Let’s Talk About Social Media - Part I
Last week in Charleston, I had the honor of being on a panel with three other inspiring Charleston women to discuss SOCIAL MEDIA. My amazing friend Angel, who I met through The Works and practice with daily, and even sometimes dress up and head to happy hours with, is the wonder woman who put this event together and founded Like Minded CHS. Make sure to check it out. In a nutshell, it is a community for women to help build “business besties”, that also has events, workshops, and is just a great way to be inspired by like minded women in the CHS area. Because in this wild social media world, it is very important to have a tribe that gets it and supports you! And since social media can be isolating at times, having meet ups and face to face to conversations instead of over DM’s is also crucial too. But, I will dive into all of this…There is a lot to cover, but I digress.
Last Wednesday was the launch of Like Minded CHS and we talked about the following topics…
Beyond the Hashtag
Building Your Brand
Sealing Deals
Owning Your Influence
After I left the event, my head was swirling with all the feelings, thoughts, and energy! It was kind of like how I feel after a run…exhausted, but ready to put together a plan, inspire, and start making some epic shit happen. And of course, about an hour later after I had dinner, I was exhausted. And YES…that is exactly how I feel after a run and why I love it so much…It’s a wild ride, but I keep wanting more and it is the same with social media, but things are changing for me, and it is time to PIVOT, get uncomfortable, try new things, and see where this summer takes me on this journey.
I am NOT a public speaker and honestly, I HATE public speaking and always have! I turn into a “nervous Nelly” and try to avoid it at all costs, but once I started talking about social media, the words, the passion, the energy just started flowing, and I was proud of myself, proud of speaking my truth, and proud of showing up for myself and those who attended.
What I realized after this event is that there is a LOT to talk about social media and there are things that aren’t discussed either, so I thought why not put together a series of topics that people are always asking me about?!?! I have been doing this for 12+ years and it has been a wild ride of ups and downs. It has tested me. It has stressed the shit out of me. It has connected me with so many friends, inspired me, helped me heal…It is a LOT OF THINGS both positive and negative.
I have been putting myself out there for years, but this is the first time in my career that all eyes are on ME and I have a hard time with all eyes on me. I know…hard to believe since I share so much in these spaces, but I really don’t. I can be a hermit, introvert, and keep to myself. I also have a hard time truly showing myself sometimes here and shining, which is what I am striving to do as a pivot in my career.
For most of the 12+ years of blogging and doing social media, I had my blog and platforms on the side, I was running my personal training business, and then eventually I was managing up to six other social media accounts. These accounts were all health/food/fitness minded and all over the country. I look back and have no idea how I did it by myself, but I did, and I was killing it. But then COVID hit and one by one my clients started to cut back and this past year, well here I am just me and it is scary as fuck!
I have been ruminating the past few months trying to figure out what I want! I am having to dig deep and it is not only maddening and frustrating, it is also helping me work on myself as well. It is forcing me to get uncomfortable, stop being so stubborn, and pivot (damn that word). A lot of questions that I have been asking myself as I try to pivot…What inspires me? How can my inspiration help others? Can I even make an income off of this? Is it worth it? Is anyone listening? Is this what 45 years old do? Is it time to throw in the towel and walk away?
For all those years when I represented others, I was hidden in the background. There was no pressure on me to show up. I would occasionally post or write a blog post. I wasn’t overthinking. I didn’t put pressure on myself. I just did it. I realized also that during all those years, I was holding myself back, while other fellow influencers were flourishing. I would blame it on managing so many other clients, when honestly it was ME holding me back and my lack of confidence. I was playing it safe. I was not taking risks and guess what, I am still doing it! So…what the heck do I do now?
Not only have the platforms changed, but so have I. There is more pressure about what to post, how to post it, and how to make money as well. It is not freaking easy! And changing is not something I am good at, but it is time, otherwise it is time to move onto something else. This is a personal and professional moment that I want to embrace and shine from. So as I share my social media tips over the next few months, I will also be sharing my own personal journey as I navigate these months with y’all.
Next social media topic - Being REAL and AUTHENTIC!
These are two very powerful words in social media, but they are also words that are very saturated and repetitive. I have used them a lot as well, but it’s time to pivot from those words too. These platforms are constantly changing and we have to learn to change with them…As a Type A control freak and someone who is very stubborn, I struggle with this as well, but we will discuss, so stay tuned.
Have questions, leave them in the comments below…I would love to hear from you!
xoxo
