Inside Active Burnout Recovery with Ex-Corporate Lawyer Kay Costa

The Grey Areas Podcast with Kelsey Donlon

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