If you’ve ever felt lost and trapped in your career, frustrated with the life you’re living, stuck in a state of struggle and maybe even–like me–haunted by the fear of unfulfilled potential, then you’re definitely in the right place. Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt and then burned it – a few times over. Hi! I'm Alana. I'm a certified Career & Success Coach and Graphic Designer in Canada. I can’t wait to share stories from my deep dive into personal development work, careers, coachi ...
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EP38: Money, Money, Money! Ditch Financial Fears & Feel Empowered [Interview with Jen Fontanilla]
1:01:29
1:01:29
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: A conversation with Jen Fontanilla, money mindset coach for creative professionals (and anyone who has an entrepreneurial spirit or fear of finances!!) Taking the leap from a "job job" /steady paycheque to being self-employed 😬 Allllll of the fears around money (which everyone has and is totally n…
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EP37: Boundaries and Burnout in "Banana Town" [Personal Growth & Corporate Culture Rant]
19:21
19:21
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19:21
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: Recent personal stories of my boundaries being crossed at work Why people feel the need to send emails on a Saturday?!! (please explain!) Feeling burnt out and NOT feeling the right to even feel burnt out How we compare our workload and job stress to others - to our detriment Living in "Banana Tow…
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EP36: Chronic Pain, Deep Despair & "Trying Everything" [Personal Update & Health]
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26:07
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: My story of navigating debilitating back/hip/knee pain for the last 6 months Join me as I embark on this healing journey which is very much in progress Feeling despair when you're "trying everything" and nothing is working That time I just wanted a bottle of balsamic vinegar and it felt wayyyyy to…
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EP35: Leaping into Entrepreneurship, Crushing Self-Doubt & Building Big Brand Energy [Interview with Katrina Owens]
58:38
58:38
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: A conversation with Katrina Owens, Personal Branding & Publicity Expert Why PR is NOT just for big, established companies - small businesses need it too! BIG BRAND ENERGY and how you can bring it to your business⚡️ Self-doubt and how Katrina found herself crying in Times Square The rollercoaster o…
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EP34: How One Small Decision I Made Prevented Years of Feeling Crappy [Personal Growth]
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12:01
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: How small decisions can lead to profound effects on your life Why things you DON'T do often matter more than the things you DO do How I realized reading design magazines was NOT good for me Making conscious decisions and checking in to see how they make you FEEL Ditching the pressure to do things …
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EP33: The Courage To Change Jobs, Being Flexible As a Perfectionist & Trusting Your Gut [Interview with Jen Cook]
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50:50
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: An interview with Jen Cook, one of the co-founders of Otto Studio and an incredible Graphic Designer in Vancouver, Canada Day jobs, side hustles and freelancing - we discuss! Entrepreneurship as a creative Being an entrepreneur with a TEAM and working with friends The one powerful question to ask …
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EP32: Sharing My Anxiety Management Toolbox [Personal & Health]
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28:18
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28:18
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: Exactly what is in my anxiety management toolbox including: supplements, techniques and meditations How anxiety is a sign our bodies feel unsafe (even if it is) The journey of finding what works uniquely for you Links and references ⚡️ 🌿 Ashwaganda capsules ☕ Valerian tea 🌿 Lavender capsules 🌿 5-H…
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EP31: Choosing Community Over Competition in Corporate Graphic Design [Interview with Lisa Parkyn]
57:30
57:30
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: A conversation with Lisa Parkyn, RGD, Graphic Designer and Marketing Strategist with over 20 years' experience, shares what it's REALLY like working as an in-house graphic design lead and branding specialist Can we build community instead of competition, even in a stressful corporate workplace? We…
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EP30: Navigating Multiple Job Interviews & Job Offers [Career Strategy]
17:43
17:43
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: What to do when you are interviewing with many different companies and get a job offer you don't really want Should you take the job offer?? How to be loyal to yourself in the job interview process The one question I ask every client when they are struggling with navigating multiple job interviews…
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EP29: Discover the "Gift of Contrast" & Feel Good About Your Mistakes [Personal Growth]
15:11
15:11
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: The concept of the "gift of contrast" Why sometimes the best gift of all is the gift you DON'T want How sometimes the only way to know what you don’t want is to experience a sh*tstorm. Stories from my friend who kept finding herself in crappy contracts and why that was SO GOOD to experience "Reali…
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EP28: Discover Your Innate Skills, Embrace Your Multiple Passions & Transform Your Career [Interview with Jolie Rose]
56:39
56:39
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: Jolie's story of working in the Health & Wellness industry and pivoting to Copywriting 🖋️ Living the "multipotentialite" life and doing LOTS of different things (often at once!) Do we need to choose just one thing in our careers?? 😬 Hustle culture and the "push push push" way of working in the 201…
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EP27: The Power of Victim Mode & How it Drains People Pleasers [Personal Growth]
11:44
11:44
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11:44
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: How a text from someone in victim mode shed light on my people pleasing tendencies Why people pleasers put others' needs first The advantage and benefit of being in victim mode (we all do it at some point) Feeling sorry for people causes us to cross our boundaries, leaving to exhaustion and other …
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EP26: Healing with the Emotion Code, Releasing Pain & Creating Abundance [Interview with Rose Morrow]
59:06
59:06
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59:06
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: The Emotion Code healing modality founded by Dr. Bradley Nelson Muscle testing (a binary system) as a way to see what's going on in the body How your subconscious drives your daily life (95% of the time) Trapped emotions and energies that create struggles in our life (Rose was able to ditch a choc…
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EP25: An Introduction to Energy Healing Modalities [Health & Personal]
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25:12
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25:12
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: An introduction to various energy healing modalities Links and references ⚡️ ThetaHealing, Reiki, Emotion Code, Rose (Bliss Energy Healing), Homeopathy, Matrix Repatterning, Osteopathy, Body Talk, Life Alignment, Sound Healing, EFT, Hypnosis, Visualization, Access Conscious Bars, Rolfing, Feldenkr…
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EP24: Building Courage, Clarity and Confidence & Betting on Yourself [Interview with Gala Jackson]
53:48
53:48
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: Betting on yourself Job promotions - getting them and NOT getting them Pivotal career moments that punch you in the gut and how to navigate them When to leave and job and HOW to plan your exit with grace Setting internal boundaries and when to burn bridges 🔥 Her new amazing book Courage, Clarity a…
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EP23: Why I Left the RGD Graphic Design Association [Personal Story]
23:09
23:09
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23:09
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: Making the (hard) decision to let things go Choosing to not renew my RGD graphic design membership, even though I love the organization My current obsession with quitting things Doing hard things to build confidence The collective energy of groups and organizations and checking in to see if that e…
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EP22: The Tiny House Scam I (Almost) Fell For! [Personal Update & Fraud Story]
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14:15
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: A personal update! After uploading my EP21 I realized we almost signed on with a SCAM tiny house builder! How I became obsessed with tiny houses in 2022 Visiting a tiny house builder in Mississauga and getting excited about a new home! How to do proper due diligence (beyond a gut check!) when shop…
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EP21: How Tiny House Shopping (Almost) Cured My Overwhelm [Personal Growth]
21:52
21:52
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: How I became obsessed with tiny houses in 2022 House shopping up north and finding an adorable “hobbit house” 🏡 Why I thought decluttering and downsizing would cure all of my problems Marie Kondo and how she steered me so wrong 🤣 How we need to tap back into our core values in order to make good d…
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EP20: Eliminate Anxiety, Connect to Your Body & Stop "Pushing" [Interview with Sue Ruhe]
1:00:36
1:00:36
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: My interview with Sue Ruhe, a Registered Massage Therapist of 16 years specializing in Myofascial Release Therapy, as well as a Podcast host and editor. Sue is my podcast editor and producer, FYI! 🎙️ How Sue went being a math student (!) to a massage therapy student That time Sue got into a car ac…
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EP19: Are “Other People’s Goals” Ruining Your Career? [Personal Growth & Tips]
16:44
16:44
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: Why Other People’s Goals (OPGs) can have a dramatic impact on our careers How a 30-min coaching session with a Data Analyst was transformational Discerning between OPGs and YOUR goals How OPGs send us out of alignment lightning fast ⚡️ Why we convince ourselves that we want things we actually don’…
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EP18: I Joined Toastmasters and Here’s What Happened [Stories & Tips]
24:56
24:56
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: My experience as a Toastmasters club member (and serving as a VP of PR) Behind the scenes of the Toastmasters public speaking circuit My top 6 tips for making Toastmasters a positive experience How Toastmasters is NOT just about speaking and speaking–it is so much more What I learned from “putting…
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EP17: A Health Crisis, Total Panic & Ditching Coffee [Health Story]
32:13
32:13
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32:13
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: My physical/mental health crisis in 2019 that let to me ditching coffee Why you don't have to give up coffee, but questioning our habits can be life-changing ☕ Getting triggered having to take the same medication as my dad Breaking free from family health patterns Doing the 'work' and the healing …
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EP16: How a Government Job (Temporarily) Saved My Life [Job Story]
24:54
24:54
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24:54
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: Why I decided to give up freelancing (temporarily) as a graphic designer in 2016 The stressful and disheartening process of looking for a job 😬 Going through the interview process for 3 jobs in one month Getting ghosted by one company AFTER an official written offer Choosing to be openminded about…
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EP15: Why Ditching the “Unnecessary” Struggle is So Hard [Personal Growth]
21:10
21:10
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21:10
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: How we can be addicted to struggle, even if we hate it Why we hang on to struggle and refuse to let it go How my migraines helped me opt out of life 2 super powerful phrases to notice that will help you shift out of struggle How being in struggle mode keeps us in victim mode-and we often like that…
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EP14: How Toxic Bosses Hide in Plain Sight [Toxic Job Story]
11:36
11:36
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: 4 types of toxic bosses: Bullies, Micromanagers, the Incompetent and People Pleasers How my job as a Creative Manager in the cosmetics industry (big pink brand!) went from tolerable to toxic overnight What “Work hard, play hard” actually means Setting boundaries at work and being labelled “difficu…
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EP13: “Welcome to the Woodchipper!” [Job Interview Story]
29:06
29:06
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29:06
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: My (stressful!) 2022 job interview for a US digital marketing agency Juicy details from the (almost) 4-part interview process ☕ LOL-worthy Glassdoor reviews The insecurities that bubble up during any interview process Red flags 🚩, Type As, silly corporate acronyms and salary transparency Being in …
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EP12: Five Ways to Build Confidence [Tips]
26:55
26:55
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26:55
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: 5 ways to build confidence - my fave tips! How people have always assumed I am naturally confident - NOT the case Making the life-changing decision to cultivate confidence Stepping outside of your comfort zone - especially when you don’t feel like it How testing your inner strength inevitably cult…
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EP11: Kate Northrup Asked This Simple Question and It Changed Me [Inspiration]
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9:06
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In this (short!) episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: How personal development often focuses on our "Why" And why you may want to actually ditch your "Why" A simple question asked by coach Kate Northrup that had a profound effect on me–and my career How questioning our value can take a toll on our mental state The importance of “saying more”…
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EP10: Wayfair Layoffs, Toxic Leaders and 80-hour Work Weeks [Corporate Culture Rant]
15:15
15:15
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15:15
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: Recent Wayfair layoffs, toxic leaders and the work 24/7 corporate culture My own personal triggers when it comes to working insane hours The idea that if you are not "winning" you are "losing" (and a loser) Questioning work culture and toxic societal programming The pressure to work 80-hr work wee…
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EP9: Asking For What You Want–and NOT Getting It [Job Interview Story]
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13:55
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: My deeply uncomfortable job interview for freelance work at a hot packaging design firm Asking for the money you want (and deserve) What happens when your value is openly questioned Losing self-esteem, confidence and faith in my abilities as a designer The importance of taking risks and ‘big swing…
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EP7: The Surprisingly Common Fear of Not Being "Interesting" [Personal Growth]
16:31
16:31
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: How the theme of “not being interesting” came up in multiple group coaching sessions in 2023 The shame, discomfort and unworthiness surrounding this fear How you don’t have to live a glamorous, high-profile life to be “interesting” Ways to objectively recognize your unique talents and abilities Po…
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EP8: Discover the "Golden Thread" in Your Career [Coaching Program Details]
22:35
22:35
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22:35
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: All of the details of my 12-wk Career Transformation coaching program How career coaching can help you discover what to do next–even when you feel totally lost The "golden thread" that is in everyone's life/career How it ties your unique abilities and talents together When to seek a coach or outsi…
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EP6: How Setting Boundaries Creates Freedom [Personal Growth]
21:55
21:55
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: When it’s time to set a boundary Feeling drained and resentful from lack of boundaries How getting a full-time job in 2016 created a necessary boundary in my life Managing your bandwidth and your energy Being uncomforable saying "No"- ooof! My favourite tiny boundary that has led to big wins Links…
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EP5: Letting Go of What's Not Working [Reflection Exercise]
19:51
19:51
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19:51
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: Reflecting on your previous year and taking time out to think A simple exercise you can do to learn what is working in your life–and what isn’t Why we forget to celebrate our “wins” How we focus on adding to our plate rather than offloading from our plate The joy of quitting! Permission to let go …
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EP4: Anxiety Symptoms--Weird, Wild & WTF [Personal & Health]
20:21
20:21
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20:21
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: My weird and intense emotional and physical anxiety symptoms Why we need to talk about these symptoms Building a toolbox to manage your anxiety How I now love my anxiety symptoms Your body is talking to you - listen! Exploring your anxiety as a way to change and transform your life Links and refer…
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EP3: My Unplanned & Anything-But-Linear Graphic Design Career [Personal Backstory]
29:54
29:54
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In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: An overview of my design jobs from post-graduation to present How I bounced around jobs and freelance gigs Making $320/week at my first “job job” at a record label The best job in my design career (so far) How your resume should not dictate your career choices The cosmetic industry job I REALLY, r…
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EP1: Addicted to Struggle? I Certainly Was [Personal Story]
24:47
24:47
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In this (inaugural!) episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: How struggle was part of my origin story The super boring networking event that changed the trajectory of my career–and life How I became conscious of my addiction to struggle The concept of a "ventilated calendar" How being busy and overcommitted kept me feeling productive and worth …
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EP2: You Know More Than You Think You Know [Job Interview Story]
18:28
18:28
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18:28
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into: How an interview at a big Canadian bank helped me understand my value The pressure of job interviews and how to navigate the stress How I almost laughed out loud in this very serious job interview The pressure to take high-paying corporate jobs Building a strong mindset and belief in your own tale…
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TRAILER: Ditch The Struggle with Alana Ruoso
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2:12
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Welcome to Ditch the Struggle with Alana Ruoso, the podcast where we dive into career building, personal development, coaching, energy healing, waking up to toxic societal programming (yes, I’m going there) and connecting back to your intuition✨ Join me and together, let's ditch the struggle💥 📣 Visit my blog to read more about me and my journey 📕 R…
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