As we wrap up 2025, I wanted to revisit this powerful conversation I had with Neha Ruch during one of the first episodes of TNOTY. We'll be taking a short pause of our own, and we'll be launching Season 2 of TNOTY later in January! Follow us on Instagram to keep up with the latest.

About the episode: I’ve talked to a lot of women about their careers—but what Neha Ruch said about “nailing the dismount” when leaving a job? That stuck with me, and I knew I wanted to learn more.

In this episode, Neha, the founder of Mother Untitled and author of The Power Pause, opens up about the quiet grief of stepping back from work, the invisible expectations placed on modern mothers, and the mindset shifts that helped her, and thousands of others, reclaim their career and life narrative on their own terms. She and I dive into the real stuff: the pressure to “lean in,” the fear of losing your spot, the quiet guilt that follows moms into daycare pickup lines and exit interviews.

Neha shares the practical strategies and hard-earned insights that help women take intentional pauses from work, stay connected to their ambition, and return with clarity, confidence, and strength.

What You’ll Discover:

• Why Neha traded a dream job for a different kind of fulfillment (18:30)
• How to talk about being “on pause” in a way that feels strong and self-defined (25:09)
• Why women need to start “nailing the dismount” when stepping back from a job (28:11)
• How motherhood can spark, not stifle, creativity and reinvention (38:01)
• Practical tools for navigating finances, identity shifts, and career pivots (47:18)
• Neha responds to listener questions about how to approach a pause (53:04)

Whether you’re a parent navigating your own pause, a partner trying to understand it, or simply someone rethinking what success looks like—this conversation is a guidepost. Neha's groundbreaking work is shifting how we view, understand, and talk about career pauses.

Neha doesn’t just talk about redefining ambition. She shows us how it’s done.

You can watch this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/dMf4v5Ah4Dk

For a full transcript and more, check out our blog post: https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/neha-ruch-30

To connect with Neha Ruch, check out:

The Power Pause site: www.thepowerpause.com

Find Neha on Instagram @neha_ruch

Before we turn the page on the year, I wanted to pause and look back at some of the conversations from this season that lingered with me the most. This year-end highlights episode brings together some of the most memorable moments from Things No One Tells You, the ones that sparked reflection, surprise, and honest self-examination.

Across these clips, a few themes kept surfacing: confidence that wavers, pressure that doesn’t always show on the outside, and the question of who we are after the milestone moment passes or when we’re on shifting ground.

What You’ll Hear:

• Losing confidence right after success (03:18, Stephanie Szostak)
• Mentorship as a stabilizing force in high-pressure rooms (08:24, Kadi Lee)
• The importance of relationships in high pressure situations (17:03, Daniel Jones)
• The emotional reality of climbing the mountain, then staying there (22:46, Craig Melvin)
• Scrappiness and meeting the moment when it matters most (26:03, Aliett Buttelman)
• How faith can play out during intense moments in the NFL (35:15, Len Vanden Bos)
• A powerful reminder about what our kids need from us (42:09, Bridget KerMorris)
• What it looks like when you bet on yourself (47:40, Brooke Baldwin)

These conversations are a reminder that behind every highlight reel is a human story. If you’re heading into the new year with questions, hopes, or a little uncertainty, you’re not alone.

We’re looking forward to kicking off Season 2 of TNOTY in the new year! Follow Lindsay and TNOTY on Instagram to keep up with the latest.

To watch or listen to the full episode for any of the highlighted clips in this 2025 Highlights episode, click on the blog links below.

Tough Love with SOUL ON FIRE Actor Stephanie Szostak: Ep 18

https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/stephanie-szostak-18

Things No One Tells You About Creating a Conscious Brand with Kadi Lee: Ep 7

https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/kadi-lee-07

Staying Grounded in the NFL Spotlight with Colts QB Daniel Jones: Ep 23

https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/daniel-jones-23

Things No One Tells You About The Work Behind the Spotlight with Craig Melvin: Ep 6

https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/craig-melvin-06

Things No One Tells You About Glitter Freckles and Grit with Aliett Buttelman: Ep 8

https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/aliett-buttelman

Faith in Football with the Buffalo Bills: Ep 16

https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/buffalo-bills-16

What Our Kids Need More Than Rules with Bridget KerMorris: Ep 21

https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/bridget-kermorris-21

The Unraveling That Changes Everything with Brooke Baldwin: Ep 5

When I first visited Stable Recovery, I knew something meaningful was happening there: not just treatment, but transformation. In this episode, founder Christian Countzler shares his journey from addiction to building a place designed to remove the barriers he faced when trying to get well. Alongside him are Sandy and Dave Schimizzi, my aunt and uncle, who speak openly about losing their son Alex and the heartbreaking gaps they encountered while trying to help him.

Together, we talk about the individuality of addiction, the pressures families aren’t prepared for, and the moments that make long-term recovery so difficult without real support. This is an emotional episode, but it’s also hopeful, a reminder that change is possible when communities, not just individuals, show up.

What You’ll Discover:

• Christian’s story and the origins of Stable Recovery (06:25)
• Alex’s journey and early emotional struggles (11:57)
• The fear and uncertainty families live with daily (23:01)
• The critical need for purpose and follow-up care (27:44)
• The depth of despair people can experience (57:09)
• The limitations of sentencing and current treatment options (72:19)
• Why it’s important to not give up on loved ones (80:05)

This conversation doesn’t offer easy answers. But it does offer truth, the kind that helps people feel less alone.

You can watch this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PKllImyOOlo

For a full transcript and more, check out our blog post: https://www.lindsaycz.com/show-notes/stable-recovery-28

Check out more from Stable Recovery:

See their website.

Follow Stable Recovery on Instagram.

Donate today.

Learn more about Lindsay’s visits to Stable Recovery from these videos:

Horses Hold the Power on Path to Lasting Sobriety

The Healing Power of Horses ‘Putting People Back Together’

Mike Lowery’s Passion for Horses and Gratitude for a New Lease on Life

Read more from Christian Countzler about navigating sobriety during the holidays with his article: “If you’re navigating sobriety during the holidays, know you’re not alone”

If you are in the US and need immediate help, connect with treatment and mental health referrals near you by: Calling 1-800-662-HELP (4357) Texting your zip code to HELP4U (435748)