This is probably the most ballsy (excuse my language) blog post that I have written to date. Recently, I had a conversation with an old friend about putting yourself out there and going for it on social media, starting a business, etc. It all stems from the concept of going for it and not worrying about what over people think.
As you may have noticed, I spend a lot of time and energy into my Instagram account as well as my blog and now my online store. I am conscious of what I post; I hold every single photo as well as every single brand collaboration to a high standard. Why? Because I want my personal brand to be authentic. I want you to feel like you can trust me with product reviews, blog posts, and photography because they all come from the heart. You may not realize it, but your social media is actually a personal brand. Whether you are conscious of it or not, what you share with the world is a reflection of you.
That being said, there are many ways to go about putting yourself out there. I choose to be my authentic goofy, sarcastic, nerdy self. I developed a thick skin from social media, and learned the hard way that not everyone will love you or love your content. I received mean messages, hateful comments, snickers from peers, all of the above. I learned to not worry about the negative opinions of others on social media and to focus on the good and those who want to see you grow as a person.
There are many people who still follow me from high school, college, and other points in my life who rarely engage with my content and solely look at my IG stories. Have I considered that they may be mocking my content? Absolutely. Am I going to let this stop me? No. Am I going to assume they have good intentions? Sure.
During the conversation with my friend, she mentioned how she was nervous about what others thought of her content. She did not want to appear like she was trying too hard and did not want to embarrass herself in front of her peers. The best piece of advice that I can offer about this is try not to focus on that, and focus on the good- making your content better, engaging with others with similar interests, and PUTTING YOURSELF OUT THERE.
I have not talked to some of the followers in years, and some of them maybe ever in my life. I honestly find that the people who I never met in person are actually much more genuine and follow because they like my work. The way I see it is if they do not like my content, they have the option to unfollow. That magical little button will keep them from seeing my content and also from mocking it- in the end, we’re both happy. On the contrary, if they do not like my content yet continue to follow and watch… then that is pretty sad. Life is too short to spend it watching someone else’s movie reel; a movie reel which you are not enjoying.
I share some very personal content on here… about big events in my life, obstacles, events that I have grown from. I share in hopes that it helps someone else out there going through the similar obstacles. I share honest product reviews and life hacks in hopes to make things easier for someone seeking advice. I share the importance of not worrying about what people think because at the end of the day, it is YOUR life.
Don’t get me wrong… it took me a long time to get to this point. It was not easy. There are still times where I have to catch myself from worrying about the opinions of others. That is normal, that is natural, that is another problem we all face yet need to move forward and grow from.
It is nearly impossible to grow and follow your dreams if you are concerned with how other people see you. You can live in a bubble and follow the norm if that makes you happy. If you feel like there is something you should do, maybe you should go for it. Do not let the opinions of others hold you back.
PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE. I am rooting for you.
Becsea 