Let’s Talk Social Media - Part II
AHHHH…Part II of my social media series and today we are going to tackle being REAL and AUTHENTIC in this wild and crazy space! The words actually took awhile to come when I sat down to write this, which was kind of surprising, but not really. As I said in my last post, my journey through social media is not only a professional one, but a personal one. I have opened myself up to the world about my highs and lows, showing my flaws, sharing my dreams, sharing my life, relationships, basically sharing ALL THE THINGS! Am I consistent with being real and authentic? Am I truly being real and authentic? Before I answer this question, let’s start with a few other things and then I will end with my two cents, about my own authenticity!
I want to tackle some of the ugly truths about social media and being real and authentic FIRST and then we can focus on the positive. It is freaking HARD to be yourself on social media, when all you see is a lot of images and posts that lets face it aren’t REAL and aren’t accurate! It feels like a false narrative that is constantly being thrown in your face and it is addictive, confusing, and honestly a mind fuck. Social media is addicting and it’s hard to stop scrolling, stop comparing, stop staring, stop wanting to do more with yourself, your life, your job, your body, yada yada yada! UGH…it is intense! And yes, I have struggled with it too, BUT you can still be REAL…you can still grow…you can still inspire…you can do it, you just have to set boundaries, stay true to yourself, stick to YOUR plan, and do what makes YOU happy!
Proud of myself for not going down a really dark hole of negativity and pouring more of my energy into the positive…LOL…Meet the new me…I told you I was pivoting! What’s my advice for staying true to yourself on social media? This is kind of a BIG question with a lot of components, but I will speak from my experience and my heart and what has worked for me, kept me sane, and kept me going when I have wanted to quit so many times…
Be Consistent - Like with working out, eating well, taking care of ourselves, being consistent on social media is huge. You are creating a community of people who continue to support you and want to see you, even when it isn’t always rainbows and unicorns. When you show all of yourself, you become more relatable and your followers want that, respect that, and are invested in you and your life. Kind of wild, right? I always respect influencers who show up day in and day out, but also respect them when they take breaks (another post for another time). Be consistent with your posts, your voice, the brands you work with, and your interactions with your followers.
Be True To Yourself - It is easy to get swayed and distracted, especially when it comes to working with brands. I have been saying NO a lot lately, whether the brand doesn’t align, or the pay doesn’t’ meet my needs. I know my worth, I know what I like to talk about, I know what my readers want to learn about, so I stay true to myself and true to them. Money is money and I have to pay the bills, but I work really hard on working with brands that align with me. And yes, there have been times I have said yes and then halfway working with the brand, I have said no, because it didn’t feel right, I didn’t like the product, and I couldn’t fake it. And I know that if I can see through influencers bullshit, mine can see through mine. And trust me, I know that I repeat myself, especially when it comes to certain things, but I am trying and I am trying to work hard, make a living here, all while staying true to myself. It is not freaking easy! But I keep going and I am grateful for all of those who continue to follow me on this journey.
Develop A Tough Skin - I hate to say it, but you have to, because there a lot of haters out there, who are jealous you can put yourself out there day in and day out, that you can talk about whatever brings you joy, that you can be vulnerable, and REAL! I have a big heart, so this has been hard for me over the years, but nowadays, I read it or listen and move on with my day. I do not want to waste my time or energy on people who are angry, miserable, jealous, and want to dull my shine and neither should you. There is no time for that. For your peace of mind, realize that you cannot understand everyone and everything.
JUST DO YOU - Every time I watch this video it brings a huge smile to my face, because it is truly ME, in my element, being me, no matter how sandy, crooked my boobs are, or how the wrinkles around my eyes look, this is the REAL and AUTHENTIC ME and honestly I love her! I am still working on pivoting and finding more of me these days and that is okay, because it is fun to explore this and to figure out what works and what doesn’t work, but the things that I am true to are making more of an appearance and eventually it will be more consistent, but for right now, I am just doing me and having fun with it! And that is exactly what you should do too!
What would you add to the list?
Are you being real and authentic in your content?
xoxo
