01. Welcome to The Ambitious Woman of Color

Seven years ago, I made a call I’d been avoiding for six months.I called my company’s Employee Assistance Program—from my desk at work—while still showing up every day, high-performing on the outside and drowning in anxiety on the inside.I had done everything “right.”A Master’s in Public Health.A healthcare consulting job alongside Harvard-trained doctors.First in my family to break into corporate America.And I was completely burned out.In this first episode, I share my story—from my first panic attack at 18, to the boss who questioned my intelligence, to the moment I realized I had made my career my entire identity. I talk about the years it took to understand the root of my burnout and what changed when I finally chose myself first.This is also why I became a coach—and why I created this podcast. Because the support I needed didn’t exist. Support that understood culture, identity, and the reality of being a first-gen woman of color in spaces not built for us.If you’re an ambitious woman of color who’s tired of choosing between the career and the life, you’re in the right place.In This Episode:My first panic attack and living with anxietyBeing the only Latina in elite corporate spacesA boss who questioned my intelligenceCalling EAP after months of anxietyHigh-functioning depressionWhy therapy helped—but wasn’t enoughHow I made my career my identityChoosing myself and what changed afterWhy this podcast exists and who it’s forKey Takeaways:High-functioning depression means you’re still performing while strugglingAnxiety often comes from environments where you don’t feel you belongCareer advice that ignores culture and identity is incompleteRest and boundaries are learned skillsYou can be ambitious and have peaceWork With JessicaI work 1:1 with ambitious women of color navigating promotions, pivots, and raises—without burning out.Book a consult: ⁠https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/schedulingJoin my email community: ⁠https://www.jessicalynn-wellness.com/email-listDM me on Instagram: ⁠@jessicalynnrojas⁠Subscribe & ReviewSubscribe so you don’t miss what’s coming next.If you loved this episode, leaving a 5-star rating and writing a review helps other women find this podcast.Next EpisodeLeading as a Woman of Color at the Director Level with Elvy Garcia.