Laid Off? 3 Lessons I Learned After Losing My Job at 8 Months Pregnant

Laid Off? 3 Lessons I Learned After Losing My Job at 8 Months Pregnant

Losing a job can feel like losing your footing overnight. In this episode of The Why Me Podcast, host Brianna Spurgeon shares the deeply personal story of being unexpectedly laid off while nearly eight months pregnant with her first child. Faced with uncertainty about health insurance, motherhood, her career, and what came next, Brianna found herself navigating one of the most stressful seasons of her life. Through an honest retelling of the experience, she explores the fear, self-doubt, embarrassment, and anxiety that often follow job loss—and the unexpected opportunity that ultimately led to a role that was an even better fit than the one she lost. Along the way, Brianna shares three powerful lessons for anyone facing a layoff, career transition, or major life disruption: • How to use unexpected change as an invitation to pivot • Why relationships often matter more than résumés • How to separate fear from fact when self-doubt takes over She also reflects on the realities of today’s changing workplace, the importance of adaptability in the age of AI, and why honesty and humility can become your greatest strengths when navigating uncertainty. Whether you’ve recently been laid off, are struggling with job loss anxiety, or are trying to figure out what’s next after a major setback, this episode offers practical encouragement and a reminder that your story isn’t over yet. Because just like we don’t see our “Why Me?” moments coming, we often don’t see the good moments coming either.

What No One Tells You About Your 5-Year Plan (And Why It Breaks)

On this episode of The Why Me Podcast, host Brianna Spurgeon explores why five-year plans so often fail in real life—and what it means when the future you carefully mapped out no longer matches the life you’re actually living. We’re taught to build long-term plans as if life is predictable: set goals, define milestones, and follow the roadmap. But in reality, life rarely cooperates with the version of us who created those plans. Health changes, relationships evolve, priorities shift, and identity itself can transform in ways we never anticipated. Brianna draws on her background in corporate strategy and transformation at a Fortune 500 company—where planning, forecasting, and execution were central to everything—to unpack how even the most structured approaches to life and success can break down when faced with real-world uncertainty. Through personal reflection, she shares how her own five-year plan looked from the outside—and how little of it ultimately played out as expected. Not as a story of failure, but as a realization that the assumption of control was always incomplete. This episode introduces a powerful reframing: instead of relying only on rigid roadmaps, what if we also built a “compass” for our lives? Rather than anchoring identity and worth to specific achievements, Brianna invites listeners to consider a deeper layer of planning—one rooted in purpose, values, and emotional outcomes like freedom, connection, stability, growth, and meaning. Because while plans may need to change, those deeper outcomes can still guide us forward. In this episode, listeners will explore: * Why five-year plans often break down in practice * The emotional impact of feeling “off track” in life * The difference between goals and outcomes * Why backup plans don’t fully protect against uncertainty * How to build both a roadmap and a compass for your future This conversation is for anyone who has looked at their life and thought, “This isn’t what I planned.” Because the goal isn’t to follow the plan perfectly. It’s to still end up somewhere true—even when the road changes.

Why Them? The Discipline Behind Extraordinary Success

In this episode of The Why Me Podcast, Brianna Spurgeon steps back from the question people often ask in difficult seasons—“Why me?”—and explores a different perspective: “Why them?” Why do some individuals seem to build extraordinary lives, businesses, and opportunities while others remain stuck searching for what’s missing? Brianna shares a story of Greg LaVecchia, an entrepreneur she has followed for years, long before his brand grew into a billion-dollar company. Watching his journey over time—and reflecting on his recent content—challenged her assumptions about success, timing, and talent. In this episode, Brianna breaks down three key principles she derived from Greg LaVecchia’s content and her observations of his approach to building success: 1. Discipline — the ability to show up consistently, especially when motivation fades 2. Learning to say no — removing distractions, opportunities, and expectations that don’t align 3. Aligning every choice with the vision — making decisions through the lens of the future you’re trying to build Rather than attributing success to luck or perfect circumstances, this conversation focuses on the repeatable patterns behind meaningful achievement and long-term growth. Brianna reflects on how these principles apply not only to personal development and resilience, but also to the realities of building something of your own in uncertain seasons. This episode is for anyone who feels stuck, unmotivated, or unsure of their next step—and additionally for you if you’re an aspiring entrepreneur trying to turn vision into something real. One day someone may ask you, “Why you?” And there will always be parts of your story you didn’t choose—moments, circumstances, and challenges that were unexpected and out of your control. But there will also be parts you can answer for. The direction you took. The distractions you said no to. The discipline you practiced when it would’ve been easier not to. The choices you made—again and again—to stay aligned with the vision you had for your life. And maybe that’s what separates a life that just happens from a life that’s intentionally built. Not everything is chosen. But a lot more is shaped than we think.

What Is Your Time Capsule? | A Reflection on Legacy, Purpose, and What We Leave Behind

In this episode of The Why Me Podcast, host Brianna Spurgeon explores the powerful concept of creating a “time capsule” as a metaphor for legacy, purpose, and intentional living. Brianna Spurgeon reflects on personal experiences that led her to consider mortality, motherhood, and what it means to leave something meaningful behind for her children and future generations. Through storytelling and reflection, this episode encourages listeners to examine how their daily choices, work, relationships, and creative expression become part of the legacy they are actively building. Brianna Spurgeon shares how The Why Me Podcast itself has become her modern-day time capsule—a way to preserve her thoughts, lessons, and lived experiences in real time. Listeners are invited to rethink legacy not as fame or remembrance, but as impact that continues to grow beyond a person’s lifetime. This episode of The Why Me Podcast highlights how businesses, creative work, community-building, teaching, and acts of service can all function as “seeds” planted into the world. Brianna Spurgeon challenges listeners to consider what they are actively creating, sharing, and releasing into the world—and whether those things would still carry meaning if revisited years in the future. This reflective episode blends personal insight with universal questions about purpose, contribution, and intentional living.

What Is Myasthenia Gravis? Symptoms, Treatment & My Story | MG Awareness Month

In this powerful MG Awareness Month episode of The Why Me Podcast, host Brianna Spurgeon shares her real-life experience living with Myasthenia Gravis — a chronic autoimmune neuromuscular disease that affects communication between the nerves and muscles. Brianna breaks down what Myasthenia Gravis actually is in simple, understandable terms while also opening up about her personal diagnosis journey, symptoms, treatment experience, respiratory challenges, chronic fatigue, fluctuating weakness, and the emotional realities of navigating life with a chronic illness. In this episode, listeners will learn about: * Myasthenia Gravis symptoms * AChR-positive MG * Ocular vs generalized MG * MG respiratory symptoms and muscle weakness * Brain fog and debilitating fatigue * IVIG, steroids, and Vyvgart Hytrulo treatment * Thymic hyperplasia and thymectomy * Autoimmune disease and chronic illness management * MG remission and progression * Mental health, fear, and uncertainty after diagnosis * Living intentionally through chronic illness Brianna also discusses the fear many newly diagnosed patients experience after researching MG online, the importance of finding trusted specialists and support systems, and how mindset, faith, and perspective have shaped her journey. This episode is designed for both the general public wanting to better understand Myasthenia Gravis and members of the MG community looking for a relatable lived experience. Through honest storytelling and education, The Why Me Podcast aims to create awareness, reduce fear, and remind listeners that they are not alone. For MG support, education, and resources, visit the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America.