Good morning, Thursday. Almost to the weekend. Looking forward to it. Oh and only one "Narcos" left in Season 2. I'm not sure how I'm going to live without that crazy show. It's so amazing and you completely forget you're watching something almost entirely in Spanish. If you have not seen it, I highly recommend it. Pablo Escobar is the new Tony Soprano, but on a much more frightening scale. But enough about Netflix- I've got stuff to share.
A friend of mine from another (work) life has been taking to blogging, and I'm loving it. Vic has always been a big fan of my blog, which I appreciate beyond belief. Turns out she's a pretty profound writer herself.
In her latest post, she talks about turning 40 and how when it comes to work, we may very well end up where we don't expect. She also noted that many of her peers are now contemplating a second career because at this stage in the game, it may very well be time for something new. She thought at age 22 she thought that life at 40 may have a Tony award residing on the shelf of her corner office, in an ad agency she owned. That may not be what life looks like for her now, but she's a very successful person who is a leader in the marketing world when it comes to the arts. Not too shabby.
So for me, it's obvious I'm reinventing and retooling my career. I've spent a lifetime producing in agencies, starting life there in trends and strategy and ending up here. Is this where I thought I would be when I "grew up"? Not exactly. But it's pretty close to the ideals I held as a child in terms of what my future could look like, and if you think about it, I bet your career is not so far off from what you thought. Yes, there's exceptions. But indulge me.
As a child, I was insanely creative. I was constantly sketching, constantly writing, and as the other kids in day camp were out swimming and running, I was in the arts and crafts shack enjoying pipe cleaners, and I was also writing articles for the camp newspaper. When I pictured life as a grown up (which ps, I couldn't wait for), I saw lots of travel, a creative career, my own business, and of course, lots of awesome clothes. I always thought I would work in fashion somehow, as clothes were something I loved fresh out of the womb. I never pictured having children, never wanted the white picket fence, never wanted a suburban or "normal" life. I wanted to be surrounded by interesting and creative people and was certain I would live in New York, attending all tomorrow's parties and having a very unconventional and fabulous life.
When I started my career, I had a nagging feeling that I wanted to work for myself. It plagued me my entire career. Yes I learned to play well with others, though I never quite lost my rebellious streak or independent spirit. As the years progressed and I watched the meteoric ascent of those around me, I knew that my path was not to rise to the head of the class in advertising. True, advertising was and is a great fit for my skills and interests- I've always been obsessed with pop culture and always wanted to work in an environment where no jacket was required. I remember early in my work life going to an interview by the World Trade Center and feeling excessively squirmy. I could never work somewhere where I have to wear pantyhose. Never. The thought made me itchy.
So where am I headed with all of this?
As I look ahead to the future and think about what the 2.0 version of my career looks like, it's very much a work in progress. But the values I held as essential to a healthy life are still the same as they were when I was a little girl in lopsided pigtails- I still want to be around creative people, I still want to travel, and most definitely want my own business. And I still love a great party. I've talked before about a favorite line from an old poem by Wordsworth that states "the child is the father of man". For me, I've known from an early age what my essence is, and though I've had a million and ten things happen to me in life that forced me to shift gears and change lanes, those tenets never went away. So although my friend may have not won that Tony for her own play, she's helped promote the efforts of many to have them win their own. And though she's not at the helm of an ad agency that bears her name, she's got her own table at Sardi's because she knows everyone in this industry and has worked at some of the best places on the Great White Way.
What I'm saying is that when you're examining your own career path, look back to what you thought about as a kid and how that will most likely vibe with what you're doing now somehow. We are always so focused on moving forward that we often turn our noses up at going back. It's not about nostalgia for our youth, but look at that time in your life when anything and everything was possible as a guide for where you are now. I know I'm looking to that inner child to rediscover what makes my heart sing and my head feel happy. And though you may be rolling your eyes that I'm quoting romantic poetry and speaking to my inner child, I'm cool with that. After all, it's nice to get in touch with an old friend. My friend's lovely post here. Sure life will inevitably throw you a few doozies, but always trust your inner child to know what's what.
Maybe to figure out what we want to be when we grow up, we never have to. Cause that's what's up this childlike Thursday in the 718. Yours, in looking back to move forward. XO