TGC Newsletter: The Closed & Open Door Issue
- Tamar Gaffin-Cahn
- Jun 3
- 2 min read
What I'm Reading
Anchored, Aligned, Accountable: A framework for transcending bullsh*t and transforming our lives and work by Aiko Bethea.
Getting feedback in any capacity is really scary and can be a shock to our system. Bethea discusses critical curiosity, which is similar to the importance of critical thinking. Critical curiosity is a mirror and opens us up, past ego, to ask, “Why do you feel that way?” It asks for accountability from you and them and for openness to whatever the answer may be.
Where can you practice critical curiosity this week?
What I'm Doing
Over the course of my career, I've been rejected by many, many jobs. One organization comes to mind in particular. I knew the staff, and I felt perfect for the roles. I had experience, passion, excitement, and ideas—and I still got rejected. I remember shedding many tears after applying for multiple opportunities there over several years.
But each closed door kept me on the outside just a little longer until another one opened wide.
One lesson I learned was to separate friendship from hiring decisions. Just because I knew people there—and cared deeply about the organization—didn't mean I was the right fit for the role. It was a hard pill to swallow, but the relationships remained the most important part.
In fact, one friend who rejected me for multiple jobs made it his mission to help me open other doors, and it worked. Last month, we met in Austin for the memorial service of a shared mentor who had connected us years ago.
The lesson is that jobs and rejections are temporary, but friendships, professional relationships, and communities built on shared values can last a lifetime. Looking back, those rejections redirected me toward the path I'm on today.
That path isn't working for that organization or even in that industry. Instead, it's helping undergraduate and graduate students design meaningful careers and lives. I'm excited to share that I have been promoted to Associate Director for Career and Life Design in the Career Development Center at Emerson College.
As a professional coach working with students in creative fields over the past five years, I'm honored to help build coaching and counseling programs that empower students to use adaptability, creativity, curiosity, and resilience to navigate a rapidly changing world. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity and incredibly excited to get started!
What's Moved Me
Barney Frank died on May 20th, 2026. My dad worked for him for 10 years in the 80s, which led to him meeting my mom. He has been a pivotal figure in my parents’ lives and, therefore, mine. A few years ago, I interviewed Barney for a Roast & Toast of my mom and her work with Ethiopian and Ukrainian Jews. He said something that I will never forget:
“If you have a strong commitment to ideals, you have a moral obligation to be pragmatic. The ideals don’t do you any good if you don’t get them implemented.”
May his memory be a blessing.
What I'm Wiggling To
One of my closest friends is wiggling to one song a day for Pride Month. She is starting with Dancing On My Own by Robyn.
Stay Playful,
Tamar