Navigating the Grief of Lost Identity

What happens when your career—your identity, your income, your belonging—suddenly disappears?

In this intimate episode, Michelle MiJung Kim opens up about the collapse of her career after she chose to speak out about Palestine. One day she was a sought-after speaker and celebrated DEI leader. The next, her calendar was empty. The applause stopped. The invitations vanished. And she was left asking: Was any of it ever real?

Together with somatic coach and author Kelsey Blackwell, Michelle explores the painful unraveling of ambition, the burnout of performance, and the quiet grief of no longer wanting the life she once worked so hard to build.

This episode is a love letter to anyone who’s been let go, shut out, or burned out. Anyone who has lost a version of themselves. And anyone trying to find out who they are when the titles fall away.

If you are also longing to live a purposeful life in alignment with your values, this episode is for you.

ABOUT THE EPISODE GUEST, KELSEY BLACKWELL

Kelsey Blackwell is a cultural somatics practitioner dedicated to supporting women of color to trust and follow the guidance of the body so we may powerfully radiate our worth, dignity and wisdom in a world that sorely needs this brilliance. As a facilitator, coach, and speaker, she has brought abolitionist embodied practices to such diverse groups as riders on Bay Area Rapid Transit trains to students at Stanford University to the offices of LinkedIn. She works 1:1 with clients as well as leads the eight-week group program, Decolonizing the Body. Kelsey is the author of the viral article, Why People of Color Need Spaces Without White People, published by The Arrow Journal. She is a Certified InterPlay Leader, Strozzi Certified Somatic Coach, and holds a master’s degree in Publishing from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. In addition to being impactful, Kelsey believes working towards personal and collective liberation must also bring joy. Learn more about Kelsey at www.kelseyblackwell.com

Follow Kelsey Blackwell on Instagram: @decolonizingthebody

Kelsey’s Book: Decolonizing the Body

ABOUT THE HOST, MICHELLE MIJUNG KIM

Michelle MiJung Kim is one of today’s most compelling voices on courage, complexity, and connection. With a voice that is both precise and expansive, Michelle helps people make sense of their inner worlds and the outer chaos. Through storytelling rooted in emotional honesty, she invites us to confront what’s hard, name what matters, and move through the world with deeper integrity and courage. She is the award-winning author of The Wake Up, a globally recognized speaker, and the producer and host of I Feel That Way Too, a narrative podcast that dares to ask life’s trickiest questions so we can feel less alone—and more alive—together. Whether on stage, on the page, or behind the mic, Michelle’s presence is a mirror and a call to courage—to live our lives more fully, to build resilient relationships, and to believe in the possibility of our personal transformation and collective liberation. Learn more about Michelle at www.michellemijungkim.com and follow her journey on Instagram @michellekimkim.

EPISODE CREDITS

This episode was produced by Geraldine Ah-Sue, Eunice Kwon, and Michelle MiJung Kim. Written by Michelle MiJung Kim and Geraldine Ah-Sue. The sound designer is Katie McMurran. Music by Katie McMurran, and Jiyeon Park. This podcast is brought to you by Asian American Futures.

RESOURCES AND LINKS

Full Transcript is Available Here

Watch the full interview on I Feel That Way Too YouTube Channel

Subscribe to the I Feel That Way Too newsletter at ifeelthatwaytoo.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Learn more about Asian American Futures