing, and how she ultimately built her business, Manifest Your Excellence, by choosing to rise through her pain instead of staying in it.

Her story is a powerful reminder that even in life’s darkest moments, there is still a choice.

In this episode, we cover:

• What it feels like to be laid off multiple times, even when doing the “right” thing

• The deep connection between career identity and self-worth

• How losing your job can feel like grief and why that matters

• Navigating wrongful termination and standing up for yourself

• The compounded weight of personal loss alongside career loss

• What happens when your nervous system is completely overwhelmed

• The role of spirituality and stillness in healing

• Why mindset is a daily choice, not a one-time shift

• The importance of community, coaches, and who you surround yourself with

• How Adrienne built her business, Manifest Your Excellence, through her experiences

• Releasing limiting beliefs and rewriting your internal dialogue

• The concept of “it’s not happening to you, it’s happening for you”

• Why self-compassion is essential in rebuilding your life

If you are navigating a layoff, grieving a loss, or questioning your next chapter, this conversation will challenge you to look inward and rethink what is possible on the other side of hardship.

Adrianne reminds us:

Your identity is not your job. Your loss is not the end of your story. And sometimes, everything falling apart is what makes space for who you are meant to become.

Pink Slip Pavilion is a podcast about turning layoffs into power moves, navigating career transitions, and building resilience after job loss.

New episodes release every Wednesday.

CONNECT WITH ADRIANNE:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adrianne.rickson/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adrianne_rickson

TikTok: @strongafgrievingmom2