16-Year-Old Perspective and some BIG NEWS!
This post is brought to you, courtesy of 16-year old me, in both the best and worst way possible.
You see, my week started out bright and early on Monday morning being flat-out bullied. Yep, you read that correctly: Something I haven’t experienced since sitting on the bus home from Middletown High School, when Kelsey No-Name made fun of my colorful striped socks. At 28-years-old I was deflated. Defeated. And just sad. But you know what blessing-in-disguise this super sh*tty situation gifted me?
My ol’ friend, perspective.
In case you haven’t heard me go on and on about the importance of perspective, I’ll sum it up pretty quickly: Sometimes you need to heave your head up above the clouds and look at what else is going on in the world, in order to better understand the direction you’re heading. This simple, albeit mighty, task can reframe almost every situation as far as I’m concerned.
It’s this perspective that pulled me out of the negativity of my Monday morning bully fest, and made Tuesday through Friday really freaking productive. It’s this perspective that’s helped me navigate the bureaucracy of not one, but two different European countries, because my little American heart just can’t choose a home abroad (p.s. It’s currently Hamburg, Germany). And it’s this perspective that led me to overcome that uncomfy feeling of change and say YES to a full-time job offer with a German company that will sponsor my visa!
Y’ALL!
You read that correctly!
This girl got a new job! Holy smokes. A job that’s a solid step up for me, career-wise. A job that will give me all of the big-girl-job perks I’ve been dying for. And a job that will finally guarantee me a legal spot in this country that I seem to love more than literally any other person in the world. My happiness is off the charts.
But you know what I find coolest about this situation? I cried a solid mix of 50% happy and 50% sad tears when I accepted this offer, all thanks to my good friend, perspective. You see, 18 months ago, I sat in a seaside hipster coffee shop in the Netherlands, energetically trying to convince a marketing manager that she should take a chance on me, and quickly, because I needed to wrap up our interview and get back to my job on a cruise ship and sing for the people. I didn’t have much experience, but I was determined. And you know what? She took a chance on me.
And six months later, when the managing director of that same company called me to ask if I’d like to move up from my job as a copywriter and take on a new project working with influencers, turning an e-learning experiment into a full-blown department, I took a chance and said: “Absolutely! When can I start?”
I had the complete and utter privilege of working for a company, and people, that believed in me, without hesitation. I don’t think many of us get that luxury and my luck is not, for one minute, lost on me. I sat on calls, furiously typing keywords and terms that I needed to Google in order to up my marketing lingo, seeing as I had approximately negative 2 years of experience in marketing. Nobody said a word. In fact, they trusted me, delegated further responsibilities to me, and, with or without meaning to, forced me to confidently blossom into a whole new boss-lady I never knew I could be.
If 16-year-old Emily could see me now, I think for a few minutes, she’d be REALLY confused (like, what happened to broadway?). And after the initial shock wore off, I think she’d be beaming. (Then she’d start asking ridiculous questions like, “Does this mean you get to wear cute suits now?” or “OMG, how do paid vacation days work?”) And whenever I think of that 16-year-old is when I’m reminded of the beautiful perspective of this journey. I’ve interviewed for plenty of jobs over the past year that maybe, on paper, looked beyond reach. You know what else seemed beyond reach at 16? Broadway. And one year later, there I was in final callbacks for a featured role in a Broadway musical.
Perspective might do different things for different people, but for me, it’s synonymous with positivity. It’s that belief that something might look entirely out of reach, but you’ve got faith that your tippy-toes can get you there.
And it’s those tippy-toes that took me from a novice blogger with an incredibly sad-looking, but creatively-worded CV, to Emily Claire Hughes, Manager of Influencer Communications for a major European brand with offices in two countries. And yes, I will soon have health insurance in the country where I live, thanks for asking! (It’s the little things.)
Never have I felt more lucky in my entire life, which is utterly ironic considering how my Monday morning started. And it’s my hope that I can pass this luck on, and turn my role over to another lucky duck who will cherish the opportunity to learn and grow with the company that taught me everything I know.
And you know what’s cool about that? We’re currently on the hunt for that exact person! That’s right, you could be the lucky duck who lands the role of KnowHowDo’s Talent and Influencer Manager. If you’ve got positively radiant energy and you’re looking for a remote job in a company of wonderful humans, please take a look at the job listing here and submit your CV (that’s the fancy European word for resume! I learned that 18 months ago too!) and a little love note to emily@knowhowdo.com.
I don’t have many massive goals in life right now (besides taking over the world) because I still feel like I’m finding my way. But one of my goals is to constantly figure out ways to use what I’ve got to make a difference. This job literally changed my life. Why not let it change yours?
I’d love to help you get on those tippy toes…
Signed,
16-year-old Emily Claire Hughes who is immensely proud of your colorful striped socks. And you.