Globally Grounded: The Work-Life Reset

Twenty-five episodes ago, Globally Grounded began as a mission to find the data, the global traditions, and the cultural shifts that could help us fix our sometimes broken relationship with work. But for this milestone, Kyra realized that to truly honor the mission of Clarity West and Globally Grounded, she had to look inward. In this transparent solo episode, Kyra plays both host and guest, conducting a personal audit through 25 questions. She moves past the usual coaching angle to share the real-life pivots that defined her career: from the high-stakes world of D.C. to the fast-paced tech scene of California. Through the lens of her own health battles, parenting wins and fails, and her fascination with Nordic well-being, Kyra defines what it actually looks like to prioritize the "life" side of the work-life equation. For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co.  ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram

In this episode, Kyra takes listeners to a dusty home-build site in Tijuana, Mexico, during a transformative weekend where a mix of volunteers, including kids (her 14-year-old son included), his friends, others from his school, and parents, came together to build a home for a family. Purpose emerges not as an abstract concept but as a hands-on reality. She reflects on how staying in our own bubbles limits us, while stepping across borders and cultures reveals our deep connections and expands our sense of what's possible. The episode highlights the transformative power of cross-border togetherness, showing how it fosters compassion and meaning in unexpected ways. Kyra is especially struck by how engaged the kids were as they were pulled into experiences far beyond their everyday world, gaining perspective and appreciation that will likely last a lifetime. At its core, this episode ties purpose to longevity, suggesting that meaning in all its forms paired with consistent acts of showing up for others not only enriches life but may even extend it! It's a reminder that true connection often starts with one small step outside the familiar. For more information on Cases de Luz, visit their website.  For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co.  ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram

In this episode, Kyra reflects on a recent trip to Big Sur, CA and what it revealed about the uneasy balance between disconnection and peace. From unreliable service to the relief of being off the grid, she explores why stepping away from constant news, work, and family communication can feel so restorative and so unsettling at the same time. She also looks at how nature helps us reset, why re-entry is often the hardest part, and what other cultures can teach us about building a healthier relationship with rest and the outdoors. For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co.  ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram

When was the last time you had a win that no one else knew about, and it felt just as good? In this episode, Kyra continues her exploration of the 2026 World Happiness Report, but through the lens of social media and the pressure to perform happiness, success, and authenticity online. She gets honest about her complicated relationship with LinkedIn. It's an extremely useful tool for job searches, visibility, learning + exploration, and networking, but it also triggers comparison, validation-seeking, and the need to package every win for public consumption. Kyra explores why self-promotion feels just a bit more natural in individualistic cultures but awkward in others, why LinkedIn and Instagram are closer than we think when it comes to feeling behind in work + life, and what the happiest countries might teach us about using social media differently. If you've ever felt drained by performing your life online, this episode offers three practical shifts to protect your unposted life and redefine success as contentment, not visibility. For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co.  ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram

In this episode, Kyra revisits a topic she's explored before: the World Happiness Report. The 2026 edition just dropped, with Finland claiming the top spot again, followed by Iceland, Denmark, Costa Rica, and Sweden. This year's report focuses heavily on social media's impact on well-being (to be covered next episode!), but Kyra zooms in on a different angle: what "happiness" actually measures and what these countries have in common - e.g., systems that reduce chronic stress, protect rest, support nature and being outside, and build security and collaboration into daily life. Drawing on her experiences living across Europe and Central America, Kyra reflects on what we can realistically apply to our own lives and why systemic change matters more than individual hustle. For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co.  ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram

In this episode, Kyra gets into what happens when the values you signed up for at work subtly or not so subtly shift under your feet, especially in fast-moving industries like tech. She unpacks how company values are really formed (beyond the hallway posters), why they evolve or drift over time, how to spot early signs of misalignment, and a practical framework for deciding whether to stay, try to influence from within, or plan your exit. All of which are viable options! Along the way, she shares her own experience of feeling the gap between the values on paper and the lived culture, and offers concrete questions and reflection prompts for both job seekers and people staying put for now. For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co.  ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram

In this episode, Kyra reflects on what she'd tell her 18-year-old self about work…the one who went into college pre-med, convinced she'd be a neuroscientist, with her whole career mapped out. Fun fact, that's not what happened. From pre-med to international affairs to consulting to tech to entrepreneurship, Kyra's career has been anything but linear. She explores why we feel so much pressure to have it all figured out early, why pivoting feels like failure (when it's actually growth), and why caring about more than one thing isn't a flaw, but rather where the real through-line often lives. If you've ever worried that your winding path means you're doing it wrong, this one's for you, whether you’re 18 or 50.  For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co.  ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram

In this episode, Kyra dives into the question no one wants to ask but everyone needs to: whose dream is this, really? After watching her son compete at a junior pickleball tournament—a sport he chose after burning out from tennis—Kyra explores the uncomfortable parallels between youth sports culture and corporate burnout. She gets honest about when parental support becomes control, why the "more is better" mentality destroys both young athletes and professionals, and what happened when her son finally admitted he was miserable playing a sport she loved. From overuse injuries to work stress you can't escape, micromanagement to the inability to set boundaries, Kyra unpacks what it takes to pursue excellence without losing yourself or the people you care about. For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co.  ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram

In this episode, Kyra explores the reality of midlife career pivots and why reinvention is both increasingly common and surprisingly difficult depending on where you live. She breaks down how cultural attitudes and safety nets shape who gets to pivot (and who doesn't) across the U.S., Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. Sharing her own journey from international development to consulting to tech to entrepreneurship, Kyra gets honest about what these transitions actually required. She tackles the harder questions too, like whether reinvention is a privilege or necessity, how we define success after a pivot, and what it would take to make career changes less risky for everyone. If you've ever wondered whether it's too late to start over at 40+, this episode will challenge that assumption. For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co.  ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram

What does work look like to someone who hasn't entered the workforce yet? In this episode, Kyra sits down with her 13-year-old son—right on the cusp of Gen Z and Gen Alpha—to explore how the next generation is already forming opinions about work by simply observing the adults around them. From his unfiltered take on the meeting-project-meeting cycle to his pragmatic views on money, flexibility, and what makes a job "worth it," this conversation reveals something striking: the expectations of younger Gen Z aren't radical, they're human. Kyra weaves his insights with global research from Deloitte and Harvard Business Review to explore whether Gen Z is rejecting work itself, or just the parts of work culture that have been broken all along. If you've ever wondered what the next wave of workers will demand, or what we're unconsciously modeling for them, this episode will make you think. For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co.  ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram

In this episode of Globally Grounded, Kyra explores what it means to keep showing up when the world feels loud, uncertain, and chronically stressful. From global work pressures and economic anxiety to a nonstop news cycle and rising expectations at work, many of us are operating in a constant state of “on.” Kyra unpacks why this kind of sustained stress is different from short-term pressure, how it shows up in our work and lives, and why powering through is no longer a viable strategy. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, stretched thin, or just plain exhausted, this episode is a reminder that resilience doesn’t mean doing more, it means learning how to steady yourself and move forward without losing yourself. For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co. ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram 

In this episode of Globally Grounded, Kyra takes a look at the four-day workweek to explore what’s actually happened when organizations around the world have tried it. Drawing on large-scale trials from the UK, Iceland, Portugal, and Spain, she breaks down what the data really shows about productivity, burnout, well-being, gender equity, and retention. She also reflects on what these global experiments reveal about U.S. work culture, and how even organizations that aren’t ready for a four-day week can apply the lessons today.  For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co.  ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram 

In this episode, Kyra explores how our definitions of success are shaped by culture, economics, and the stories we’ve inherited about work and achievement. Drawing on global research, lived experience, and her own career evolution, she challenges the narrow, resume-driven version of success often emphasized in the U.S.  Rather than replacing one definition with another, this conversation invites listeners to broaden the lens, making space for multiple ways of “making it,” from titles and income to well-being, stability, contribution, and meaning. Whether success for you looks like climbing higher, slowing down, or redefining the rules entirely, this episode offers perspective, permission, and thoughtful questions to carry into your own life and work. For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co.  ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram 

In this episode, Kyra kicks off 2026 by unpacking a timely Fast Company article that argues this year could mark a real turning point for employee well-being. Drawing on global research, lived experience, and shifting workplace realities — from investor pressure to AI acceleration — she explores why well-being is no longer a “nice to have,” but a strategic imperative. Through global patterns and practical insights, Kyra reflects on how work can be designed to support human cycles, meaning, and connection as we move into a year that asks more of leaders, organizations, and all of us. For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co.  ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram 

In this episode, Kyra closes out the year with a thoughtful, honest reflection on what it means to live in a world that holds both beauty and heaviness at the same time. Acknowledging the very real presence of some hard truths out there, without letting it consume us, she explores how different cultures create space to process difficult realities while still protecting their well-being.  Drawing from global practices in places like Japan, Denmark, Argentina, New Zealand, and Spain, Kyra shares practical, human-centered ways to reflect, connect, pause, and reset as the year comes to a close. Along the way, she weaves in personal reflections, gentle humor, and reminders that it’s okay to hold multiple truths at once — to care deeply, feel fully, and still choose moments of rest and joy. For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co.  ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram 

In this episode, Kyra celebrates the 10-episode milestone of Globally Grounded by sharing the story behind starting the podcast, the insecurities she worked through along the way, and the intentions guiding her into the new year. She reflects on risk-taking, reinvention, and the joy of seeing the world through travel—all core themes in her work-life design practice. It’s part celebration, part honest reflection, and part encouragement for anyone navigating their own reset. For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co.  ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram 

In this episode of Globally Grounded, Kyra dives into the art of the long meal, exploring how cultures from Argentina to Spain savor connection, food, and presence. Drawing on a recent parrilla experience in Buenos Aires, she unpacks the mental, social, and nutritional benefits of lingering over meals, and what we might reclaim in our own fast-paced lives. For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co.  ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram

In this episode of Globally Grounded, Kyra unpacks the modern “second shift”: the extra hours of unpaid or invisible labor that millions of people take on. From single parents in the U.S. to informal workers in Kenya to families in Brazil juggling multiple jobs, she explores what the data reveals about burnout, gender dynamics, and economic pressure. And she makes the case that the real problem isn’t motivation or mindset, it’s the way our systems are designed.  For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co.  ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram

New Zealand is often celebrated as one of the world’s happiest, most livable countries, but the story is more layered than it seems. In this episode of Globally Grounded, Kyra explores how this nation’s strong sense of community, leadership grounded in empathy, and focus on environmental and social well-being create a powerful model for balance. But she also looks at who gets left behind in the data, and what we can learn from that. It’s a journey through kindness, culture, and connection, and a reminder that true well-being isn’t a destination, but a shared practice. For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co.  ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram

In this episode of Globally Grounded, Kyra explores why some people in Japan are choosing to keep working into their 100s, and what that reveals about purpose, balance, and longevity. Inspired by a New York Times feature on Japan’s centenarians, she unpacks how meaning, connection, and routine can be just as vital to our health as diet or exercise. Along the way, she weaves in global research — from Sardinia to Denmark — and reflects on what it really means to find harmony between work and well-being at every stage of life. For full show notes, key takeaways, and research sources, visit claritywest.co.  ✨ Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode, and share with a friend who's ready for their own work-life reset.  🎙️ Hosted by Kyra Khanna 👉 Follow me on social media for more insights: LinkedIn | Instagram