WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU FEEL YOU ARE LOSING THAT “PR” SPARK?

When I started this newsletter, my greatest desire was to use my passion for Public Relations to craft an authentic Swazi story of a growing Public Relations professional who had the outmost hunger to impact her community. My goal was to burn the myths and untrue theories of what most individuals have about their upbringing especially when they have reached success in their lives.

I am a young woman who is very determined to articulate and horn her upbringing story till her peak; to tell an African passionate child that growing up in remote areas does not automatically mean a poverty-stricken life. Torrential as the journey has been over the past few months, I am still fueled to tell my true story. To tell the challenges, the lessons, ponder on my grandmother and grandfather’s words, as well as share lessons from my first employer.

I would like to take this opportunity and appreciate your patience and understanding for my absentia. You remained a subscriber to my newsletter regardless of my going away unofficially. I am excited to be back and writing yet again, and I am looking forward to producing more content from now onwards. As earlier mentioned, the past months have been a serious downpour that have left me gushing with thoughts of discouragement, mental breakdowns, and mixed feelings about my passion for Public Relations.

In as much as I knew that it was all a journey, convincing myself that this unwavering season was going to pass was not a walk in the park. It honestly felt as if my PR spark was never going to be reignited. Like many of us when faced with a diminishing challenge, I went back to the drawing board and questioned everything there and to my dismay life kept on creeping with its deviations.

There are several reasons why I felt so lost which resulted to my mental uproar, and I will highlight them as follows; job loss (contract renewal issues), deferral from my digital marketing programme from Mancosa, being shifted from Public Relations to Events Coordination (basically pursuing my non-passion), unclear professional expectations and deliverables (A whirlwind of undefined expectations). The aforementioned came at a very sensitive time in my life and left me with a series of questions and a cloud of confusion which I have been trying to breakdown for the past few months.  Do not get me wrong I am a young professional who is always ready to see the silver lining in each and every season, I am one of those individuals who are easily self-driven.

However, this time around the story was different, it was unexpected as I thought I was doing everything that was required of me by my superiors in my organization. I 100% convinced myself that I was on the right track, I would write articles, liaise with the media, brand all events, and basically ensure that all PR operations ran smoothly. I committed my weekends for work and showed up whenever I was needed. I showed the fire and zeal to learn and deliver, adhered to all the organizational principles.

Of course, I would get tired and slack off from time to time but my passion for my work and the organization at large was always at the core of my heart. I thought I was doing everything right! However, like the cliché everybody uses, “life is unpredictable.” It overturned and took me on an unfortunate and unexpected overdrive that forced me to isolate myself and question the impact and legacy I want to leave behind from my passion for Public Relations.

I was a young professional with no guidance, nor a mentor who would help me maneuver through the season I was going through. Honestly, I was devastated as I felt my dream of being amongst the best was flashing away from me. I received no feedback as to what I had done wrong, there was no professional engagement nor even a disciplinary hearing if it meant I had done something that compromised the company values. It was a dejecting and daunting hurdle that still haunts me even right now as I write this.

Hence the question, “What happens when you feel you are losing the PR spark?” 2023 has not been an easy year. It has showered me with never-ending falls and cataracts which till date I am still trying to learn from and overcome. However, here is one big lesson I learnt whilst I was going through this unforeseen hiatus in my life, “in each and every situation always ensure that you give it your all so that at least one or two people can confidently vouch for your dedication.”

I am still learning, I am a better Public Relations practitioner now though, I am an effective networker, and I have learnt to value my contributions. Young as I am, I have learned that my voice matters, and my self-worth will always be determined by the choices I choose to pursue. Trust me, I am a better leader now, and quite frankly I cannot wait to utilize my learnings to my next potential employer. Regardless of what happened, I am proud of myself for coming out a better and a much more reliable Public Relations Professional. So, whenever you feel like you are losing that PR spark always know that the same wind can be the result of why it is kinetically reignited so that it flames more powerfully and forcefully.

Please keep subscribing and reading my newsletter; My next one is on The lessons from my first employer. Stay tuned for more....