I, alone: In Community #27

Sometimes it feels like I’m putting the “I” in “island”.

Not the kind of island where I jet off to relax and recharge – the kind where I’m isolated from the world around me when I really should be reaching out for help.

Last week, I wrote about how to get back your joy and keep from focusing on comparison to others who seem like they’re getting farther faster.

As it turns out, gratitude – really recognizing what you’re grateful for – helps in ways I hadn’t understood until just a few years ago. And it bears repeating.

Gratitude tangibly improves our actual physical health. It’s been shown to lower the risk of heart disease and help people live longer lives. (Did you know optimists and happier people live on average 10 years longer than pessimists?)

Thinking about gratitude also reminds me that the support of those around me is something that I’m grateful for – but I don’t ask for help as often as I should.

👉🏽 When was the last time you asked for support from someone you work with or someone you know and trust in the same industry?

So many of us from historically excluded backgrounds – and I also say this as an immigrant with Pakistani and Malaysian parents – have a tendency to feel pressure to perform and not speak up.

We’re historically underestimated by the majority, and we might feel like we need to prove ourselves or go it alone when we’re driving forward. It can lead to pressure mounting more and more, but that’s a formula for burnout.

So if you haven’t done this yet this week, speak up. Consider where you need support and who can help you get closer by supporting you in some way. 

👉🏽 Who can help you get closer to that goal?

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Asking for it – and offering support in return – is part of coming together. It’s part of the reciprocity in community.

And coming together is a theme I’m seeing in unexpected ways this week. From an IRL event in SF to our Need to Know where we see Bad Bunny balancing community vs. isolation, FKA Twigs meeting Congress, and Bella Hadid bringing us something meant to be better for you and me.

📅 Don’t miss this IRL event in San Francisco

We're partnering with Initialized Capital for their Startup Talent Summit on 5/15 at 4-7pm PT in San Francisco. The Summit is for startup-ready or startup-curious job seekers looking for their next role in an early stage startup.

REASONS TO PARTICIPATE

• Learn why it's a great time to join an early-stage startup

• Demystify the landscape and understand the upsides (and downsides) of startup life

• It's an opportunity to connect with hiring companies looking for talent like you

BOOST YOUR SUCCESS

I’m also hosting a pre-summit Boost Your Success session open to all (including those who won’t make it to the summit) on 5/9 at 10am PT, so you can get effective ways to build a stronger network and put your best foot forward with leaders and hiring managers.

Our FREE virtual event will cover:

👉🏿 Developing your personal brand

👉🏾 More effective networking & interview prep

👉🏽 How to nail first impressions in a networking & hiring environment

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Show your support for our work to uplift those across our community, including voices who haven’t historically had the platforms they deserve.

Need To Know

💥Bad Bunny keeps community at the center of his work. But his latest tells us “nadie sabe” and shows what isolation looks like.

💥Bella Hadid launches Orebella. Snow mushroom and jojoba oil replace the traditional alcohol base as part of her “better-for-your-skin” fragrance line.  

💥 FKA Twigs testified in front of Congress about the dangers of unregulated AI. She also announced that she’s developing a deep-fake of herself.