If there’s one verb that I think best describes this semester, it’s "to absorb." I have spent the last three months absorbing New York City, absorbing the PR world, absorbing as much information I can from my professors and absorbing the incredible insights offered to me by alumni, guest speakers and field trip hosts.
One piece of advice that really stuck with me came from Gena Kaufman, Social Media Manager at ELLE Magazine, when she said that sometimes you have to make decisions for your soul—not based on numbers, not based on tangible results, but a decision that speaks to you at the most basic level.
It sounds simple, but there’s so much pressure to do more, be more and base your actions on other people’s definition of success. It’s unbelievably easy to get bogged down in what you think you have to do to meet expectations (perhaps those of your boss, friends or family), rather than focusing on what you feel you should do and what you want to do.
This piece of insight came in the context of a discussion about social media, and that shouldn’t be too surprising. Any seasoned social media pro will ground their work in numbers, as analytics is an increasingly important piece of the social media puzzle. But when you stop and think about it, much of the media world, social and otherwise, depends on building meaningful relationships— and that’s not something that you can base on numbers. It’s much more instinctual. While you may not get the most engagement from a funny Vine, if your soul is screaming at you to post it, then Gena Kaufman would suggest you do it. If it’s something you want to see and create so badly, then chances are someone else will like it, too.
But what has stood out to me most about this piece of advice is how applicable it is to all aspects of our lives. As a student, I’m surrounded by constant competition among my peers. Everyone is fighting for the best resume, the highest GPA and the most impressive internship. While that’s all well and good, there has to be a balance. If you want to take an art class, even though it has nothing to do with your major, go for it. If you’ve been dying to try your hand at a new hobby, then why not give it a shot? I strongly believe that when you keep your soul happy, and you’re doing work from a place of passion, everything else will fall into place.
Lindsey Pollak talks a lot about this idea of finding a balance in her book, “Getting From College to Career,” so that makes me feel a little more justified in writing this post. Next time you find yourself wanting to go out on a limb, try something new or do something that may go against what the numbers say, take a moment to evaluate the risk (I’m a pros-and-cons list fanatic). If the risk isn’t substantial and every fiber of your being is pushing you in that direction, then you’re probably onto something. And for whatever little, tiny bit it’s worth, I say go for it.
Do it for your soul.
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