Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Chandlyr Jackson. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Chandlyr, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
When I started my career as a designer working at a small agency, I was fresh out of college and hungry to prove myself to my peers and gain trust from those above me. What I didn’t realize at the time is that when you’re in a position of seeking approval from those people, you’re depending on them to let you know if you’ve done well, or not, because you’re still learning what that threshold is. I learned that this is a very delicate place to be because as wonderful as it is to receive praise, it can be as equally gut-wrenching to receive the opposite if they’re not happy with your work, and they don’t respect you. Harsh criticism will make you seriously question if you’re even good at what you do, or if the questions you ask are ‘dumb’.
But after a couple of years, I had decided that it was time to move forward, and work for myself. It was exciting and terrifying, but the cocktail of optimism, energy and anger that I had possessed at the age of 24 empowered me to charge ahead and create my own brand from scratch. The day after I had left my agency job, I set up shop in my spare bedroom and got to work. My focus was dialed in, and I was dedicated, and maybe a little obsessed, to learning as much as I could about building a brand, getting my own clients, and putting myself and my work out there without having to answer to a someone, or get approval to move forward with a concept. This freedom enabled me to prove to myself that I can do great work, self-edit and manage client relationships successfully. This sense of knowing did not happen overnight, and it wasn’t perfect, but every time I got an opportunity to pursue a project, or share my work with my audience, I fearlessly took on the challenge. I knew that by taking these opportunities on my own, I was moving the needle, and navigating back to my own self-center.
By working for myself, I found my voice— I felt more grounded than I ever had in my life after working independently for over 3 years.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
As of right now, I am the Brand & UX Lead at a design agency called Nova, based out of Providence, Rhode Island. We are a small and mighty team, and all of us are multi-disciplinary designers and engineers that tackle complex challenges in the connected-technology and femtech spaces. We work within a vast array of industries, and there’s definitely never a dull moment in the work that we do.
When I’m not working for Nova, I am working on a print project, Artypants Magazine, alongside my friend, Maryann Gibbons. Artypants is a New England-based magazine that celebrates artists, writers, makers and creatives in the New England area. We just released Issue 02, Summer Places! It’s been such an exciting experience to design for print, and to connect with many of the people who have been apart of this editorial project.
We’re already planning for Issue 03, which is expected to be released in the Spring of 2025. If you’re interested in being apart of it, or just want to follow along, our instagram is @artypantsmag
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
It’s been about 8 years since I’ve graduated from design school, and I’ve definitely learned a lot of solid lessons.
The first one being, “You can only meet someone as far as they’ve met themselves”. If you’re looking to form a connection, or relationship with someone, take them for face value. Pay attention to how they show up for you, how they respond to you, and their patterns. It’s so easy to idealize someone, whether it’s a friend, or a dream client, so take it slow and pay careful attention to what’s happening.
The second one being, “Take feedback with a grain of salt”. This may sound cliche, but it’s important to analyze who it is that’s giving you feedback, and is this someone that you aspire to be like, or respect? If you receive feedback, don’t make immediate changes. Parse through and reflect on the feedback. Then, move forward with the bits that resonate with, and support your future self.
The third one being, “Be ready to pivot”. This is relevant to every aspect of life—nothing is constant, and no sensation lasts forever, good or bad. My advice is to remain open to unexpected changes, and to not expect anything to “last” forever. Fully appreciate what is good, and reflect on the things that didn’t feel so good because that is what will keep us in balance.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
In the past 12 months I’ve been focusing on not letting someone else’s mood or energy dictate how I feel. The only person we’re in control of is ourselves, but it’s still so easy to get sucked into someone else’s whirlwind. I’ve been practicing being mindful of when I notice someone responding in a reactionary way, and taking a moment to make sure that I don’t respond in the same way. A lot of my focus has been dedicated to responding to people and situations in a manner that I can look back at and felt confident about. It’s easy to let emotion drive how we respond, but it’s important to understand that emotions are ever-changing, so we can’t rely on them to guide how we react.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.chandlyrkay.com
- Instagram: @bychandlykay
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandlyr-jackson/
Image Credits
Rove
Weekend Creative
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
