What's For You, is For You.
I’m a firm believer in the saying, “what's for you, is for you.”
My grandmother always says it to me whenever I’m having a hard time or I’m upset about something that’s happened in my personal life. It serves as my reminder that it’s not the end of the world if you don’t get those things you thought you wanted because something better will come along when it’s meant to.
There were times in my life after graduating college that I wanted to give up or felt I wasn’t good enough. I started doubting the career path and the major I’d chosen. At the time, I wanted to go into nonprofit work and I got the urge to do something more creative but wasn’t sure which direction I wanted to go in. I did a lot of research on how I could leverage my skills and interests but I felt I wasn’t particularly skilled in any area. During those few months, I learned a lot about the creative industries and gave myself projects.
Trusting in the process is great but you also have to put that trust into yourself. This is something I’ve learned in applying to jobs and shifting my career from one area to another. Even though it didn’t seem like I had the skills, it didn’t mean that I didn’t have talent. I just hadn’t fully unlocked my potential. I realized that I needed to trust myself and that I had skills I could use to launch my career. I left those feelings of doubt behind and pushed forward.
“I realized that it’s not always enough to do the bare minimum and to trust that that’ll be enough.”
There was a point during the pandemic where I was applying to jobs and internships and not hearing much back. I thought, “Am I doing something wrong?” I had polished my resume and tailored my cover letters to each position. I had checked off the boxes of the things you’re “supposed” to do to apply to jobs. As time passed, I realized that I was asking myself the wrong questions. After thinking it over some more, I asked myself, “Is there something I can do to stand out more?” Asking myself this question, I decided to create a portfolio website to show my work and that I’m passionate about what I do. Since then, I’ve been getting more attention and people are interested in my work.
There are things we’re meant to experience in life that shape us as who we are today. However, that doesn’t mean to sit by idly and do nothing. Of course, you’ll need to take initiative and take the first step. You do play a part in how things will turn out depending on how much effort you put into what you’re doing.
Taking the time to think more deeply about my situation led me on a path to do more than the bare minimum. To this day, I’m grateful for everything I’ve experienced and I wouldn’t be the person that I am today without those situations. The way I see it, it was meant for me to struggle a bit because it allowed me to see a brighter side of things and I was able to see my potential in that way. I realized that it’s not always enough to do the bare minimum and to trust that that’ll be enough. Once you start a project, apply for a job, whatever it is, you have to put in a little work to get to your goal.
You are a creator and you have the power and responsibility to put yourself in the best position possible to achieve your goal. You are your greatest asset and you need to leverage your skills to get what it is you want. If you put your faith in the process only rather than putting faith in yourself, you’re closing yourself off to discovering your full potential.
Ahdaci Barrett is a social media marketer, writer, and design enthusiast based in New York City. She's currently studying advertising and marketing communications at Fashion Institute of Technology after deciding to shift her career to a more creative direction. When she's not working or in school, she enjoys cooking, traveling, reading, and writing. She strongly believes in following your passions and turning them into a career. You can find her on LinkedIn and on her portfolio website.
