The Millennial PhD: Creative Survival at Work & Beyond

Mela talks top 3 creative lessons from 2022. PLUS, part II of the episode includes reflection questions for your own DIY solo retreat. Check in with yourself on your personal, creative, and social values heading into 2023.***Prefer your reflections written out? Accompany the episode with a special download/print out of the end-of-year creative reflection questions. Find it here. Or, at the link in bio of @themillennialphd Instagram page. -Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.

Jessica L. Groves-Chapman, PhD. is a storyteller and poet that uses neuroscience to demystify the stories of our lives, one line at a time. Jessica completed her PhD in neuroscience at the University of Georgia and was previously an Assistant Professor at Centre College. She’s also a former small business owner.During the Covid-19 pandemic she was faced with the challenge of small business operation in the health and wellness sector and was forced to close due to safety considerations for clients and staff. During the past 2 years she’s explored her career transition through writing a novel, taking a course in life coaching, and providing homeschooling content for elementary aged children.  -Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.

The days are getting shorter and the weather in the Northeast U.S. is getting  grey. Mela talks through reorienting and reclaiming this season as a time of transformation - shedding what no longer serves us to make room for new growth. Plus, four tips for practicing creativity and pursuing our goals in times of turbulence and transformation. -Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.

Mela talks with Bridget Thorpe, the Founder of values-based brand SOL VAE. In this episode Bridget talks actionable tips to infuse environmental sustainability into your brand. If you've been missing our entrepreneurship focused episodes, this one is for you.Bridget kindly shared a 15% discount for anyone interested in SOLVAE apparel. You can view and purchase here.*This is NOT an affiliate program. I don't make money from your purchase; it's just a discount code. -Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.

Mela talks intimacy, affect, and embodied care with the incredible Dr. Kimberly Rose Pendleton, who shares her story of leaving academia and starting her own business as an intimacy coach (and so much more).If you're interested in creating new ways to share your knowledge, this deeply inspired episode is for you!Kimberly is the creator of UNCOVER, a global movement and community of women dedicated to the healing power of pleasure. With an M.A.,  a PhD, in-depth coaching training, and years of experience, it is her honor and pleasure to weave the intellectual side of empowerment, healing and intimacy work in with the embodied, playful practices of pleasure.Connect with Kimberly at @drkimberlyrose on IG. -Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.

This ANNIVERSARY episode is jam packed with creative ideas and inspiration that hit home over the last year. We got us! And this gathering of collective creative wisdom showcases that.This episode features samples from:Episode 2, ft. Dr. Nikita T. HamiltonEpisode 6, ft. Angelica BeliardEpisode 8, ft. Alyson CadenaEpisode 21, ft. Fitgi Saint-LouisEpisode 33, ft. Dr. Christine KohThe Creative Visions program helps artists, entrepreneurs, and (recovering) academics bring a creative project or business from idea to reality. Learn more here. -Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.

So often in academia we critique problematic depictions in the media; but, what does it look like to get on the other side and create new representation? Filmmaker Lisa Rideout talks about her journey leaving academia to make documentary films.When she started talking about putting post-its on the wall to plan and visualize her projects, I knew we were going to get along. 😂 Lisa shares great insight & advice on:the power of storytelling and representationfollowing your gut & creating your path forwardpractical tips to pursue a creative dreamhow to get started making documentary filmsConnect with Lisa on Instagram. -Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.

If you've ever asked yourself:  Do I deserve to have dreams so big? Am I good enough?Am I allowed to fight for the life I want to live? This episode is for you.So often we get stuck in a habit of asking permission to pursue our dreams. Of shrinking in the face of others' opinions. What if, instead, we expanded into our full creative humanity, and by extension made space for others to do the same?This solo episode with Mela includes discussion + guided reflection questions and weekly practices to break a habit of deference and step more fully into the process of building your creative vision.  -Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.

Ready to make room in your life for clarity and inspiration? Dr. Christine Koh talks about her journey from brain scientist to multimedia creative (+ the host of the awesome Edit Your Life podcast), and how to forge your own path forward. An amazing conversation about following your intuition, making a professional pivot, and building what you want to see in the world.Connect with Christine @drchristinekoh on Instagram or at her website. -Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.

-Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.

What is quiet quitting? What does it mean to set boundaries in our work and personal lives? Is there such a thing as anticapitalist work practices? Is quiet quitting one of them? Love it or hate it, the phrase "quiet quitting" is firmly in the popular lexicon. And now that the fall season of settle-down-and-hustle has arrived, it's a great time to talk about setting boundaries and making room for our full creative humanity. -Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.

Breaking down student loan debt relief + methods for building toward financial freedom. Cindy Zuniga-Sanchez from Zero-Based Budget talks about her journey becoming a lawyer, paying back over $200,000 in student loan debt, and eventually launching her own business to support others working to achieve financial freedom.In this episode we cover:Taking the leap into entrepreneurshipImportant details about the recent student loan debt reliefSpecific resources related to debt reliefActionable tips to build toward financial freedom + building generational wealthUnderstanding the impact student loan debt has in communities of colorInformation for current students navigating student debt-Links to resources mentioned in the episode:https://www.ed.gov/subscriptions - Click the first box and subscribe to get updates re: student loan debt relief.https://studentaid.gov/ - Find out if you are a Pell Grant recipient. Login to your account and go to My Aid, and see your Loans and Grants.Pre-order Cindy Zuniga-Sanchez's book, "Overcoming Debt, Achieving Financial Freedom".-Cindy Zuniga-Sanchez, Esq. is a money coach, speaker, and the founder of Zero-Based Budget Coaching LLC. She has spoken to thousands and coached hundreds on budgeting, saving, debt payoff, investing, credit, building generational wealth, and more. You can find her on Instagram and TikTok @zerobasedbudget and at www.zero-basedbudget.com. -Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.

The season is changing and the transition into fall is upon us. Wrapping up summer goals, projects, and activities and preparing for busy autumn can be challenging. In this episode we talk through some affirmations for this moment of transition, and launch into a new season of our own: SEASON THREE. With a new focus on imagining pathways forward and building what we want to see around us, we are sliding into the most informative and inspirational season yet. Let's get it. -Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.

What's the deal with SMART goals? How can we challenge the idea that our worth lies in our productivity and re-imagine new pathways forwards? What does strategic planning with a community-care mindset look and feel like? Mela wraps up Season Two with a discussion of tips and strategies for overcoming academic overwhelm and pushing back against the hyper-productivity mindset that's so pervasive in academia and other workplaces. -Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.

What does it mean to be a "successful" academic? A "professional" dancer? A "deserving" consumer of fitness education?Artist, entrepreneur, and former academic Kyle Georgina Marsh talks with Mela about breaking down and re-contextualizing our definitions of worthiness and success. A lifelong student of movement,  Kyle is the co-founder of True II Form Pilates and Wellness, an online Pilates-based fitness studio dedicated to delivering athletic strength forming moves for every(body) that empowers practitioners to feel fearless and free in the body that is theirs.  Prior to her life in Pilates-land Kyle enjoyed a brief career in academia and is proud to hold a Masters Degree in Dance Education from The Graduate School of Education at Rutgers University, as well as a B.F.A. in dance performance from Mason Gross School of the Arts. The outdated definition of "success" in academia as limited to getting a tenure-track Assistant Professorship is crumbling - and we are the ones tearing it down brick by brick and re-imagining creative visions going forward. You can connect with Kyle on IG @kylegeorginapilates. And, connect with True ii Form pilate on IG @true_ii_form or at their website https://www.trueiiform.com/. -Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.

What does it look like to build alternatives within academia? In this episode I talk with music historian and DJ Alex La Rotta, PhD about readjusting expectations for what academia can look and feel like for our generation.  Great conversation about everything from tejano music to classism within the academy to charting our own paths.Connect with Alex on IG at @alarotta. -Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.

In this episode Mela talks about processing the academic years that's ending & shares affirmations for those who are leaving and those who are staying.-Email Mela at themillennialphd@gmail.com or DM me on Instagram @melamuzio with feedback, questions, or comments at any time. I love to hear from you!Follow @melamuzio to connect with me (Mela) and for fun creative content + free resources.Follow @themillennialphd for podcast updates.-Interested in starting your own podcast? I host mine on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. If you follow this link to sign up, you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting! -Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.

Creative joy and revolution is the name of the game. In this episode, artist and scholar Angélica Becerra talks with The Millennial PhD about bridging academia and the arts and building space for resistance in both.Angélica is a Latinx queer immigrant artist, podcast producer & scholar of political graphics, and current postdoc at Washington State. She received her Ph.D. in Chicana/o  and Central American Studies at UCLA, along with a Graduate Certificate in Urban Humanities, from the Department of Architecture and Design. Her scholarship focuses on twenty-first-century digital arts, exploring the digital realm as a space of production, distribution, and reception of a new generation of artivism spanning national and transnational social justice movements.Connect with Angélica on IG @aibecerra_art and/or through her podcast @anzalduingit.-Email Mela at themillennialphd@gmail.com or DM me on Instagram @melamuzio with feedback, questions, or comments at any time. I love to hear from you!Follow @melamuzio to connect with me (Mela) and for fun creative content + free resources.Follow @themillennialphd for podcast updates.-Interested in starting your own podcast? I host mine on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. If you follow this link to sign up, you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting! -Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.

Here it goes, the age old question...or the brand new question on everyone's mind: Is it time to quit academia?Whether you think the Great Resignation is more of a reshuffling or a revolution, academia is experiencing a major shift, with tons of academics at all levels reconsidering their options. Dr. Carlos Camacho and Dr. Omar Ramadan-Santiago come on to talk through the complicated conversations around saying goodbye to the often toxic, gaslighting-rich environments of academia. -Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.

Who knew the transition from academia to marketing could be...fun? Alyssa Wells talks about her transition into marketing work at game company, Sporcle. She also talks us through  strides some corporate environments are making to create more humane workplaces and the skills she used to pivot to a new career trajectory.Connect with Alyssa on twitter @alymadeerah. She is happy to talk or connect you with someone else! -Interested in starting your own podcast? I host The Millennial Phd on Buzzsprout and I love it because, for me, it was the easiest and most user-friendly podcast hosting site. Follow this link to sign up, and you'll automatically get a $20 Amazon gift card included in your sign up; plus, it helps support The Millennial PhD. Happy podcasting!-Support the showDr. Carmela Muzio Dormani - aka your host, Mela - is a sociologist, dancer, and creative consultant. Learn more about Mela and get access to creative resources at themillennialphd.com.The Millennial PhD is all about building community. Join the conversation:- Connect with Mela on IG @melamuzio- Follow @themillennialphd for up-to-date info on the podcast & blog.- Email themillennialphd@gmail.com with feedback.