by Hazel Ann
Clearly Becoming is for ambitious twentysomethings navigating career chaos, identity shifts, and the pressure to "figure it out." Hosted by Hazel Ann Felder, each episode delivers evidence-based tools from neuroscience and psychology, honest conversations with people who've become something (not just achieved something), and actionable frameworks for clarity, curiosity, alignment, and action. Career is the vehicle. Becoming is the destination. New episodes every Monday.
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
8/25/2025
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July 27, 2026
<p>Hazel Ann Felder shares her personal journey through the transition from university to the workforce, offering insights on identity, adulting, and navigating career changes. This episode provides practical tips and psychological insights to help recent graduates and young professionals thrive during major life transitions.</p><p><strong>IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:</strong></p><ul><li><p>The emotional experience of transitioning from university to work</p></li><li><p>Psychological and neurological insights into adulting and identity</p></li><li><p>Practical strategies for managing uncertainty and adult responsibilities</p></li><li><p>The importance of reflection, self-awareness, and setting boundaries</p></li><li><p>Understanding organizational culture and navigating workplace politics</p></li></ul><p>💬<strong> QUOTE OF THE EPISODE –</strong> "Growth lies in the unknown and the uncertainty."</p><p><strong>TIMESTAMPS</strong></p><p>00:00 The Hidden Struggles of Postgrad Transition</p><p>01:21 Introducing Clearly Becoming and Its Mission</p><p>04:11 Recent Changes: Graduation and Employment</p><p>06:33 The Power of Detachment in Job Searching</p><p>08:23 The Surprising Speed of Job Offers</p><p>10:44 Psychological and Neuroscientific Insights into Transition</p><p>12:33 Shifts in Nervous System and Workplace Norms</p><p>16:46 Dealing with Ambiguity and Workplace Politics</p><p>20:07 Building an Off Switch and Self-Care Strategies</p><p>22:02 Reward Systems and Feedback Loops at Work</p><p>28:27 The Identity Crisis Post-Graduation</p><p>30:19 Exploration, Commitment, and Building Your Identity</p><p>34:04 Practical Tips for Navigating Uncertainty</p><p>38:23 Embracing Ambiguity as a Sign of Growth</p><p>39:49 Reflections and Moving Forward</p><p><strong>RESOURCES</strong></p><ul><li><p><a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3394234/"><u>James Marcia's Identity Framework</u></a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.rocketmoney.com/"><u>Rocket Money (Budgeting App)</u></a> </p></li><li><p><a href="https://substack.com/@urthoughtdaughterha?utm_source=user-menu"><u>Thought Daughter (Substack) </u></a></p></li></ul><p><strong>ADDITIONAL</strong></p><ul><li><p><a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6796486/#Sec14"><u>The transition from university to work: what happens to mental health? A longitudinal study</u></a> </p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/students/adapting-to-change-and-uncertainty-in-the-transition-from-college-life-to-work-life/"><u>Adapting To Change In The Transition From College Life To Work Life</u></a> </p></li><li><p><a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10151949/#s3"><u>Mental health of new and recent graduates during the university-to-work transition: a scoping review protocol</u></a> </p></li><li><p><a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11843773/"><u>Emotions and feelings in neuroscience education across career stages: a qualitative study with views from alumni, junior and senior academics</u></a> </p></li><li><p><a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10196056/"><u>Male graduates transitioning into the workplace: managing stress through the sense of coherence components</u></a> </p></li><li><p><a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7383858/#jopy12519-sec-0029"><u>Self‐esteem change during the transition from university to work</u></a> </p></li><li><p><a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7427428/"><u>Young People’s Autonomy and Psychological Well-Being in the Transition to Adulthood: A Pathway Analysis </u></a></p></li></ul><p><strong>RELEVANT EPISODES</strong></p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAdaxXFWuNI&t=19s"><u>EP 32: How to Become Before You Believe It</u></a> </p></li></ul><p>This is your reminder that you can be ambitious and confused. DM Hazel Ann on Instagram your ONE non-negotiable habit and the WORD that describes who you are clearly becoming.</p><p><strong>CONNECT WITH HAZEL ANN</strong></p><ul><li><p>Instagram: @clearlybecoming</p></li><li><p>TikTok: @clearlybecoming_</p></li><li><p>YouTube: youtube.com/@clearlybecoming</p></li></ul><p><br></p>
July 13, 2026
<p><strong>IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:</strong></p><ul><li><p>Why being competent at something doesn't mean it's the right fit for you</p></li><li><p>What occupational regret actually is — and the early signs you might be heading toward it</p></li><li><p>How to identify your career anchor using Schein's framework (the four most relevant to your 20s)</p></li><li><p>Why your major is a signal, not a sentence — and what actually determines career trajectory</p></li><li><p>How to test alignment before you're committed, without quitting everything first</p></li><li><p>Why changing direction isn't failure — and what the sunk cost fallacy is costing you </p><p><br></p></li></ul><p>💬<strong> QUOTE OF THE EPISODE –</strong> "Occupational regret doesn't come from choosing wrong — it comes from choosing without knowing yourself first. Now you do."</p><p><br></p><p><strong>TIMESTAMPS</strong></p><p>00:00 Why being competent at something doesn't mean it's meant for you</p><p>00:23 Welcome back + what this episode is about</p><p>01:16 Social pressure, major choices, and occupational regret</p><p>02:27 How misalignment compounds into burnout over time</p><p>03:35 Personal example: competent but completely drained</p><p>04:30 Why energy matters more than skill alone</p><p>06:15 Bridge from EP 22: personal branding as identity work</p><p>06:29 What brand positioning actually means for your career</p><p>07:51 Clarity over likability — how to stop trying to be everything to everyone</p><p>08:58 Defining occupational regret — it's not just wishing things were different</p><p>09:42 The Sunday dread, the flatness, the early signs</p><p>10:48 Why we make career decisions for the wrong reasons</p><p>11:42 Introduction to Schein's career anchors</p><p>12:21 Anchor 1: Technical / Functional — the expert who hates being managed</p><p>12:54 Anchor 2: Autonomy / Independence — not laziness, incompatibility</p><p>13:46 Anchor 3: Entrepreneurial Creativity — the multi-hyphenate who can't commit</p><p>14:10 Anchor 4: Service / Cause — meaningful field, wrong vehicle</p><p>15:48 Flow (Csikszentmihalyi) — your anchor is where flow lives</p><p>16:11 Test before you commit — small experiments over big bets</p><p>16:58 Personal example: working alone vs. needing connection</p><p>17:59 Why it's okay to pivot at any age</p><p>19:20 Shadowing, energy audits, and talking to people 5–10 years in</p><p>19:45 Sunk cost fallacy and loss aversion (Kahneman)</p><p>21:17 Money, survival, and how to make careful decisions about change</p><p>22:04 Don't let your excuses become the reason you stay stuck</p><p>22:24 What alignment actually feels like — lighter, more confident</p><p>23:12 Changing direction isn't failure. It's evidence you're paying attention.</p><p>23:20 Final takeaway: regret starts with not knowing yourself first</p><p>23:42 11-day challenge: identify your anchor, track your energy</p><p>24:47 Clarity Round — rapid fire</p><p>26:48 Who am I clearly becoming?</p><p>27:40 Final encouragement and sign-off</p><p><br></p><p><strong>RESOURCES</strong></p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/exploring-roots-occupational-regret"><u>Exploring roots occupational regret</u></a> </p></li><li><p><a href="https://scispace.com/pdf/a-career-with-a-heart-exploring-occupational-regret-q7691gzmx4.pdf"><u>A career with a heart: exploring occupational regret</u></a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/the-wall-street-journal_before-she-was-a-bestselling-romance-novelist-activity-7458302551436775425-IAHp/"><u>8 Tips for pulling off a career change from a best selling author </u></a> </p><p><br></p></li></ul><p><strong>RELEVANT EPISODES</strong></p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRbsJCHmZsE&t=5s"><u>EP 22 – Personal Branding: How to Know Who You Are and Show Up That Way</u></a></p></li></ul><p>This is your reminder that you can be ambitious and confused. DM Hazel Ann on Instagram your ONE non-negotiable habit and the WORD that describes who you are clearly becoming.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>CONNECT WITH HAZEL ANN</strong></p><ul><li><p>Instagram: @clearlybecoming</p></li><li><p>TikTok: @clearlybecoming_</p></li><li><p>YouTube: <a href="youtube.com/@clearlybecoming" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer">youtube.com/@clearlybecoming</a></p></li></ul><p><strong>Host: Hazel Ann | Clearly Becoming · Solo Episode</strong><br></p>
June 24, 2026
<p>You think you're making your own decisions. You're not — at least not entirely.</p><p>Influence is happening all around us, all the time. In the campaigns you scroll past. In the defaults you never question. In the room you walk into and the way you introduce yourself. And if you're not aware of it, you're being shaped by it without even knowing.</p><p>This week, I'm joined by Dr. Gillian Brooks, Associate Professor of Marketing at King's Business School, Director of the Executive MBA programme, and one of the leading researchers on influence, social media, and persuasion. She also happened to be my professor this semester. </p><p>We talked about what influence actually is, the ethics of it, how to use it intentionally in your career, and why being ambitious and confused doesn't mean you're behind — it means you're paying attention. </p><p><br></p><p><strong>IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:</strong></p><ul><li><p>Why influence isn't just for charismatic people and how it's already shaping your decisions without you realising it</p></li><li><p>What the Obama campaign can teach you about building credibility and community from scratch</p></li><li><p>Where the line is between strategic influence and manipulation (and why it matters for your career)</p></li><li><p>What "celebrity capital" actually is and how to build yours even if you have zero followers</p></li><li><p>Why "just be yourself" is incomplete advice and what authentic influence actually looks like</p></li><li><p>How to advocate for yourself in salary negotiations using data, confidence, and timing</p></li><li><p>What AI is changing about influence, and how to protect yourself from it</p></li></ul><p>💬<strong> QUOTE OF THE EPISODE – </strong></p><p><strong>"You're not outside of influence. You're already inside it. The only question is whether you're doing it on purpose." — Dr. Gillian Brooks</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>TIMESTAMPS</strong></p><p>00:00 — Introduction: You're already being influenced </p><p>00:37 — Why charisma has nothing to do with it </p><p>01:32 — Gillian's career arc and what she learned from every pivot </p><p>02:58 — From publicist in Toronto to PhD at Cambridge </p><p>05:31 — Inside the Obama campaign: influence at scale </p><p>09:10 — The mere exposure effect and the power of consistency </p><p>10:45 — Influence vs. manipulation: where's the line? </p><p>11:24 — Cambridge Analytica: data, targeting, and non-consensual nudging </p><p>14:21 — Celebrity capital explained: social, cultural, symbolic </p><p>17:23 — How social media changed the rules of influence </p><p>19:54 — Building expertise early in your career </p><p>21:57 — Navigating choice overload </p><p>26:11 — Gender and negotiation </p><p>27:03 — How to negotiate your salary with data and confidence </p><p>30:49 — AI, deepfakes, and media literacy </p><p>42:01 — Who are you clearly becoming?</p><p><br></p><p><strong>RESOURCES</strong></p><ul><li><p><a href="https://dn710600.ca.archive.org/0/items/ThePsychologyOfPersuasion/The%20Psychology%20of%20Persuasion.pdf"><u>Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion — Robert Cialdini</u></a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://hbr.org/1995/09/the-power-of-talk-who-gets-heard-and-why"><u>The Power of Who Gets Heard and Why — Deborah Tannen</u></a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-49085306"><u>Cambridge Analytica — BBC Documentary</u></a></p></li><li><p>Dr. Gillian Brooks — King's Business School:<a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/gillian-brooks"> <u>https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/gillian-brooks</u></a></p></li></ul><p>This is your reminder that you can be ambitious and confused. DM Hazel Ann on Instagram your ONE non-negotiable habit and the WORD that describes who you are clearly becoming.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>CONNECT WITH HAZEL ANN</strong></p><ul><li><p>Instagram: @clearlybecoming</p></li><li><p>TikTok: @clearlybecoming_</p></li><li><p>YouTube: youtube.com/@clearlybecoming</p><p><br></p></li></ul><p>Host: Hazel Ann | Clearly Becoming</p><p>Guest Episode: ft. Dr. Gillian Brooks<br></p>
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Clearly Becoming is for ambitious twentysomethings navigating career chaos, identity shifts, and the pressure to "figure it out."
Hosted by Hazel Ann Felder, each episode delivers evidence-based tools from neuroscience and psychology, honest conversations with people who've become something (not just achieved something), and actionable frameworks for clarity, curiosity, alignment, and action.
Career is the vehicle. Becoming is the destination.
New episodes every Monday.
This podcast updates daily.
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