#BreakThings: Glow Up, Show Up

03.31.21

Recently, I fell into a women’s empowerment doomscroll on Instagram. So much pink. So many platitudes. Nothing that was really helpful.

“Glow Up, Show Up”

“Keep Your Chin Up or the Crown Slips”

“Build a firm foundation with the bricks others throw at you”

That’s when I started thinking about how my early career differs from life with a couple decades of work under your belt. And I just want to burn down all of the pink platitudes into a pile of ash.

The entire Girlboss movement now feels like a calculated trap to convince every 20-something that the only way to be happy was to succeed, to achieve. But that kind of progress in your career — moving from one goal to another, climbing the ladder at speed — pretty much only happens in your 20s.

You get your first job. Then your second. You reach management. Maybe you get promoted. And then…you run into life.

Now, you feel the pressure to make room for a partner, for kids (if you want them), for exercise to care for your aging body, and you still want to climb, to strive, but you’re exhausted. Not just by fuller days and less energy, but by the fact that no one seems to have answers for you.

There is no cute Instagram graphic for crying in the women’s lactation suite while your boss is on a call or having to ask your boss for the fifth time for the afternoon off to take your kid or your parent to the doctor.

I hope my generation rises up like the sea to smash the sh*t out of the unreasonable expectations and lack of support mechanisms that were built on top of all of those millennial pink platitudes.

Who’s with me?

But first, let’s take a break together.

COVID has cost all of us. It has cost things that are deep and irreplaceable. But it has also cost us lots of small, every day things.

And it is okay to grieve those losses. Keep perspective. But let yourself feel your feelings. The NYT has more.

Need a career break to care for family? The Career Gods at LinkedIn have finally decided to recognize the validity of your choices. You will now be able to explain that break in your resume without the awkward pause. Hopefully, this move will help normalize family breaks and self-care breaks.

I have looked at this Veuve Clicquot - inspired sweatshirt 100x this week. I need to just buy it. Maybe we should all buy it and wear them for a group photo.

A former Vogue employee has created a series of TikTok videos about her time in the hallowed halls of fashion. They’re a nice afternoon break. She’s quirky and funny. And I highly recommend them.