Stay in the White House or Binge HGTV? (with Alyssa Mastromonaco)
Aug 31, 2023
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Alyssa Mastromonaco discusses leaving the White House after sleep deprivation, binge-watching HGTV, and her newfound love for jam making. They also touch on the challenges of transitioning from a high-stakes environment to a more relaxed one and the importance of being politically active in grassroots elections.
Trusting your gut and not letting fear hold you back from pursuing new opportunities is crucial in making career decisions.
Prioritizing self-care, setting boundaries, and listening to your body is essential to avoid burnout in high-pressure jobs.
Deep dives
Leaving the Daily Show and Embracing Change
The speaker talks about leaving her dream job as a correspondent on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart after being there for over a decade. She explains that even when you love something, you can outgrow it and the need for change. She describes the complicated emotions and decisions that came with leaving and the fear of letting down the first black president. Eventually, she decided to start her own show, Full Frontal on TBS, despite knowing that at some point, she would leave it as well.
Trusting Your Gut in Career Decisions
The podcast episode explores the importance of trusting your gut in making career decisions. The guest, Alyssa Mastromonico, shares her experience as Deputy Chief of Staff to President Obama and her initial hesitation when offered the position due to self-doubt. She explains how her mentor and colleagues encouraged her to trust herself and her abilities. She emphasizes the importance of listening to your intuition and not letting fear or negative thoughts hold you back from pursuing new opportunities.
The Significance of Self-Care in High-Pressure Jobs
The podcast discusses the importance of self-care in high-pressure jobs. Alyssa Mastromonico shares her experience of excessive work hours and sleep deprivation during Hurricane Sandy while working in the White House. She explains how she reached a breaking point and realized the necessity of taking care of herself physically and mentally. Mastromonico emphasizes the importance of setting boundaries, listening to your body, and prioritizing self-care in order to avoid burnout and maintain overall well-being.
The Joy of Making Jam and Embracing Authenticity
The episode also touches upon Alyssa Mastromonico's passion for making jam as a form of relaxation and self-expression. She shares her love for preserving the flavors of the summer and the satisfaction she finds in creating something with her own hands. Mastromonico highlights the importance of authenticity, embracing oneself, and rejecting societal expectations. She discusses her journey to let go of external pressures, including wearing Spanx and conforming to certain aesthetics, to fully embrace her true self.
When Alyssa Mastromonaco was Deputy Chief of Staff in the Obama Administration, there was a point in time when she was averaging two hours of sleep per night. After a doctor’s visit confirmed she was exceedingly sleep deprived, she decided it was time to leave the White House after working for President Obama for nearly 10 years. Sam asks Alyssa what it was like to go from that high-stakes environment to watching HGTV all day, what made her decide that she’s never wearing Spanx again, and how she got deep into the world of jam making.