Decentering Work: What Happens When Your Job Isn't Everything with Ayanna Kelly
Mon Feb 02 2026
Why does work feel so empty right now?
Like…we followed the rules and did the hustle.
We even swallowed parts of ourselves to survive professionally, and yet, here we are grieving something we can’t quite name.
I often say that the most interesting things about me have nothing to do with my career, and it’s nice when those things have time to shine, y’know?
I sat down with Ayanna Kelly to dig into the hard stuff: why we're all grieving the workplace we thought we'd have, why monetizing our passions sometimes kills the joy, and what it actually means to decenter work from our identity when we've spent our whole lives tying our worth to our job titles.
If you’re looking for new definitions of success that don't require you to sacrifice your entire nervous system, this is for you!
Quantum Workplace helps leaders build thriving teams that fuel business success. We give leaders at every level a clear path forward—by unlocking critical talent insights across engagement, performance, and development. With clarity and confidence, people leaders can act decisively, scale leadership quality, and strengthen connection and performance.
Trusted by thousands of people-focused companies, Quantum Workplace makes it easier to keep teams aligned, empowered, growing, and valued on the path to business success. Visit quantumworkplace.com to learn more.
It’s vulnerable, but somehow still hopeful
00:01:55 - The First Time Hebba Met Ayanna
00:08:40 - Something New Ayanna Wants to Learn This Year
00:11:15 - Why Does Fulfillment at Work Feel so Hard Right Now?
00:17:06 - What We’re Grieving About Work That We Haven’t Talked About Out Loud
00:24:51 - Why Are We Expected to Monetize Our Passions?
00:38:40 - Being Your True Self at Work After Years of Emotional Suppression
00:46:55 - Why Meaningful Work Doesn’t Have to Be Central to Your Identity
00:52:49 - Ayanna’s Advice for Rethinking About Fulfillment
And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration.
https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/
And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content!
Follow Ayanna:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayannaskelly/
Follow Hebba:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef
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Why does work feel so empty right now? Like…we followed the rules and did the hustle. We even swallowed parts of ourselves to survive professionally, and yet, here we are grieving something we can’t quite name. I often say that the most interesting things about me have nothing to do with my career, and it’s nice when those things have time to shine, y’know? I sat down with Ayanna Kelly to dig into the hard stuff: why we're all grieving the workplace we thought we'd have, why monetizing our passions sometimes kills the joy, and what it actually means to decenter work from our identity when we've spent our whole lives tying our worth to our job titles. If you’re looking for new definitions of success that don't require you to sacrifice your entire nervous system, this is for you! Quantum Workplace helps leaders build thriving teams that fuel business success. We give leaders at every level a clear path forward—by unlocking critical talent insights across engagement, performance, and development. With clarity and confidence, people leaders can act decisively, scale leadership quality, and strengthen connection and performance. Trusted by thousands of people-focused companies, Quantum Workplace makes it easier to keep teams aligned, empowered, growing, and valued on the path to business success. Visit quantumworkplace.com to learn more. It’s vulnerable, but somehow still hopeful 00:01:55 - The First Time Hebba Met Ayanna 00:08:40 - Something New Ayanna Wants to Learn This Year 00:11:15 - Why Does Fulfillment at Work Feel so Hard Right Now? 00:17:06 - What We’re Grieving About Work That We Haven’t Talked About Out Loud 00:24:51 - Why Are We Expected to Monetize Our Passions? 00:38:40 - Being Your True Self at Work After Years of Emotional Suppression 00:46:55 - Why Meaningful Work Doesn’t Have to Be Central to Your Identity 00:52:49 - Ayanna’s Advice for Rethinking About Fulfillment And if you love I Hate It Here, sign up to Hebba’s newsletter! It’s for jaded, overworked, and emotionally burnt-out HR/People Operations professionals needing a little inspiration. https://workweek.com/discover-newsletters/i-hate-it-here-newsletter/ And if you love the podcast, be sure to check out https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here for even more exclusive insider content! Follow Ayanna: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ayannaskelly/ Follow Hebba: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ihateit-here/videos LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/hebba-youssef Twitter: https://twitter.com/hebbamyoussef