Ditch the Struggle with Alana Ruoso
If you’ve ever felt lost and trapped in your career, frustrated with the life you’re living, stuck in a state of struggle and maybe even–like me–haunted by the fear of unfulfilled potential, then you’re definitely in the right place. Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt and then burned it–a few times over.
Hi! I'm Alana. I'm a certified Career & Success Coach and Graphic Designer in Canada. I can’t wait to share stories from my deep dive into personal development work, careers, coaching, energy healing, waking up to toxic societal programming (yes, I’m going there) and the path back to my intuition, the place I desperately needed to be but, of course, resisted.
Episodes
50 episodes
EP49: Chronic Pain, High Cortisol and Low Patience [Personal Update & Health]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:An update on my health journey to eliminate chronic knee/hip/back painHow I found out my cortisol was sky high and I'm officially in burnout modeIV therapy ...
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31:46
EP48: From Survival Mode to Thriving as a Creative Entrepreneur [Interview with Leah Yard]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:A conversation with Leah Yard, Owner/Designer behind the demi-fine jewellery brand Leah Yard Designs in Vancouver, CanadaHow Leah worked minimum wage jobs for over t...
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1:01:55
EP47: Permission to Leave Your (Good or Bad) Job Granted! [Career Strategy & Stories]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:Giving ourselves permission to leave a job that is no longer serving usWhen "should" you leave a job? {Spoiler Alert: whenever you want to}The craz...
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27:36
EP46: Overcoming Health Struggles and Imposter Syndrome as a Graphic Designer [Interview with Faron Dawe]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:A conversation with Faron Dawe, certified Graphic Designer and creative powerhouse in Moncton, New Brunswick, CanadaWork/life balance and the REAL impact it can have...
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57:22
EP45: "Nobody's Watching and Nobody Cares" [Life & Career Strategy]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:How the phrase "Nobody's watching and nobody cares" has had a huge impact on my life (thank you, Emily Williams!)How to push through the fear of doing/trying new thi...
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27:42
EP44: Vacation Drama, Ireland & How Declan Went From "Dazzling" to "Tire Blow-Out" [Personal Update & Stories]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:Stories from my recent trip to Ireland (that I almost didn't make!)My resistance to taking vacation and my weird issues with it Growing up working <...
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33:02
EP43: Nervous System Nourishment for Healing Trauma & Anxiety [Interview with Sarah Kleiner]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:A conversation with Sarah Kleiner, a Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP) which focuses on trauma resolution in the nervous systemHow our nervous systems work an...
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1:05:37
EP42: My Simple "Tree Thanking" Practice to Stay Grounded & Calm [Inspo & Health]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:A simple practice to stay grounded, calm and feel peacfulBeing in a state of gratitudeThe importance of connecting back to nature 🌿How this simple ...
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10:50
EP41: Knowing My Worth & Quitting A Stressful Art Director Gig [Job Story]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:Working an incredibly stressful job as an Art Director at The Shopping Channel (TSC)Seeing my health take a nose dive from the stressRealizing I didn't have...
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30:46
EP40: How Toxic Relationships Lead to Breakdowns and Breakthroughs [Interview with Sara McCready]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:A conversation with Sara McCready, The Women's Emotional Mastery Coach How Sara experienced four (4!) toxic relationships and went through a dark night of the s...
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56:35
EP39: That Time Amazon Shampoo (Almost) Burned All My Hair Off [Personal & Buyer Beware]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:The totally fake, total dupe Mon Platin shampoo I bought on Amazon that traumatized me 😬How to be discerning about online purchasesA friendly reminder to co...
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14:03
EP38: Money, Money, Money! Ditch Financial Fears & Feel Empowered [Interview with Jen Fontanilla]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:A conversation with Jen Fontanilla, money mindset coach for creative professionals (and anyone who has an entrepreneurial spirit or fear of finances!!)Taking the lea...
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1:01:29
EP37: Boundaries and Burnout in "Banana Town" [Personal Growth & Corporate Culture Rant]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:Recent personal stories of my boundaries being crossed at workWhy people feel the need to send emails on a Saturday?!! (please explain!)Feeling burnt out an...
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19:21
EP36: Chronic Pain, Deep Despair and "Trying Everything" [Personal Update & Health]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:My story of navigating debilitating back/hip/knee pain for the last 6 monthsJoin me as I embark on this healing journey which is very much in progressFeelin...
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26:07
EP35: Leaping into Entrepreneurship, Crushing Self-Doubt & Building Big Brand Energy [Interview with Katrina Owens]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:A conversation with Katrina Owens, Personal Branding & Publicity ExpertWhy PR is NOT just for big, established companies - small businesses need it too!...
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58:38
EP34: How One Small Decision I Made Prevented Years of Feeling Crappy [Personal Growth]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:How small decisions can lead to profound effects on your lifeWhy things you DON'T do often matter more than the things you DO doHow I realized reading desig...
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12:01
EP33: The Courage To Change Jobs, Being Flexible As a Perfectionist & Trusting Your Gut [Interview with Jen Cook]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:An interview with Jen Cook, one of the co-founders of Otto Studio and an incredible Graphic Designer in Vancouver, CanadaDay jobs, side hustles and freelancing - we ...
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50:50
EP32: Sharing My Anxiety Management Toolbox [Personal & Health]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:Exactly what is in my anxiety management toolbox including: supplements, techniques and meditationsHow anxiety is a sign our bodies feel unsafe (even if it ...
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28:18
EP31: Choosing Community Over Competition in Corporate Graphic Design [Interview with Lisa Parkyn]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:A conversation with Lisa Parkyn, RGD, Graphic Designer and Marketing Strategist with over 20 years' experience, shares what it's REALLY like working as an in-house graphic de...
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57:30
EP30: Navigating Multiple Job Interviews & Job Offers [Career Strategy]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:What to do when you are interviewing with many different companies and get a job offer you don't really wantShould you take the job offer??How to be loyal t...
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17:43
EP29: Discover the "Gift of Contrast" & Feel Good About Your Mistakes [Personal Growth]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:The concept of the "gift of contrast"Why sometimes the best gift of all is the gift you DON'T wantHow sometimes the only way to know what you don’t want is ...
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15:11
EP28: Discover Your Innate Skills, Embrace Your Multiple Passions & Transform Your Career [Interview with Jolie Rose]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:Jolie's story of working in the Health & Wellness industry and pivoting to Copywriting 🖋️Living the "multipotentialite" life and doing LOTS of different things (...
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56:39
EP27: The Power of Victim Mode & How it Drains People Pleasers [Personal Growth]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:How a text from someone in victim mode shed light on my people pleasing tendenciesWhy people pleasers put others' needs firstThe advantage and benefit of be...
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11:44
EP26: Healing with the Emotion Code, Releasing Pain & Creating Abundance [Interview with Rose Morrow]
In this episode of Ditch the Struggle we dive into:The Emotion Code healing modality founded by Dr. Bradley NelsonMuscle testing (a binary system) as a way to see what's going on in the bodyHow your s...
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59:06
