Season One | Episode #25
Celebrate Yourself Your Way | Season One Finale
If this episode feels like a message or mirror, feel free to share it with someone who is looking to think about rest differently.
It’s the Season 1 Finale of The Rest of Us!
Host Dana Tenille Weekes invites you to redefine what it means to celebrate yourself in ways that align with your truth, your joy, and your rest.
This episode reminds you that celebrating yourself shouldn’t be performative. This is your permission slip to experience self-recognition, joy, and gratitude in your own way.
What You’ll Settle Into
- Five realizations of Dana’s about what celebration now looks like and why she struggled to celebrate her birthdays, milestones, and herself in ways that society promotes.
- Dana’s contention with Merriam-Webster’s definition of “celebrate” (although she loves Merriam-Webster’s Instagram account).
Key Quotes & Insights
“Notable” moments are small and personal – They are the things about yourself that, if you don’t note them, you wouldn’t fully appreciate your growth and progress.
Celebration is often a private act – Not everything needs to be shared publicly because we’re beings and not brands.
Community matters – Being seen by people who see your nuances and full humanity is a celebration.
No Longer Forgoing Joy or Happiness – You do not have to sacrifice feeling joy when carrying other emotions that feel like the complete opposite.
Gratitude is the greatest form of celebration – Gratitude allows you to celebrate yourself (and others) in the present moment without the desire to change anything about who you are.
Mentions
Definition of “celebrate,” according to Merriam-Webster. (Visit their Instagram page for pure entertainment!)
Dana ends the episode by thanking a few people who helped her on this podcast journey, including Avis Jones-DeWeever, Ph.D., Sagheer Muhammad (podcast producer and editor), and Eric Ramia (virtual personal trainer).
LENGTH: 30 minutes
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Until next time, rest, my friends.
CONNECT WITH US
Instagram:
@therestofus.podcast
@danatenilleweekes
Substack: @therestofuspodcast
LinkedIn: Dana Tenille Weekes
Meet the Host:
Dana Tenille Weekes
Dana Tenille Weekes made the conscious decision to live in a mindset of rest as self-liberation after nearly 15 years as a lawyer-lobbyist in Washington, DC. In 2020, Dana faced the darkest period of her life, which eventually led her to resign from a top global law firm and take a year-long journey of rest in 2022.
In 2023, Dana launched Thrive Architects, a strategic advising and professional development firm building advocacy, organizational health, and well-being platforms for organizations, communities, and people to thrive.
The Rest of Us podcast is one way Dana is building community for professionals and advocates on the brink of burnout to think about rest differently. If you’re interested in embracing rest as liberation, especially after the podcast episode ends, join our community where we converse, connect, cultivate, and lean into our creativity.