The Importance of a Sounding Board

/ˈsoundiNG ˌbô(ə)rd/ a person or group whose reactions to suggested ideas are used as a test of their validity or likely success before they are made public.

artist William Powhida | Mid-Career Anxieties 

Hello again! It's officially been five months since I last posted to my blog. WOW. I needed a long break. I started my blog to produce my own content at the pace I wanted to. It quickly evolved from an inner monologue, to a full blown fashion blog and then back to a lifestyle blog. My content felt a bit inauthentic and I wanted to take a hiatus from writing until I had an idea I felt compelled to blog about, which brings me to today's post. 

I am at a pivotal stage in my life. Finishing my final year of college, deciding where I want to start my career, and deciding which city to call home for my first few years. A lot of people feel compelled to throw negativity and pessimism your way when you're a 20-something-year-old. It can be draining, discouraging and absolutely exhausting. That's not what I choose to focus on, though. 

The way I see it, being this young has far too many advantages to let myself get stressed out about the future. Instead, whenever I do feel like I'm getting stressed or overwhelmed, I look to those who have been in my shoes before. 

I have never been afraid to ask for help or advice. I actually prefer to collaborate with those around me opposed to doing everything by myself - something unusual for someone as independent as myself. I like to think of the people in my network as my sounding board. 

In the past week alone, I've reached out to parents, friends, my boyfriend (shoutout to Christopher), and my teachers for advice on everything from which highlighter I should buy next (hi Deeba) to what city I should move to after I graduate. 

I would never be able to google the tailored advice and words of wisdom that my sounding board provides me. I cherish and respect their opinions more than anything. I value the insight my friends, family, teachers and even mere acquaintances offer. It's important to think beyond your inner circle when it comes to getting advice.

As I start my final semester of college and begin to make some of the biggest decisions of my life, I will most definitely rely on my sounding board to guide me along the way. Here's to blogging *at least* once a month this year. Deal? Deal.