being impressionable

& using it to your advantage

im·pres·sion·a·ble
/imˈpreSH(ə)nəb(ə)l/

easily influenced because of a lack of critical ability.

the conversation around being young and impressionable has always carried a bit of a negative undertone. even the dictionary definition frames it as a weakness, tied to a lack of critical ability.

but i see it differently. i think being impressionable is actually one of the greatest strengths young people have. it’s the stage in life when we’re most open to our surroundings, while also beginning to form the foundation of what we believe. that combination gives us a unique window to decide who we want to become.

some of my closest relationships have shown me just how quickly and quietly we can absorb the beliefs and behaviors of those around us. often, it's not intentional. it happens slowly, through repeated exposure and proximity. values we once held tightly can start to shift. sometimes that shift moves us in the right direction. sometimes it doesn’t.

when i look back at different phases of my life, i’m struck by how much i’ve changed. there are ideas i used to hold with complete certainty that no longer resonate with me. and there are others i’ve adopted over time that never felt like mine to begin with. none of this is inherently right or wrong. it’s just a reminder that we’re always evolving, often without realizing it.

that’s what makes this realization so important. once you understand how impressionable you are, you begin to see just how much agency you have. you can choose who you spend time with, what environments you place yourself in, and what voices you let shape you. those decisions might seem small in the moment, but over time, they build the person you become.

taking advantage of being impressionable //

acknowledging this is one thing, but applying it manifests in all kinds of ways in real life: from your career to friendships to family and everything else. it could mean gravitating toward people you admire, or being more conscious about how you spend your time.

it doesn’t always require a dramatic change. sometimes for me, it’s as simple as choosing to play tennis with a friend instead of grabbing coffee in efforts to avoid becoming someone who is always indoors. and sometimes, it’s deeper — like leaning into relationships with people whose values push you to grow in ways that matter to you.

for me, the moment i acknowledged how impressionable i am, i started to gain clarity. instead of seeing it as a vulnerability, i began to treat it as leverage.

i really believe we can shape who we become through three intentional habits:
– being selective of the rooms we place ourselves in
– being mindful of how we spend our time
– being intentional about who we let into our lives

and honestly, i don’t think it needs to be more complicated than that.

being selective of the rooms we place ourselves in //

this idea has always stayed with me. most people associate it with career — and that makes sense. you never want to be the smartest person in the room. real growth happens when you're surrounded by people who challenge and inspire you.

but this isn’t just about work. in life too, the rooms we step into matter. the energy we absorb and the conversations we participate in shape what we believe is possible for ourselves.

when i started college, i tried to lean into the traditional experience — going to parties, following the social rhythm that seemed to work for everyone else. it felt like the way to make friends and belong. but over time, i realized it just didn’t align with who i was or what made me feel fulfilled. and this isn’t to knock that lifestyle because for many people, it truly works. but for me, i felt disconnected from the person i was becoming.

what mattered more was recognizing that misalignment early on. the longer you keep showing up in spaces that don’t reflect you, the harder it becomes to shift course. it’s not always easy to make that change, but it’s necessary if you want to grow in a direction that feels honest.

being mindful of how we spend our time //

time is the one thing we can’t get back, and yet it’s often the thing we treat as endless. how we choose to spend it — what we say yes to, what we ignore, who we give it to — all of that shapes who we become.

most people mention things like doom-scrolling or binge-watching when they talk about wasting time, and sure, those things matter. but i’ve been thinking about something a little deeper.

in high school and even early college, it was normal for my friends and i to spend hours doing nothing in particular. we’d stay up late at someone’s house, talking about everything and nothing, just existing in the same space. back then, that felt like the purest definition of freedom, and it truly was.

but as i’ve grown, my relationship with time has shifted. i’ve realized that while those unstructured nights were valuable, constantly defaulting to them can take time away from other parts of myself I want to lean into. sometimes it looks like saying no to plans so I can follow through on an idea that’s been sitting in the back of my mind. other times, it means giving myself space to be bored and sit with my own thoughts. and sometimes, it means choosing to be with people because connection is still a part of what keeps me grounded.

this isn’t about managing every minute. it’s about paying attention and striking balance, asking myself if how i’m spending my time reflects what matters to me. because often, it’s the small decisions like choosing when to say yes, when to say no, or when to pause that shape the bigger picture.

being intentional about who we let into our lives //

you’ve probably heard it before: you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. it’s repeated so often it feels like background noise, but it’s stuck around for good reason. the people we surround ourselves with shape us, sometimes more than we realize.

one of the clearest places i’ve seen this play out is in relationships — especially romantic ones. it’s easy to think of influence as something obvious or loud, but often it’s subtle. sometimes you're with someone who doesn’t exactly align with your values. maybe they don’t challenge you in the right ways, or maybe they don’t fully make space for who you are. and instead of noticing it right away, you slowly start to adapt. you adjust how you show up, quiet parts of yourself, and start letting things slide that you wouldn’t normally excuse.

this doesn’t necessarily mean the other person is bad. it just means they might not be right for the version of you that you're trying to grow into. and yes, compromise is part of any meaningful relationship. but compromise should feel mutual, not like a quiet surrender.

the people we allow into our lives — whether friends, partners, mentors, or even coworkers — play a major role in shaping how we think, how we grow, and what we believe we deserve. when those relationships are rooted in trust, respect, and (most importantly) admiration, they help stretch us toward who we’re becoming.

so much of being intentional is simply noticing what doesn’t feel right and having the courage to name it. and if needed, choosing to walk away from spaces that ask you to become smaller than you are.

final thoughts //

at the end of the day, being impressionable isn’t something i’m trying to outgrow. it’s something i’ve learned to take advantage of. if i’m going to be shaped by the people and environment around me, then i want to be intentional about who and what i let in.

- manvi :)

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