As a fairly new journalist, the support of others helps to validate my thoughts and feelings surrounding my choice to start a brand-new venture. In fact, prior to 2016  I never cared much about whether people acknowledged nor recognized my accomplishments. It wasn’t until I began promoting my online media platform that I allowed fear of failure to drive my desire for support from others. Slowly, but surely, I began to lean on friends, family members, and the person I was with at the time. I had asked them to help me promote, join me in thought-provoking discussions for content ideas, as well as reading and subscribing to my magazine. It had become something I was extremely sensitive about. In hindsight, I needed validation so badly for the simple fact that this was the first time I was doing something for me. I wanted people to shower me with love and pour into me in the same way I had done for them for years.

Upon networking and conversations with other aspiring journalists such as myself,  I began to meet other young women who had similar professional goals within the media industry and understood my feelings. I began to think of support in an entirely different way. These women I had spoken to majority through texts and Instagram direct messages were now supporting me like no other. I didn’t have to look for acknowledgement or feedback and their support wasn’t based on a relationship because they were essentially strangers. Meeting and connecting with women in my industry of interest taught me many lessons about support. Today, I’d like to share a few with you guys!

Lessons Learned About Support

1. Your “support system” is larger than your immediate family and friends. While it is totally natural to want the people closest to you to support everything you do, sometimes that just isn’t the case. Every person that enters your life leaves some form of contribution – sometimes your family/friends are not those that were designed to support the path you’re are walking on. It is your job to expose yourself to different networks of people that align with your goals. Sometimes you will find that your biggest supporter is the person who’s been following you on Instagram for six years!
2. Support is not a need, it is a want. The main reason many people seek support is because they want other people to reassure them that their ideas/concepts are good enough. The support of others helps you to solidify the path you’ve chosen and feel more secure. However, once you reach a point where you are working hard at what you love, you will find support to be less of a priority.
3. Quality over Quantity. In a time where your follower count and your views mean everything, it is easy to get caught up in solely that. Several times before, I have stressed over my number of insights and engagements feeling like I wasn’t doing enough compared to others. It wasn’t until I realized how valuable and personal USTYLE Magazine is that I was able to let go of that mindset. I now recognize that growing a platform authentically and organically may take longer.

All in all, don’t let the support of others, or lack thereof be your motivation behind anything you do! Always remember that YOU must be your biggest supporter!