What quiet emotions do you carry?

I spent part of this past week in Atlanta for TED Next, and Misty Copeland closed out the first day of talks.

Misty is the definition of a first.

She’s a legendary ballerina, the first Black woman to be named a principal dancer at the American Ballet Theatre, and someone whose accomplishments could fill a book. Many books, in fact.

And while her talk about pushing through adversity was powerful, there was one moment that moved me to tears.

Misty was one of six children, raised largely by a single mother. She spent part of her childhood living in a motel. And she didn’t even start ballet until she was 13, when most professionals start around age 3.

She talked about the contrast between where she came from and the backgrounds of the dancers around her.

And how that constrast manifested in her carrying a quiet shame.

This is where I started to tear up.

When I graduated high school, after speaking at graduation as class president, my family came home to an eviction notice on our door. And before I started college at a local university, my parents, my older sister, and I had moved into a motel room.

I remember taking extra fruit and snacks from the campus dining hall and working part-time after class to be able to help buy dinner and our pay for the room.

And I remember the shame, too.

This is probably not what you expected from a weekly letter written by a “career content creator.” But it’s what I felt compelled to write.

And if you’ve ever carried that same feeling, I want you to know something:

I see you.
I’m proud of you.
And I’m in awe of who you’ve become.

My meetup club, For The Firsts, has our next meetup tonight, November 17th. Register here!

Check out my free career resources here.

I created this newsletter as the reminder I needed to reflect on how far I’ve come, as well as prepare for the journey ahead.

This is where I’ll share with you my deeper thoughts on the topics I explore in my videos, and where I’ll share a few personal updates that aren’t always right for my main channels.

This is a special place, and I’m so glad you’re here.

Colin