Trishia Domingo Got Laid Off the Day She Got Back from a Photoshoot, and Felt Relief

Guest: Trishia Domingo — Life Coach, Model, & Former Tech Professional

Rob sits down with Trishia Domingo — life coach, model, pole dancer, and former 9-year tech veteran — for a deeply honest conversation about rebuilding your identity after life falls apart all at once. 

Trishia opens up about navigating her parents' marriage crisis, a demanding corporate career, becoming a first-time homeowner, and the anxiety of always being the one who holds everything together. 

Her guiding theme for this season of life? Returning to love. She shares what it actually looks like to shed old identities, set boundaries as someone with ADHD, and find relief — not fear — the day you get laid off.

Quotable moments

"I always want to leave somebody better than how I originally found them."

"Healing is always done when you're able to witness it in another person."

"There are so many prisons we create in our minds if we don't share our inner landscape with others."

Instagram: @atasteoftricia
Website: thrivewithtrisha.com

Transcript

Rob Pene (00:00.79)
All right, welcome everybody. Rob here. I'm with Trisha spelled Trishia. And she's a life coach, but I think on her LinkedIn, there's a tagline that's specifically interesting to me, because as a what is it? A girl dad, something like that. Right, I have girls. man. All teenagers, new teenagers, fresh new teenager. I think it'll be a nice

Trishia Domingo (00:07.534)
Thank

Trishia Domingo (00:23.086)
Aww.

Rob Pene (00:30.442)
fun conversation, but I usually try to start with this kind of lead question. If you were to reflect back on the last six to 12 months of your life and you were to turn that into a Netflix movie, what would your movie be about?

Trishia Domingo (00:37.294)
Yeah.

Trishia Domingo (00:49.339)
my gosh.

I mean, I think it kind of goes into my like theme or the guiding principle that I have for the year and that is returning to love. And it's so interesting because I went through literally like some, and I know that this is true for so many people as well. And I think that's also one of the reasons why.

Rob Pene (01:07.05)
No.

Trishia Domingo (01:20.83)
I love sharing my story because I know that with me opening up, and this is also something that I'm like, historically not great at. So I know that with me proving to others that I can be vulnerable, also opens the door for others to maybe even reflect on and think about ways that they can do the same. So, my gosh, I lost track. But yes.

Rob Pene (01:47.518)
Right, we need love, right? Is that what you're saying? We need to love.

Trishia Domingo (01:50.893)
Yes, thank you, thank you. And so I think it's been like some of the toughest few years of my life. And I've gone through a lot of very, some would say traumatic things, but just like a lot of big life changes and transitions and very much interconnected and have shaped the fabric of my life in so many different ways. And I've seen

You know, I've taken a look at and reflected upon my shadows and different things and patterns, behaviors, mindsets that I have that I might have either learned from things that have been modeled upon me or just things that I have seen through society and like conditioning, let's call them. I've, so I've done a lot of reflection and now I'm like,

Okay, that version of me is not how I wanted to show up in the world, but it's also, unfortunately, for a long time, I just didn't have the tools to pull myself out of that trance. And I also unfortunately did not think that I could open up enough to let people like see through the cracks of the armor.

of this identity that I also built that surrounded being the eldest daughter. to my, in my heart of hearts, I've always been like a lover girl and like such a sap. And so part of, part of this year and like just this blossoming is returning to love, coming back to who I know.

I truly am and how I can inspire others to live in that way as well. Cause I know it's part of what makes me passionate. Like I just love working with people. love having one just like even having like random conversations where you just meet another amazing individual who's doing something to inspire others to be great and just yeah, continually uplifting each other. Cause there's so much.

Trishia Domingo (04:12.088)
There's so much in life that is so heavy and difficult, especially right now, that I never, I always want to leave somebody better than how I originally found them. There's so much, yeah, there's so much negativity. I just don't want to add to that. And I look for ways to improve people's lives when I can.

Rob Pene (04:17.2)
No. No.

Rob Pene (04:34.942)
Yeah, I like that. during your process of kind of re- like finding yourself again, what's in terms of the steps, like what was the best step as part of the process that was the most meaningful for you?

Trishia Domingo (04:58.638)
I think it was.

Rob Pene (04:58.966)
Thank

Trishia Domingo (05:02.804)
letting go of and also just giving myself the permission slip to release certain identities. Like I said, just like that shedding of almost like skin shedding of armor, just allowing myself to one even like feel what was happening to me, because I think that what was happening was I was just in survival mode for a long time. And I was in

Rob Pene (05:29.184)
Mmm.

Trishia Domingo (05:31.298)
the trance of just like, okay, I have to take care of so many different fires, right? Like I was in a very demanding job. And I was like a first time homeowner and still trying to figure out all of that. And first time also like moving in with somebody that were having my partner move in with me. And...

That was also a week after I discovered that my dad was cheating on my mom. And that was like the day before their 30th wedding anniversary. And there was just like a huge family unraveling, like, and a lot of health issues that my mom had that I had to support her with and letting go of thinking that.

I was the one responsible for keeping the family together, keeping even my life together, or really not feeling or thinking that I could rest.

Yeah, like not being able to slow down because I was just in constant like high stress, high cortisol and being driven, like I know by my heart and by wanting to help others, but also not understanding what my limits were and not knowing how to articulate that.

from so many different patterning. So it was a lot of just like becoming aware of these things, noticing the patterns and then also if not like correcting in that moment, like just thinking of, okay, how can I do this better next time I approach the situation?

Rob Pene (07:27.74)
Hell yeah. I like that. Talk to me about boundaries.

Trishia Domingo (07:32.717)
I've always, historically, I've always had such an awful time with boundaries. And I think part of that I think is just because I have ADHD. And so I'm always like, my brain is constantly looking for like new stimuli. And one of the things that if you have the pleasure of

interacting with somebody who has ADHD and they open up to you is sometimes that you think that they're oversharing, but they're really just trying to find like a connection point and they're opening up. And it just sometimes it becomes almost like word vomit. So sometimes I have to stop myself and I'm like, okay, does this person like does this bring value to this person? Or does this even matter at this point? Or can I just like, maybe

lock this away for or put a pin on this for the moment. I and also learning and really understanding like what is my personal responsibility in a situation versus what is something that like perhaps somebody expects of me and it is a role that I have fulfilled in the past but it's not necessarily something that I want to continue doing.

And so, yeah, it's at least for myself, boundaries come with a lot of reflection and a lot of just self analysis and taking a look at what are some beliefs that I have? Does this even still apply to me today? And does this really support the person that I want to become and the person that I know I am inside?

Rob Pene (09:17.226)
Mmm.

Rob Pene (09:25.718)
Wow, so it sounds like there's a constant practice of self-reflection and setting either new goals or new identity pieces or just something new. Like how often are you revisiting these things with yourself?

Trishia Domingo (09:45.58)
I think when I was younger, I would revisit it like all the time. I would be so obsessed with it. But given all of the chaos and everything that I've had to navigate over the last few years, I've definitely been detaching from like that kind of hustle and like obsession and anxiety around production and wanting to be efficient all the time.

Like, of course I still believe that's important and it is definitely one of the things that motivates me, but I've looked at even just like, okay, what is my guiding principle and what are some things that I'm interested in, but how can I give some space into that? Like I'll write it down and maybe revisit it six months or even just like yearly.

Just because I know myself and that's how I know that I work best is to allow myself that integration period where I'm not like, for example, when it comes to like losing weight, for example, some people might be the type of people who want to weigh themselves every day. But I know at least for myself that I am somebody

that in that scenario, it would be better for me to weigh myself like every week and then to take those data points and to reflect upon those just because, yeah, that's just how my brain works the best. We're all different, but in a different circumstance, it might be better off for somebody to use a different method.

Rob Pene (11:29.086)
Yeah, yeah. The people that you work with, how do you know who to work with, like who you're best for? Like who do you work with and then why that group of people for you?

Trishia Domingo (11:46.475)
I love working obviously with other eldest daughters. I think that it's funny because I think similarly to how if you are somebody with ADHD or tendencies or you have that condition, you almost like magnetize yourself to other folks who have that condition. At least that's what I found.

that rings true for myself. So I think that as eldest daughters, sometimes we tend to cross paths as well. Because you're sometimes you might have the same hobbies or you were in you're already like in a leadership position. Because you're naturally like the helper, the leader, the organizer. And so you will find you'll find yourself magnetized to certain people.

Rob Pene (12:18.358)
Hmm

Rob Pene (12:25.942)
Hmm

Thank

Rob Pene (12:38.122)
Yeah, do you do only daughters or just eldest?

Trishia Domingo (12:40.62)
yeah, no, I mean, I work with anyone, of course, but my market, at least for the moment, is definitely other eldest daughters, but obviously only daughters I will happily work with as well. Yeah.

Rob Pene (12:44.306)
Yes.

Rob Pene (12:53.898)
Right, That's cool. That's cool. So how are you doing now? Like today, how are things going for you?

Trishia Domingo (13:03.404)
They're going really well. I'm prepping for, there's this conference, photography conference called Shutterfest that happens in Union Station Hotel in April every year. And I was chosen to be one of their models that works during the conference. And I'm super excited. It's my second time and...

It's so funny. I'll tell like a short story as well. And last year was the first time that I went to Shutterfest and I was still working in corporate. I was there for nine years and I loved my job. I loved the people that I worked with, but it was also very demanding, as I said, with everything else that was happening in life. And

like including modeling and just like all of the different personal things. So I remember just having a great time being in an environment that I had never been in before, but just being around so many amazing creatives and just feeling the energy, it's palpable. It feels like if you've ever been to like a music festival or just being in like those creative spaces is

I don't know, that's always when I feel like the most alive. And I remember just having the thought of like, oh my gosh, this is so much fun. I, you know, obviously I love this and I could do this every day or all the time, but I also am still working, you know, my corporate job. And I know that I have that in my back pocket, but I am curious about like how long I'm gonna be there.

Rob Pene (14:31.349)
Yeah, yeah,

Trishia Domingo (14:58.572)
And then, I kid you not, like the day that I come back from work, my boss messages me and he says, oh, can you stay after a little bit today? Like, so we can chat. And I was like, okay. Because mind you, this is also around the time when like all of the Doge cuts are happening. And in the back of my mind, I'm like, okay, this is related. Just watch.

Rob Pene (15:16.653)
Yes.

Rob Pene (15:23.414)
Hmm.

Trishia Domingo (15:28.544)
And so he says, you know, like, we're having some budget issues and unfortunately, you know, like, it's not a reflection of your performance or anything like that. But because of everything that's been happening, like we're, we're going to have to like roll you off of the project. And I think in that time, I, it would have been so easy to be like, my God, and just like break down. And I think that is how

a lot of people would feel or like some version of that, but I felt relief and I like, I love telling this story because I think it's also like a testament to how I knew in that moment that like what I was like, okay, God, thanks. I heard you. I'm like, So it was like a reminder that

Rob Pene (16:19.158)
Where is... over here? Over here.

Trishia Domingo (16:26.764)
I'm on the right path and that to continue to share my story and just like share not only my life, but my craft with the world is part of what not only makes me magnetic, but also brings other opportunities and other people into my life that I wouldn't have the opportunity to connect with either way. And I just...

Yeah, I just remember thinking like, even though this corporate life has been amazing, and it's afforded me so many like, cool opportunities, including being able to finance like modeling, because it's not cheap, right? It is also just at the end of the day, like another experience and another, let's say like a chapter of the book of my life.

And I'm always looking for ways to take everything that I've learned from just the my journey and looking for ways to be able to share that with others, like looking for ways to reflect and think about, OK, what is this particular thing mean? What have I what have I made this mean? Does that even ring true for me anymore? Or maybe was that like a story or perhaps just

somebody else's voice or somebody else's opinion that I really held on to and needed to let go of in order to make it to my next level.

Rob Pene (18:06.74)
Mm hmm. What do you feel like or what do you tell people about you in terms of your uniqueness? your your what makes you you that no one else can replicate? Like what makes you different from from other coaches or other?

Trishia Domingo (18:32.063)
I think it would be... I'll call it like my presence. I've been told at least that, one, I'm very disarming and usually people end up having a hard time stopping the word vomit. They'll just open up and be like...

Rob Pene (18:46.55)
Hmm?

Trishia Domingo (18:59.485)
you know, it'll all just come out and they'll be like, I've never told anyone that before. Or like, I don't know. I don't know why, but I feel like I should tell you this. And then, you know, I just go into my coach's bucket and I say, okay, we'll have you, you know, I just do a little bit of analysis and I say, okay, have you tried this method? what give me the 411 on what's happening?

Rob Pene (19:04.083)
Yeah.

Rob Pene (19:25.589)
Hmm.

Trishia Domingo (19:26.355)
you know, we'll work through this together and it's just fun to have that kind of problem solving hat on.

Rob Pene (19:33.386)
Disarming, I like that word. Yeah, that's good. Do you have any specific questions that you ask yourself when you do your self-reflection? Or is it based on the timeframe and the scenario in which you go through the self-analysis?

Trishia Domingo (19:35.807)
Yeah.

Trishia Domingo (19:57.132)
It definitely depends just because every day is so different, certainly it is, do I feel like I am still living at least like, let's say 80 % within my purpose, right? Cause I also, I don't want to like beat myself up. So I want to give myself that grace. you think whenever you're trying to build like lifelong habits, you don't want to go a hundred percent.

or like more than that just because that I mean our brains and especially with ADHD minds, it's just not the best method for tracking. So I just think, am I still within that range? Am I still within my growth edge range? Do I or like how happy do I feel? Do I feel nourished? Do I feel rested?

And these are definitely indicators that I wasn't tracking before. cause especially when I was in corporate, was like very tuned into hustle culture and being like, my God, I have to do all of the things and I have to do it fast and I have to do it. You know, I have to do. yeah. I said all the things, but I have to just, there's that like me that itch to.

like do more and be more, but it's just like anxiety and it's fear. It's just fear that like you can't just be and that you're not enough just right now.

Rob Pene (21:32.063)
It's me.

Rob Pene (21:41.59)
What do you recommend to the eldest daughter that would feel like that? Like there's too much going on, overwhelmed, like, I'm worth this or, you know, whatever anxiety they're experiencing, what would you say to them?

Trishia Domingo (22:01.068)
I would certainly ask if they have any support systems that are near them. Because I think that one of the things that I want everybody to just get out of is thinking that healing is best done by yourself. Because it's always done when you're able to witness it in another person or even in a group. But that's also

challenging for some people, but the magic happens when you're able to do the hard things scared. And you just, even if you're like, my gosh, my body is shaking, but knowing that you can still be in that moment and slow down or even just like remembering to come back to your body and not live in your mind would definitely also be a question.

Rob Pene (22:58.686)
No.

Trishia Domingo (23:00.471)
so if, yeah, a few questions, do you have any support systems currently? Do you feel like you are more so living in your mind or do you feel connected to your body or, know, how, let's say on a range of one to 10, how well do you feel connected to your body right now and in general? and then also like in times of stress or when you're feeling whatever you explained to me.

and also when you get these thoughts, or if you start to feel very negative and there's a very critical voice in your head, I'm very curious about like, when was the first time you remember hearing this narrative or this thing in your, in your mind? And also does it sound like it came from you or was it something that

somebody else said that, like I said earlier, that, you know, your mind just kind of connected to and doesn't know how to let go of.

Rob Pene (24:00.032)
We are the evil moon.

Rob Pene (24:11.296)
That's good. Yeah. that's really good.

Trishia Domingo (24:13.02)
Yeah. And so many people are not given these tools. They're not aware of even asking themselves these questions, let alone working with somebody who knows to ask these questions or even stops or like. And so one of my favorite things about being a coach or I know what sets me apart is also I love to, like I said, I love to learn.

about my clients, love to truly partner with them. And instead of being like, here's my like, you know, framework and it works for everyone. I really co-author with you and I say, okay, this is, we take a snapshot of your life and you're like, okay, this is what I dream of, but this is where I am right now. And I help break down into chunks and I help you actually like actualize your goals.

So, and I work with you, I actually meet you where you're at and I can help not only reflect what you're saying and seeing, but I can help show you different points of view, given not only like my strategic background being in tech, but also my creative background being a model and a pole dancer and just a movement strategist.

Rob Pene (25:35.275)
Hmm

Trishia Domingo (25:39.474)
Yeah, I wear a lot of different hats and I just love to be able to help bridge gaps for people.

Rob Pene (25:47.924)
I like that creative side. Hmm.

Trishia Domingo (25:50.987)
Thank you. It's so important. I highly recommend it for everyone, especially. Yeah, I saw actually a post that somebody said, if you are somebody who's like in a very like physical job or career, it's really important for you to also have like something that really stimulates your brain and the opposite is very true. And I think.

Rob Pene (25:53.28)
And yeah.

Rob Pene (26:13.526)
Thank

Trishia Domingo (26:15.922)
What's cool is that I'm seeing that a lot of people are realizing that now they're like, okay, I'm using my mind a lot. So how can I get to a point of balance and like equalize that with movement or picking like a hobby that requires me to be more still or more in my body.

Rob Pene (26:26.281)
here.

Rob Pene (26:37.832)
Yeah. Hmm. Do you use that in your messaging a little bit?

Trishia Domingo (26:43.678)
Peace out.

Rob Pene (26:44.726)
like tapping into the creative side, of telling that story.

Trishia Domingo (26:48.092)
I don't, but I feel like I should.

Rob Pene (26:51.798)
Yeah, I think that will add to the unique, especially the flip between being disarming yet creative and a model. And yeah, I don't know. And then the strategic part of your brain, it just kind of weaves into this really unique type of positioning, man. That's interesting. That's very interesting. I think that blend.

is part of the full uniqueness. And I'm sure there's more about you, you know, that could kind of color in between lines, but yeah, that's interesting. Very, very cool. Yeah. What else aren't you telling us? Yeah. What else are you telling, man? Wow. You're in corporate, which is tech, and then model, creative, strategic.

Trishia Domingo (27:32.734)
Thank you.

Rob Pene (27:49.078)
eldest daughter, but you also have some experiences that were pretty harsh. Yeah, I think that paints a really full picture of who you are, which could be a really strong position, because it's different. Yeah, you're not just a coach.

Trishia Domingo (28:12.596)
Yeah.

Rob Pene (28:13.766)
Yeah, I like that. Well, good. You got some homework.

Trishia Domingo (28:17.524)
Thank you. I do. know. And like part of my homework also is just to like get myself more organized because I feel like I've been and I forgot if I mentioned this too, but part of my lore and part of was also like me rolling off of the project, but also just me getting laid off in general. And I think that was like such an aha moment in a moment where I was like, can, you know, like I said, I think a lot of people would

be very fearful and anxious and that's very valid. I chose and I knew also because I'd been involved in so many different initiatives and essentially startups with Elder Starters Collective and then also with my creative group called Dream Photo House. I, yeah, so I'm like, it's,

Rob Pene (28:49.813)
Yeah.

Trishia Domingo (29:15.828)
funny and I'm grateful that even though it has been some of the toughest moments in life, I was at least wise enough to be able to reach out into creative endeavors and people also were reaching out. So I think it's yet again, that reminder that we need each other as people and that there's

Rob Pene (29:41.418)
Yeah.

Trishia Domingo (29:44.446)
There's so many burdens that people are carrying and that are, they're suffering invisibly. And there's so many different like prisons that we can often create in our minds if we don't share our inner landscape with others. And not only does that mean that they don't know how to help us, but it also means that

You're just continuing to live in this trance and it just becomes even more difficult the longer you wait. But it's not impossible, just becomes a little bit more challenging.

Rob Pene (30:19.882)
Yeah.

Rob Pene (30:28.182)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Insightful. That's great. Good for you. So if people wanted to find out more about you, could they Google you, YouTube, watch any videos of you? Is there a website, Instagram they can find you at?

Trishia Domingo (30:41.851)
Yes, I, that's so funny, I've been considering making a YouTube so be on the lookout for that later. I just, I mean part of the issue is I don't know like what I would talk about and maybe, maybe we can flesh this out together because I'm like...

Rob Pene (30:48.638)
I'm happy you it! Absolutely, Yeah!

Rob Pene (31:00.884)
I already know. I 100 % know what you can talk about. Absolutely. Just off of this interview, if you transcribe it, run it through GBT or whatever, and then ask, hey, blah, blah. yeah, you'll have everything lined up. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

Trishia Domingo (31:14.695)
Okay, yes, let's use our resources.

Rob Pene (31:18.58)
Yeah. YouTube.

Trishia Domingo (31:20.699)
sorry, but...

What?

Rob Pene (31:24.95)
Are you serious about YouTube? Like, like, like, you know, cause I 100 % think you should. And I think you out of people. I really do. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And it should be long form too. Not, not because you can clip it up. That's easy, but it's the long, you know, the, extended 20, you know, 10, 10, 15 minute piece. Um, I think you would do really well. Yeah. Especially with the, the, type of content that you can talk about.

Trishia Domingo (31:26.899)
What do mean, like serious about creating one?

Trishia Domingo (31:32.883)
Okay. Okay.

Trishia Domingo (31:40.563)
Yeah.

Yeah.

Rob Pene (31:54.578)
the deeper things of self-reflection, identity, even question, like self-coaching, all that stuff, how to deal with impending doom and what people would typically get shattered by, how to respond to anxiety that typically will bombard you. But all that stuff, yeah, I can hear it. I can hear it, absolutely.

Trishia Domingo (31:54.729)
Okay.

Trishia Domingo (32:21.395)
Thank you. Okay, okay.

Rob Pene (32:24.892)
Don't worry about it. You have a nice camera. The camera, think the camera is sufficient. know, run it. Absolutely. I think you're ready. Yeah, I think you're ready. Do it. You should do it. Yeah.

Trishia Domingo (32:30.579)
Okay.

Trishia Domingo (32:42.313)
Okay, okay, I will definitely reach out to you and let you know when I do. Yeah, because I've been, I've been, sorry, what?

Rob Pene (32:48.362)
Yes.

I would be subscriber number two. Yeah, after your parents, your mom or your dad.

Trishia Domingo (32:53.865)
off.

Trishia Domingo (32:57.629)
Thank you, I appreciate that. But until then, okay, until then you can find me on Instagram. My name, my handle is atasteoftricia on there. You can also find me on my website and that is thrivewithtrisha. once again, my name is spelled T-R-I-S-H-I-A.

Rob Pene (33:00.212)
Hehehehe

Trishia Domingo (33:20.141)
And I always make a joke and say, it's Trisha spelled Trisha with an extra I because my parents knew I was going to be a little extra.

Rob Pene (33:31.782)
Yes, yes, that's great. I like that. I like that. Well, good. Well, there you go, people. Check her out. And then let's come back or let's do a Google search and find, well, a YouTube search and find her new YouTube channel. Yeah, after you listen to this. Well, great. I appreciate your time and thank you for sharing your stories and everything. This has been great.

Trishia Domingo (33:51.997)
Yes!

Trishia Domingo (33:59.145)
Thank you so much Rob, I appreciate you letting me be your guest and to feel your energy and I'm happy to be a resource for you, especially knowing that you have three daughters and that they're in the teenage phases. Any, yeah, any help you need, I got you.

Rob Pene (34:19.112)
I appreciate it. Thanks.