“Like tiny seeds with potent power to push through tough ground and become mighty trees, we hold innate reserves of unimaginable strength. We are resilient.” - Catherine DeVrye
Have you ever been placed in a position where you felt overwhelmed, and all of a sudden you took a moment to take a deep breath, then you felt better? Or have you ever felt like one area of your life is excelling while in another area you're feeling helpless? These are normal feelings and experiences that most of us will have throughout our lives.
Building personal and professional success is a journey that is full of ups, downs, and lessons to be learned.
As a Strategic Communications Fellow with Navigate the Maze to Achievement (NTMA), a New York based nonprofit organization focused on providing Black and Latinx students with the tools and resources to get accepted into NYC specialized and selective high schools, I’ve learned a lot about how to balance both my personal and professional life successfully. I’ve learned the value of this balance through the Founder and Executive Director Allison Shillingford, my self-care and personal-branding coaches Nick Diaz and Taylor Butts, the NTMA students, and reading Stacy Abrams’ book Lead from the Outside.
When it comes to balance, it is not about a 50/50 split, but rather about balancing the feeling of being grounded or centered in your life so that no matter how many hats you wear, you can take on the world one step at a time and be your authentic self.
I’ve experienced moments of feeling like I’m not getting where I want in my life no matter how hard I try. I have had moments where I felt like I was at a crossroad in a maze and couldn’t find my way out. I remember being in middle and high school like the students at NTMA, and sharing hardships in figuring out how to be myself. I remember struggling to balance my academic work with my social life while trying to be at peace with myself. When it comes to balance, it is not about a 50/50 split, but rather about balancing the feeling of being grounded or centered in your life so that no matter how many hats you wear, you can take on the world one step at a time and be your authentic self.
My time with Navigate the Maze to Achievement has taught me two important things as it relates to balancing personal and professional success: the power of leadership and community.
My time with Navigate the Maze to Achievement has taught me two important things as it relates to balancing personal and professional success: the power of leadership and community. I’ve learned how to juggle the responsibilities of being a current grad student, being the oldest sibling of three, a girlfriend, job searching, and being a fellow. All of these different hats that I wear make me who I am as a leader.
In my career field of Communications and Public Relations, crisis management, time management, and being adaptable to any environment you are thrown in are key skills that you need to be successful. NTMA strives to put community, social, and academic achievement first in all they do, from their mentorship program and diversity, equity, and inclusion workshops, to career preparation and PSAT/SAT prep. Similar to how NTMA is the support community for their students, FLIA has been one of my support communities both personally and professionally from the encouraging slack messages and check-in meetings, to self-branding and self-care coaching sessions.
I recently attended an NTMA Specialized High School Panel Discussion, where I observed students sharing their journey and experiences while going to a specialized high school. They discussed their obstacles, strengths, weaknesses and shared tips with their peers. At one point, I asked Allison: What does personal and professional success mean to you? Her response resonated with me.“It is being able to take care of myself but also the people around me, my community.” Allison is a great example of a person combining their personal and professional goals into a fulfilling and happy career where she isn’t picking what is a priority to her but making the two a part of her brand and her impact.
I am so grateful for my time with FLIA and NTMA. Together both organizations have granted me the space and mindset to unlock success in personal and professional achievement. I learned that although there will always be an intersection at where these two meet, it’s important that they complement each other and not conflict.
My greatest takeaway is to aim for personal and professional growth and not perfection because life is too short. If you can create a positive impact within yourself and for those around you, then you will be successful.