The Messy Truth about Indie Podcasting & Burnout with Guest Interviewer Taina Brown

What happens when the host gets interviewed? In this special episode, Nicole hands the mic to friend, coaching colleague, and Messy Liberation podcast co-host Taina Brown — and the result is one of the most honest, wide-ranging conversations yet. From the behind-the-scenes chaos of launching a podcast to the theological roots of rest as resistance, Nicole opens up about what she's learned, what's surprised her, and what's coming next for Just Rest and for her own life. If you've ever wondered what a burnout coach actually believes about rest — and whether she walks her own talk — this one's for you.What we talked about in this episode:What it actually felt like to finally launch a podcast years in the makingThe messy, imperfect reality of building workflows behind the scenesWhy irregular release cadence hasn't hurt the showHow guests have expanded Nicole's own understanding of burnoutThe surprising double-edged sword of doing work you're passionate aboutThe role of COVID in reshaping how people think about work and burnoutHow Nicole's background as a clergy person and interfaith practitioner informs her approach to restRest practices Nicole has adopted — or deepened — from her guestsWhy burnout is not a personal failure — it's a systemic oneThe invisible labor carried by people socialized as women and how it compounds burnoutWhy you cannot productivity hack your way out of exhaustionNicole's Friday screen-free practice and the joy of staring out a window while it snowsWhat's coming in Season 2Nicole's upcoming year of nomadic living — and why she's doing itOrganization(s) doing good in the world:New American Welcome Center (Champaign-Urbana): https://nawc.universityymca.org/Amica Center for Immigrant Rights: https://amicacenter.orgChapters:00:00 Introduction to Just Rest and Taina Brown04:27 Grounding breath05:26 The Journey of Podcasting: From Idea to Reality08:54 The Messy Start to Just Rest13:40 Letting Go of Perfectionism in Podcasting17:39 Expanding Ideas about Burnout19:53 The Dual Nature of Passion: A Double-Edged Sword22:21 Theological Perspectives on Burnout and Rest25:29 The Radical Nature of Rest30:38 Seasonal Rhythms and Personal Practices36:25 Understanding Burnout: It's Not Your Fault42:44 Naming Priorities in Planning45:14 The Weight of Perfectionism47:43 Embracing Rest in Nature50:58 Supporting Immigrant Rights Groups52:46 Plans for the Pod and Nomadic LivingCONNECT WITH GUEST INTERVIEWER TAINA BROWN:Website: https://www.ifthenand.org/Messy Liberation Podcast: https://messyliberation.com/CONNECT WITH NICOLE HAVELKANewsletterLinkedInWork with NicoleThe Calm Calendar Club is a brain-friendly planning community for neurodivergent adults, ADHD minds, and sandwich-generation caregivers who are tired of systems that don’t fit real life. We help you build a flexible, values-based calendar that reduces chaos and protects your energy. This low-cost, community-based program is ready for you at defythetrend.com/calm-calendar. Thank you to the people who helped make this show happen.Send me a message via Speakpipe.A proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.