Welcome back to Lunch Break, a weekly newsletter to help you create a work life that works for you. Brought to you by the Pivot With Purpose framework.
If someone forwarded you this email, won’t you subscribe?
“I’m trying this new thing where I actually tell my friends (you) and my parents when I’m feeling depressed instead of keeping it all to myself. So, I wanted to let you guys know that I’ve been dealing with that this week and it’s really hard.”
I sent this text to two of my closest friends at the beginning of the year.
I followed up with more context, and the result was heart-swelling support, like I knew it would be.
Opening up also gave me the opportunity to verbalize some of the swirling thoughts that inevitably crop up in my darker moments, instead of leaving them half-baked in the recesses of my mind.
One of the most persistent thoughts that I’d been afraid to examine is:
“Can I really be depressed and successful?”
Now, I don’t mean successful and still depressed. There are so many examples of folks who’ve achieved the highest heights and are utterly unhappy, it’s a cautionary tale by now.
What I mean is, can I navigate (deal with, identify, optimize for) the twists and valleys of my mental health and still achieve my full potential professionally?
In cloudier moments*, I tend to wonder:
Will I self-sabotage? Am I my own biggest threat of failure?
What if I build something so big or climb so high, only to come falling down with one bad week?
Thinking about any of these scenarios feels hot and prickly, and makes me feel like I’m in a loop of last year’s “Oh Lord” TikTok trend (remember that one?).
Since sending that text, I’ve been actively searching for examples of people with careers I admire who have also been open about their mental health struggles.
Demi Lovato, creating meaningful music while navigating bipolar disorder.
Michael Phelps, the most-decorated Olympian of all time and living with ADHD.
Lady Gaga, inspiring the world in music, film, and advocacy while managing PTSD.
Kristen Bell, using her humor and creativity for good since developing depression in college, like me.
I look to these individuals- artists, athletes, role models- as evidence that clinical mental illness and a fulfilling, successful career are not mutually exclusive.
I’m not entirely sure how to wrap this letter up, other than to reiterate that you and I can navigate mental health struggles and still succeed in what matters to us.
Perhaps, we can succeed because of those struggles and how we continue to recover and adapt.
I know it to be true.
Thanks for reading this one.
*I’m in a dramatically better headspace since sending that text, which is why I feel I can write about this in a productive way now :)
🍿 SNICKY-SNACKS (more from Janel + team)
🍱 IN THE LUNCHBOX (curated recommendations)
Book: Tiny, Beautiful Things by Cherly Strayed. I pick this one up every few months and choose a chapter at random to reread. A compilation of some of Strayed’s best advice columns under her Dear Sugar syndication, this collection spans the rainbow of human emotion to help you navigate whatever turbulence comes your way.
Give-Back: To Write Love On Her Arms. TWLOHA is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury, and suicide. If you’re running the LA Marathon or the Brooklyn Half Marathon this spring, you can race to raise funds for the org.
Song: The Sun Will Come Up, The Seasons Will Change by Nina Nesbitt. This song came up on a shuffle of suggested picks one evening, and I was rocked by how relevant the lyrics were to my frame of mind at the time.
📌 COOL JOB
Title: Product Marketing Manager
Company: Catalyst
Location: NYC or Remote
Description: We are looking for a B2B Product Marketing Manager to join our growing marketing team. You will work with stakeholders across the company from Sales, Marketing, Customer Success, and Product to execute on high-impact launches, drive our messaging, positioning and collateral, assist in customer success and sales training and enablement, conduct industry and competitive research, optimize our packaging and pricing, and develop personas, customer stories and use cases.
This role reports to the Head of Marketing and is a great opportunity for someone looking to accelerate their marketing career at a fast-growing enterprise software startup.
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Lovely 😍