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Sabbatical Stories

Sabbatical Stories

By: Rebecca Thomas
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Unlock the power of taking a break with Sabbatical Stories, a podcast hosted by Rebecca Thomas from Feel Good Getaways. Through insightful and engaging discussions, Rebecca explores the motivations behind career breaks and sabbaticals, debunks myths, and highlights their invaluable benefits. With a mission to inspire courage and normalise taking time off for personal growth, Sabbatical Stories is a beacon for those seeking inspiration, encouragement, and guidance on their journey to self-discovery. Tune in to learn how taking a break can transform your life and career.Rebecca Thomas Career Success Economics
Episodes
  • When Your Sabbatical Meets a Global Crisis: Navigating a Career Break During COVID with Gaëlle Deschamps

    When Your Sabbatical Meets a Global Crisis: Navigating a Career Break During COVID with Gaëlle Deschamps
    Apr 16 2026
    In this episode of Sabbatical Stories, we speak with executive leadership trainer, TEDx speaker and confidence coach Gaëlle Deschamps about taking a sabbatical at the exact moment the world shut down.After a 27-year global corporate career spanning L’Oréal, SABMiller and The Coca-Cola Company, Gaëlle made the intentional decision to pause. Her career break was meant to be a period of rest, reflection and renewal, a chance to step back before her next chapter.She began her sabbatical on March 1st, 2020.By March 18th, her birthday, the world went into lockdown.What was meant to be travel, celebration and spaciousness became uncertainty, disruption and confinement. In this conversation, Gaëlle shares how she navigated the emotional shift from control to surrender, how the pandemic reshaped her sabbatical experience, and what it taught her about identity, resilience and leadership.We dive into:The decision to take a sabbatical after decades in corporate leadershipPlanning a career break with intention and structureStarting a sabbatical just weeks before global lockdownManaging disappointment when plans unravelIdentity beyond corporate titlesLessons leaders can take from disruptionTimestampsTo followOther episodes you may enjoy: Discovering Inner Wisdom Through a Career Break: Danielle Dacunha-Howarth’s Sabbatical JourneyHow a career break can prepare you for emigration: Liz Ferguson’s sabbatical storyGet in touch: If you are interested in sharing your sabbatical story, we would love to hear from you. Buzz us a DM on Instagram - ⁠@Sabbatical_Stories⁠ or reach out on LinkedIn - ⁠Bex Thomas.⁠Career transition, sabbatical and career break coaching: As a career transition, sabbatical, and career break coach, I inspire, challenge, and support people like you to create a life that feels deeply aligned with your values, dreams, and authentic self. Whether you’re craving a new direction, a chance to pause, or the courage to pursue what really matters, I’m here to guide you toward your own version of success on your terms.Together, we’ll break free from societal blueprints, rewrite the rules, and design a future you’re excited to wake up to. Learn more ⁠here⁠💫 Ready to make the most of your time away from work? Download my free guide, "5 Ways to Maximise Your Career Break" 👉 Grab your free copy ⁠here⁠Guest bio: Gaelle is a TEDx speaker, certified executive coach, leadership trainer and Founder of G Force, a company dedicated to shaping the next generation of confident, values-led leaders. With executive education from Harvard and London Business School, she brings over 27 years of corporate and entrepreneurial experience, having held senior leadership roles at L’Oréal, SABMiller and The Coca-Cola Company. Today, Gaëlle delivers keynote talks and transformational programmes including The Art of Confidence©️ and The Art of LeadHERship©️, empowering women and young people to step into leadership with authenticity and impact. A passionate advocate for better role models in workplaces, communities and families, she combines global business expertise with contagious energy and a deep commitment to helping others show up confidently and create meaningful change. With special thanks to: Aunty B at The Flaxen, our amazing, talented and patient producer whose expertise helps make this podcast shine. Nicky Sweetland, our brilliant creative force behind all things social media and visual, whose eye for detail and design brings the podcast to life beyond the mic.Joanna Cooke, whose soulful blend of smooth vocals we are lucky enough to use throughout the show. Listen and connect with Joanna via your favourite medium:https://open.spotify.com/artist/7EyKy53TsVFLJFZFyYzBZQ?si=HaCSIRCETS2uYB3LBLcrWAWebsite - https://joannacooke.co.ukYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/joannacookeInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joanna.cooke/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/joannacookemusic/
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    41 mins
  • Using a Career Break to Redefine Success: Cultural Expectations, Sabbaticals & Life Chapters with Namrata Singh

    Using a Career Break to Redefine Success: Cultural Expectations, Sabbaticals & Life Chapters with Namrata Singh
    Apr 9 2026
    In this episode of Sabbatical Stories, Bex speaks with Namrata, founder of Sing & Tea, about navigating personal transitions, cultural expectations and the power of a career break to redefine success on your own terms.Namrata and her husband chose not to over-optimise her sabbatical. Instead, they embraced what she calls thematic living, allowing a guiding focus, such as health or exploration, to shape their decisions rather than rigid goals. Namrata shares openly about cultural norms and expectations and how carving her own path alongside her husband was not the most common or encouraged route within their cultural context. Taking a career break, stepping away from conventional timelines and choosing exploration over certainty required courage. It meant redefining stability, success and identity outside traditional expectations.We dive into:Why you shouldn’t over-optimise your sabbaticalThe power of living thematically during a career breakCultural expectations around stability, marriage and careerCarving your own path when it’s not the cultural normHow time away creates clarity for your career and life in generalOpenness, identity and redefining successHow their break led to launching Sing & Tea, a soft rebellion against small talkTimestampsto followOther episodes you may enjoy: From Career Break to Creative Passion: How Santosh Mahale Rediscovered Art During His SabbaticalTiny Detour on Career Breaks, Breaking the Blueprint & Currency HackingGet in touch: If you are interested in sharing your sabbatical story, we would love to hear from you. Buzz us a DM on Instagram - ⁠@Sabbatical_Stories⁠ or reach out on LinkedIn - ⁠Bex Thomas.⁠Career transition, sabbatical and career break coaching: As a career transition, sabbatical, and career break coach, I inspire, challenge, and support people like you to create a life that feels deeply aligned with your values, dreams, and authentic self. Whether you’re craving a new direction, a chance to pause, or the courage to pursue what really matters, I’m here to guide you toward your own version of success on your terms.Together, we’ll break free from societal blueprints, rewrite the rules, and design a future you’re excited to wake up to. Learn more ⁠here⁠💫 Ready to make the most of your time away from work? Download my free guide, "5 Ways to Maximise Your Career Break", packed with practical tips and soulful insights to help you pause with purpose and return with clarity. Whether you're dreaming, planning, or already on sabbatical, this is your essential companion.👉 Grab your free copy ⁠here⁠Guest bio: Namrata is a Lead Product Manager with over 11 years of experience building and scaling subscription, payments and monetisation platforms across both consumer and B2B products. During her sabbatical, Namrata channelled her product expertise into entrepreneurship, founding Sing & Tea, a pop-up series that brings 6 strangers together in cozy corners of Bengaluru for unfiltered heart-to-heart conversations over Chia.With special thanks to: Aunty B at The Flaxen, our amazing, talented and patient producer whose expertise helps make this podcast shine. Nicky Sweetland, our brilliant creative force behind all things social media and visual, whose eye for detail and design brings the podcast to life beyond the mic.Joanna Cooke, whose soulful blend of smooth vocals we are lucky enough to use throughout the show. Listen and connect with Joanna via your favourite medium:https://open.spotify.com/artist/7EyKy53TsVFLJFZFyYzBZQ?si=HaCSIRCETS2uYB3LBLcrWAWebsite - https://joannacooke.co.ukYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/joannacookeInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joanna.cooke/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/joannacookemusic/
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    40 mins
  • Why Community Matters on a Sabbatical or Career Break and how Breakspace Supports You Through Time Off

    Why Community Matters on a Sabbatical or Career Break and how Breakspace Supports You Through Time Off
    Apr 6 2026
    In this very special bonus episode of Sabbatical Stories we welcome back Katrina McGee and Lyndall Farley. Joining Bex, three of the most respected minds and coaches in the sabbatical and career break space explore why community, accountability and shared experience are often the missing ingredients in a truly transformative career break.Listeners get instant access to join BreakSpace here:👉 https://www.gobreakspace.com/join/You’ll also receive 30% off your first month when you use the code:BEX30Be sure to enter BEX30 at checkout, this not only gives you the discount but also allows the BreakSpace team to track your membership back to Sabbatical Stories.TimestampsTo followOther episodes you may enjoy: How to take a career break like a pro: Katerina McGee, The Queen of time offFrom Career Break to Creative Passion: How Santosh Mahale Rediscovered Art During His SabbaticalGet in touch: If you are interested in sharing your sabbatical story, we would love to hear from you. Buzz us a DM on Instagram - ⁠@Sabbatical_Stories⁠ or reach out on LinkedIn - ⁠Bex Thomas.⁠Career transition, sabbatical and career break coaching: As a career transition, sabbatical, and career break coach, I inspire, challenge, and support people like you to create a life that feels deeply aligned with your values, dreams, and authentic self. Whether you’re craving a new direction, a chance to pause, or the courage to pursue what really matters, I’m here to guide you toward your own version of success on your terms.Together, we’ll break free from societal blueprints, rewrite the rules, and design a future you’re excited to wake up to. Learn more ⁠here⁠💫 Ready to make the most of your time away from work? Download my free guide, "5 Ways to Maximise Your Career Break", packed with practical tips and soulful insights to help you pause with purpose and return with clarity. Whether you're dreaming, planning, or already on sabbatical, this is your essential companion.👉 Grab your free copy ⁠here⁠Guest bio: If you’re thinking of taking a sabbatical, you don’t have to do it alone. BreakSpace is the community for Career Breakers and Sabbatical Takers that gives you a complete support system to make the most of your sabbatical. It gives you access to supportive coaches, step-by-step courses and resources, expert-led masterclasses and a community of people who ‘get it’. It’s everything you need to plan your break, recharge, design what’s next and return to a career and life you love.We have a special deal for Listeners as wellWe can give you INSTANT access (skip the waitlist!) and get a 30% discount on your first month.Use this link to skip the waitlist and instantly join - https:https://www.gobreakspace.com/join/And use this code at checkout for your 30% discount - BEX30With special thanks to: Aunty B at The Flaxen, our amazing, talented and patient producer whose expertise helps make this podcast shine. Nicky Sweetland, our brilliant creative force behind all things social media and visual, whose eye for detail and design brings the podcast to life beyond the mic.Joanna Cooke, whose soulful blend of smooth vocals we are lucky enough to use throughout the show. Listen and connect with Joanna via your favourite medium:https://open.spotify.com/artist/7EyKy53TsVFLJFZFyYzBZQ?si=HaCSIRCETS2uYB3LBLcrWAWebsite - https://joannacooke.co.ukYouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/joannacookeInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/joanna.cooke/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/joannacookemusic/🎁 Exclusive Offer for Sabbatical Stories Listeners
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    31 mins
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