What happens when your vocation outlives your job?

In this episode of Crayons in My Manuscript, I share a personal confession: I still live like a scholar, even though I don't currently hold an academic post.

After earning my PhD and turning down two visiting assistant professor positions during a season of major life changes, I've had to wrestle with questions of identity, vocation, scholarship, and belonging. What happens when you still think, research, write, and contribute like a scholar—but no longer have the institutional title, resources, or recognition that often come with it?

In this conversation, we'll talk about:

• The hidden challenges of life outside academia • Why losing institutional support can feel surprisingly personal • The difference between a job and a vocation • Reframing your identity when your career path changes • Continuing meaningful scholarship in the midst of real life

Whether you're between academic positions, pursuing scholarship independently, balancing research with parenting, or navigating a career transition, I hope this conversation reminds you that your calling is bigger than any title.

I'd love to hear from you in the comments: Have you ever carried an identity that the world didn't quite know what to do with?

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