{"id":85694,"date":"2024-10-10T21:46:54","date_gmt":"2024-10-10T21:46:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/10\/a-career-move-that-makes-me-teary\/"},"modified":"2024-10-10T21:46:54","modified_gmt":"2024-10-10T21:46:54","slug":"a-career-move-that-makes-me-teary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2024\/10\/10\/a-career-move-that-makes-me-teary\/","title":{"rendered":"A Career Move That Makes Me Teary"},"content":{"rendered":"


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This past month, three women told me about a career move that left me feeling emotional\u2026<\/p>\n

Hanging in each of their offices is their childhood photo. The reason behind this adorable decision? Every time they look up to see their younger selves in all their girlhood glory \u2014 complete with rosy cheeks, cheese-y grins and sparkling eyes \u2014 they remember a piece of themselves that deserves the very best. Grace during times of failure. Patience in moments of frustration. The kindest encouragement. And then \u2014 here\u2019s my favorite part \u2014 they try to treat their current<\/em> selves with all that tender love.<\/p>\n

Social strategist Peyton Dix<\/a> (above) hung a baby photo of herself above her desk. \u201cI\u2019m often a critic and a b*tch to myself,\u201d she told Elle<\/a>. \u201cI have to remind myself, \u2018Oh, there\u2019s a little girl that\u2019s always learning and exploring and trying her best, and, like, be f*cking nice to her.\u2019<\/p>\n

When I asked Peyton how she came up with the idea, her response surprised me: \u201cI saw a meme format on Twitter that shared various funny photos<\/a>, and said, \u2018When you\u2019re being mean to me, this is who you are being mean to.\u2019 At first, I laughed, but then I took it seriously, wrote the quote on a sticky note, and placed it below my own photo.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Illustrator Jordan Sondler<\/a> says displaying a photo of her preteen self in her apartment (above) keeps her career mission front of mind. \u201cMy biggest dream is to make art and work to help scared and depressed kids like I once was,\u201d she told me.<\/p>\n

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Lastly, Gabriella Llewellyn<\/a>, a writer and mother of three, says the collage of childhood photos she displays reminds her why she carves out time for hobbies: they bring her joy. \u201cThe reason I sew and read and garden isn\u2019t because I\u2019m trying to be the world\u2019s best sewer or read 45 books in a year. I do these things to keep my inner child alive and happy. I do these things to make her proud.\u201d<\/p>\n

After talking to the three women, I decided to try the approach myself, and I made this photo my phone\u2019s screensaver:<\/p>\n

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Little me with my grandpa and brother.<\/em><\/p>\n

For the first couple days, whenever I glanced at my phone \u2014 and I hate to admit this \u2014 the feeling that flooded my mind was embarrassment. What type of person puts their own photo as their screensaver?<\/em> I\u2019d think. This should be a photo of my kids, not me. <\/em><\/p>\n

But as time passed, when I\u2019d glance down at my phone and see tiny Jannelle, decked out in that red beret and pleated skirt (slay), I\u2019d smile. The other day, I even caught myself imagining how I must have felt in that moment: loved and safe. She deserves to feel loved and safe<\/em>, I thought. And then it happened, so naturally. My follow-up thought was, I still deserve to feel loved and safe.<\/em> A statement that should be such a given. But one, I realized, that I sometimes need help remembering. That\u2019s why I\u2019ve decided to keep my childhood photo front and center.<\/p>\n

Do you display any of your childhood photos? Leslie Knope<\/a> does, too! And what about yourself do you take pride in<\/a>?<\/strong><\/p>\n

P.S. An anxiety trick<\/a>, and what are your three core values<\/a>?<\/p>\n

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52<\/span> COMMENTS<\/p>\n

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