The Grey Areas Podcast with Kelsey Donlon
The Grey Areas Podcast with Kelsey Donlon is ready to disrupt corporate America! This is a space for candid conversations and deep dives into the complexities of the workplace. The mission: to empower women with transparent, inspiring narratives and challenge the status quo in corporate culture.
Grey Areas is a safe, non-judgemental digital platform, podcast and community that inspires and empowers women to navigate the grey areas in the workplace. So what does that mean? Well, the ‘grey area’ is an ill-defined situation…or in other words, it’s murky AF. Kelsey is here to help make this vague situation, much clearer. This community and podcast will hold corporations, executives and Human Resources accountable by leveraging legal education, transparency, and shared stories to drive change.
Each episode will tackle aspects of the grey area; managing anxiety in the workplace, tension between coworkers or managers, understanding employer boundaries, working with HR in an appropriate and effective way, navigating job loss, and so much more. So tune in, to hear Kelsey and her guests share a wealth of information and to be part of a safe space for people who have a hard time navigating the toxic workplace.
Let’s navigate grey areas, together!
The Grey Areas Podcast with Kelsey Donlon
Inside Active Burnout Recovery with Ex-Corporate Lawyer Kay Costa
Welcome back to The Grey Areas Podcast! In this powerful episode, I’m joined by Kay Costa, former attorney, first-gen professional, and the creator behind In Lieu of Laundry, where she documents her real-time recovery from corporate burnout. After five years of practicing law and realizing her career was no longer aligned with her values or well-being, Kay made the courageous decision to step away and start fresh.
Kay opens up about the emotional and physical toll of her legal career, how burnout quietly creeps in, and what it truly means to heal without a roadmap. We dive deep into identity loss, societal pressure, and the courage it takes to rewrite your story. Now, through honest storytelling and an unfiltered online presence, Kay’s redefining success and helping others feel less alone along the way. This episode is for anyone who’s ever felt stuck in a “dream job,” burned out by expectations, or scared to pivot. Kay’s story will remind you that walking away is sometimes the bravest thing you can do, and it’s just the beginning.
Highlights include:
• 02:15 – Kay shares how her career in law began at 19 and when she first started to feel out of alignment.
• 12:19 – The challenge of detaching identity from career after years of being “the lawyer girl.”
• 19:08 – Why Kay chose to document her burnout recovery online and how it’s helping others do the same.
• 25:38 – What healing from burnout really looks like day-to-day, from joy to panic.
• 36:34 – Redefining rest and refusing hustle culture: Kay’s approach to true recovery.
• 47:33 – Cubicle Confession: Advice for a lawyer feeling stuck, burnt out, and scared to leave it all behind.
Kay Costa’s Links:
TikTok: @inlieuoflaundry
Instagram: @inlieuoflaundry
Kelsey's Links For You:
Website
Grey Areas Instagram
Kelsey's Instagram
LinkedIn
TikTok
