50. Career Congregation feat. Tori DaCosta, Business Owner & Bestselling Author: From Identity Shocks to Empowerment

This week guest Tori DaCosta joins host Meghan Fitzpatrick for episode 50 of Career Congregation, the season two finale. Tori is the bestselling author of No Name Bastard: How Our Lives Teach Us What We Can Control, Manage and Influence; she is also a Fortune 50 business leader, executive coach, and founder of Journey Stone LLC.Meghan and Tori look at identity, purpose-driven work, and what alignment actually feels like in practice. They also explore trust and stillness in decision making, processing emotions versus bottling them up, and what it takes to write the kind of book that changes how people see their own lives.Main Topics Covered: Personal development, how life's hardest moments can serve as the biggest catalysts for growth and purpose, the emotional process of letting go of pain, listening to life's "whispers", mental health, emotional processing, self-awareness, the power of storytelling and writing as a method of healing, and the significance of alignment and pursuing what energises you.CONNECT WITH TORI:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toridacosta/Instagram & Facebook: @ToriDaCostaLeadershipWebsite: www.journeystone.comBUY HER BOOK:Hardcover: https://a.co/d/05gcgbCLKindle: https://a.co/d/0e0FdEwEAudiobook: Audible | Spotify | Apple Books | Barnes & Noble | Libro.fm | ChirpWORK WITH MEGHAN: If you are interested in working with Meghan 1:1, you can book an intro call with her here: https://app.paperbell.com/checkout/packages/166602GUEST SUBMISSIONS: If you think you know someone who would make a great guest on the show, feel free to email Meghan at [email protected] THE SHOW: https://ko-fi.com/meghanfitzpatrickKEYWORDS: Career, career change, career transition, personal development, mental health, purpose, fulfilling work, motivation, entrepreneurship, coaching, mentor, authentic career paths, rock bottom, personal narrative, building a brand, long-term growth, success stories, inspiring careers, burnout, therapy, identity, forgiveness, self-awareness, emotional resilience, executive coaching, work-life balanceTimestamps:(00:00) - Intro to Tori da Costa and her book's significance(01:38) - How the podcast became an anchor and reflection space(04:33) - Cultural background and early influences(06:36) - Hardships shaping personal growth(07:16) - The story behind her unexpected name reveal(09:50) - Discovering her father’s last name and identity shock(11:16) - Emotional response to identity revelations(16:36) - Moving from pain to forgiveness and letting go(26:19) - The healing power of sharing vulnerable stories(32:43) - The first "whisper" to write her book(57:04) - Embracing challenges and growth through adversity(58:35) - The importance of living aligned with your purpose(61:10) - How to connect with Tori and purchase the book© Copyright Meghan Fitzpatrick 2026