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Every December, millions of people pause to take stock of their lives before the new year. Some gather for vision-board parties, others sketch out New Years resolutions, and many quietly vow to finally get organized before the clock hits midnight. But this year feels different. Were closing out 2025 in an economic climate defined by weekly corporate layoffs, social media posts from people with excel trackers archiving hundreds of job applications, and sidelined workers hopelessly looking for jobs for over a year. Families are being pushed to the brink by rising prices, and a generational affordability crisisfueled by a shortage of three to four million homes nationwide, according to analysts by conservative estimateshas made it harder than ever to build stability. Across platforms, people describe the ground shaking beneath them: seasoned professionals struggling to get callbacks, families displaced by rent increases, and workers in every sector worried that technology is reshaping roles faster than organizations can adapt. Americans are questioning not just their career trajectory, but their worth and stability in an economy where the rules keep shifting. Yet history showsfrom the Industrial-boosted Gilded Age to the social mediadriven reality-show erathat moments when disruption and innovation collide also create unexpected openings. These periods force society, and individuals, to reconsider not just what they want from the world but what tools they already possess, or can rapidly develop, to navigate it with greater agency. Thats where a concept I call the Economy of Self becomes essentialand freeing. The Economy of Self isnt manifestation or hustle culture. Its the intentional practice of viewing yourself as an entity with specific value and designing a personal economic ecosystem that enables you to gain ground at best, or protect the ground beneath you at worst. Its the acknowledgment that while no one can control the macroeconomy, we can engineer our microeconomy in ways that produce clarity, resilience, and optionality. First, establish clarity The foundation of the Economy of Self is clarity. In an unpredictable job market, individuals need an honest inventory of what they know, what they can do, and what they can deliver in an instant, transactional mass environment. Too many people underestimate their expertise because their worth has long been defined by job titles and affiliation instead of outcomes. Thinking like an entity allows you to see your value from an outside perspective and helps you highlight what you individually have to leverage. Clarity is the first act of economic powerbecause you cannot price, position, or promote what you cannot articulate. Clarity creates the conditions for structure. Once you understand your value, you can package it. For some, that means turning expertise into discrete service offeringsproducts instead of retainersthat solve specific pain points for clients or employers. In a landscape where many workers are bridging employment gaps or supplementing income through project work, productization of personal expertise becomes a viable stabilizing tool. When you articulate your work as something a customer can buy, not just something an employer can assign, you reclaim the power to shape your own market. Next, supply chain development Finally, the Economy of Self requires supply-chain developmentintentionally strengthening the channels that connect your skills to real-world opportunities. That means engaging consistently rather than virally: showing up in your professional networks, posting subject matter ideas regularly, participating in events and conferences, and cultivating relationships that keep your name active in the rooms you want to be in. Supply chains arent built on sudden bursts of visibility; they are built through repetition, reliability, and presence. If this sounds like a lot, thats because it is. We are living through an economic and technological convergence that rewards intentional self-design more than ever. But the Economy of Self isnt about perfection or reinvention. Its about adapting strategically when the external environment becomes unpredictable. Its about reclaiming agency when traditional structures feel increasingly fragile. As we enter 2026with all its uncertainty and possibilitymany people wont have the luxury of waiting for stability to return. The future belongs to those willing to treat themselves not just as workers or job candidates, but as dynamic economic actors with assets, supply chains, and value propositions of their own. In a world where the ground keeps shifting, the most powerful thing you can build is an economy that starts with you.
Category:
E-Commerce
All the changes to the White House over the past year read like a reality TV drama. Clashes with architects. A lawsuit over the East Wing demolition. Paving over the beloved Rose Garden and turning it into an exclusive club. President Trumps promise (or was it a threat?) to make federal buildings beautiful again primarily played out at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Now it has become the prime exemplar of Magatecture, whose aesthetic expression revolves around three key traits: Make it big, make it gold, and make it monetizable. [Photo: Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images] It is tradition for presidents to redecorate the White Housethe Oval Office and first familys private quarters typically get a refresh with each incoming administrationbut for the most part, they serve as stewards of a public building. The White House of modern memory is largely the result of Jackie Kennedys belief that it should be a living museum furnished with the finest American art, furniture, and decorative objects. In fact, the executive mansion hasnt seen such dramatic structural change since Harry Truman had it rebuilt in the 1940s when it was on the verge of collapse. [Photo: Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images] What separates the renovations happening today from the ones of the past is just how slapdash they are. Trump seems keen on making his mark with little regard for design integritytaping up a paper sign with Oval Office printed in gold Shelly Script, affixing gaudy gilded appliqués on just about any empty surface, and releasing error-laden digital renderings of the new ballroom with stairs leading to nowhere and misaligned windows. Ranking near the top of the downgrades is the refurbished Lincoln Bathroom, once a subtly art deco interior with seafoam green tile (courtesy of the Truman renovation) now sheathed in white statuary marble and accented with gold fixtures, like a three-star hotel powder room. President Donald Trump departs the White House on November 5, 2025. [Photo: Celal Gunes/Anadolu/Getty Images] Trump speaks the language of opulence, with little grasp of the vocabulary that makes rooms designed to this sensibility actually sing. Instead, Magatecture is most comfortable with superlatives, expressing itself through scale and the appearance of expense. To wit: Trump proudly installed two nearly 100-foot-tall flagpoles (the actual height is closer to 80 feet). [Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images] The changes dont support the language within the Make Federal Architecture Beautiful Again executive order he issued in August, which proclaimed that all federal buildings ought to inspire the human spirit, ennoble the United States, and command respect from the general public. When those excessive gold embellishments are ridiculed as cheap Home Depot products (though Trump says he brought in his gold guy to fabricate them) its hard to argue that they represent distinguished design. Money talks, wealth whispers, and this spit shouts Temu Versailles. View this post on Instagram For a president who knew how to channel grandeur, look to Chester A. Arthur. In 1882, he hired Louis Comfort Tiffany to renovate the White House. One of his most indulgently furnished spaces was the Red Room, a parlor and sitting room occasionally used for small dinner parties. Tiffany painted the walls a rich Pompeiian red, blanketed the ceiling with copper and silver stars, installed a cherry-wood mantle adorned with glass tile, and commissioned a pink frieze. The furniture was equally lavish and included mirrors encrusted with gemstones, screens from East Asia, tall urns, and chairs upholstered in fringed damask. It was so lavish that Theodore Roosevelt had most of the decor stripped out during his administrations renovations, which the architecture firm McKim, Mead & White oversaw. Even more modest chapters in White House history reflect rigor. Michael S. Smith, President Barack Obamas decorator in chief, balanced the homes formal nature with more comfortable, approachable, and modern details, including an Oval Office done up in demure earth tones. While initially dismissed as an audacity of taupe, it was still thoughtfully composed and respected the architecture. White House historian William Seale told The New York Times that the calmed-down space felt welcoming, while interior designer Sheila Bridges noted that its understated look was appropriate considering the economic recession at the time. [Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images] There isnt any sensitivity at play now. Amid a government shutdown, Trump ordered the demolition of the East Winga highly unusual command from the president, but a routine developer tacticwhich is now the subject of a lawsuit from preservationists who argue it violated numerous laws. What will take its place, if all goes according to Trumps wishes, is a ballroom of monstrous proportions; at an estimated 90,000 square feet, it would be roughly the same size as the West Wing and main house combined. To fund the Palladian-style building done up with Corinthian columns, Venetian windows, and crystal chandeliers, Trump has solicited an army of corporate donors to bankroll the $400 million bill. But the buck certainly does not stop here. Ever the businessman out for personal benefitsome estimates say Trump and his family have earned $3.4 billion from the presidencyhe converted a small room near the Oval Office into a MAGA merch display in which he proudly slings baseball caps to foreign leaders. President @realDonaldTrump showing President Zelenskyy and President Macron his 4 More Years hat pic.twitter.com/c7dhAkZMuF— Margo Martin (@MargoMartin47) August 19, 2025 If anything, pettiness seems to be the modus operandi. Hes talked about building a new ballroom since 2010, and even pitched the idea to the Obama administration. David Axelrod, Obamas chief adviser, said Trump called him with his credentials. He said, You know, I build ballrooms. I build the greatest ballrooms and you can come down to Florida to see them, Axelrod told NPR. Nothing came of the call. Trump brought up his proposal on the 2016 campaign trail, and afterward then-White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters that the idea was never seriously considered. Im not sure that it would be appropriate to have a shiny gold Trump sign . . . on any part of the White House, he said. None of the ballroom renderings so far have shown a Trump sign on them, but given how he had his name added to the Kennedy Center facade, its not a stretch to imagine the final building similarly branded. [Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg/Getty Images] Then there are the changes to the West Wing colonnade. Trump hung portraits of previous commanders in chief (except for Joe Biden, who is depicted with an autopen signing his signature and labeled it The Presidential Walk of Fame inyou guessed itbig gold letters). Then came more gilded embellishments. And just last week, he installed plaques beneath each presidents portrait with his take on their legacy, written in the style of his Truth Social rants, often laden with misinformation. One year down, three more to go. If the renovations so far are any indication, expect to see a lot more gold.
Category:
E-Commerce
A little while ago, Id submitted my article to a well-respected publication that Id done a lot of research for. I was beyond excited and delighted when, following an encouraging meeting with a senior editor, Id heard that they accepted it for publication. It had taken months to get the article to this point, many previous failed submission attempts, and over a decade of expertise and experiencebut Id finally done it! And it was going to be career-changing. Unfortunately, what happened next was anything but. After an initial follow-up email from the editor, I was informed that the article was under revision and would be sent for review shortly. Weeks went by, and I politely followed up and heard nothing back. A month passed, and another polite follow-up resulted in silence. Another month passed, and then another. Over a period of six months, my follow-ups resulted in total silence. Finally, I resigned myself to the fact that Id been professionally ghosted. Id expect this from a Tinder date, but not from an editor of a prestigious journal. I felt shocked, confused, and disappointed. When I confided in a close colleague, they shared a recent experience of being ghosted for a promotion. A senior manager had made that promise but never spoke about it again. That made me wonder: Is professional ghosting becoming the norm rather than the exception? The definition of ghosting “Ghosting” is a term that originally stemmed from internet culture, and people use it to describe when one party abruptly ceases communication without explanation. People often talk about it in the context of online dating, but it has made its way to the professional context. Now, its a description for a job interview you never hear back from, clients pulling contracts abruptly and ceasing all contact, or a colleague simply ignoring email after email. Being ghosted is confusing at best, and at worst, it can completely kill your confidence. Thats because ghosting creates what psychologists call an “ambiguous rejectiona rejection that lacks clarity and closure. An ambiguous rejection is distressing because our brain has no resolution, so it stays stuck in a loop of hope and disappointment, and is unable to complete the “ending process.” Professional ghosting is exactly that: an end of a relationship without an actual end. And the uncertainty this creates is malignant. Neuroscience shows that it triggers our threat response, which activates our nervous system and spreads anxiety and stress in the body. And if its happening within a company, research shows that it can kill employee trust quicker than you can say “boo.” Its no wonder that being ghosted can feel utterly destabilizing. Is professional ghosting on the rise? Research suggests that ghosting has become more commonplace since the pandemic. In Meghan Walsh’s recent article for the global consulting firm Korn Ferry, she cites data showing that three-quarters of employers were ghosted by a new hire in the past year, with an even higher percentage of job seekers saying theyd been ghosted during the interview process. So whats causing this? There are a multitude of reasons why ghosting might be on the rise. It might be due to an increasingly competitive job market, shifting digital communication norms, and the seemingly ever-increasing time constraints of modern life. But in any case, in the age of artificial intelligence and automationwhere you can literally have a bot write an email for you in less than three secondsIm calling BS on these excuses. I think its time we found our courage and relearned what quality communication looks like. The politeness paradoxwhy silence feels safer (even when its much worse) The psychological phenomenon called the politeness paradox explains why you might think its okay to ghost someone. The politeness paradox is when you avoid giving someone bad news out of fear that it will be more hurtful than silence. However, in actuality, people overwhelmingly prefer clarity over nothing at all. It feels worse to be dealing with the ambiguity of being ghosted rather than being told a simple “no.” Let this be a call to action: Have the courage and the respect to communicate thoughtfully and transparentlyand close the loop so people can move on. Your moment of discomfort delivering “bad news” saves someone else from agonizing over a lack of closure. As someone whos been on the receiving end of ghosting, I assure you that the kindest thing to do is to put someone out of their miseryrather than leaving them in the brutal “what if’ limbo. Here are five steps to help you move forward from professional ghosting. 1. Acknowledge the disappointment Ghosting is an emotional roller coaster. Youll experience a wave of different feelings as you try to make sense of it: hurt, disappointment, and rejection. Dont gaslight yourself by minimizing your experience. Being ghosted absolutely sucks. Acknowledge your emotions and confide in a trusted friendthis helps process the experience and regulate your nervous system. 2. Dont take it personally Ghosting says more about someone else’s avoidance patterns, and nothing about your worth. Your mind will create stories about your inadequacies or capabilitiesnone of these are rooted in the truth of the situation. 3. Meet yourself with self-compassion Be the friend you need right now rather than your own worst enemy. The experience of being ghosted can quickly descend into negative self-talk, overanalyzing what we might have done wrong, or berating ourselves. In Buddhist teaching, we call this the second arrow. By judging yourself harshly, you amplify your suffering. Instead, offer yourself comfort, words of kindness, and gentle encouragement, as you would a friend. 4. Let go of finding closure The reality is that you might never get an explanation. That is outside of your control. Closure becomes something yo need to offer yourself, not something you wait for others to give you. This takes you from feeling powerless to reclaiming your agency. 5. Move forward with intention Being ghosted was a moment of clarity for me. I refuse to replicate this behavior to others. Instead of letting my anger drive my future behavior toward others, Im allowing it to transform my perspective so I can do better by others. Id rather have an uncomfortable conversation than leave someone else in the distress of ambiguous loss. Silence is easy, but kindness takes courage. Ghosting may be becoming more common, but that doesnt mean we should normalize or accept it. To create workplaces that are more human, we need to invite humanity back into how we communicate. That means replying (even if briefly), closing loops, delivering an honest message with kindness, and recognizing that our own discomfort is not an excuse for disrespect. Professional ghosting can leave a real scar. But it was also a moment of clarity for mea choice to lead from a place of clarity, courage, and empathy. And if youve been ghosted, let it sting, but dont let it shrink you. Take the lesson, and let it remind you of the kind of person you want to be.
Category:
E-Commerce
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