How I’m Managing my Anxiety While Growing on Social Media

Some issues it is advisable to learn about me: I’m an introvert and I’m shy.

And, to construct up my enterprise, I’ve been actively constructing my private model on social media for 3 years.

This stuff appear fairly at odds with one another, don’t they?

Earlier than you ask, introversion and shyness will not be one and the identical. For instance, I favor my very own firm — ideally curled up with a novel — to socializing due to my low social battery (introvert).

I get anxious once I’m the focal point or when I’ve to talk in public and I’m self-conscious round strangers and care an excessive amount of about what they consider me (shy).

Having simply one in every of these persona traits is dangerous sufficient, however having each meant constructing a private model has been significantly troublesome — however not not possible.

My model is rising regardless of it being a bumpy highway, and on this piece, I’ll share my greatest private branding for introverts ideas that can assist you.

Why I made a decision to construct a private model

2020 was an eventful yr for everybody for apparent causes, however it actually modified the course of my life. I used to be a recent-ish graduate (is 2 years post-school thought of latest?), nonetheless clueless about what I needed to do, and simply dabbling into various things like entrepreneurship and occasion planning.

So when the whole lot floor to a halt, it was a blessing in disguise. I had a lot time on my fingers and since digital abilities had been all the fashion on the time (understandably so), I made a decision to offer it a go. I settled on copywriting as a result of I had a knack for writing and a little bit of expertise from preserving a way of life weblog and writing e book evaluations.

I took programs, paid for teaching and mentorship classes, and practiced. And when it acquired to the enterprise facet of issues — i.e., generate profits from the ability — everybody stated the identical factor: construct a private model.

To draw shoppers, I needed to publish on socials repeatedly, sharing my learnings and data. And that’s how I acquired began rising a presence on-line.

As talked about earlier, it wasn’t simple. Not one of the programs or coaches addressed how an anxiety-riddled individual might navigate this. Their recommendation was merely, “Simply do it,” which was, um, unhelpful, to place it mildly.

However with loads of trial and error, I discovered navigate my persona sorts and alongside the road, gained greater than 2,000 followers on LinkedIn, constructed a web site, launched a private weblog, and began visitor posting.

Listed below are 5 methods I’m managing my anxiousness on this journey.

How I’m constructing a private model as a shy introvert

1. I publish about issues I take pleasure in or that curiosity me

It took me time to determine this out, however one of many causes I used to be so drained when posting on socials was as a result of I didn’t take care of what I used to be writing about. It felt an excessive amount of like a chore, and I already had sufficient of that in my life.

I’m extra engaged — nearly an extrovert — once I publish concerning the issues that I take pleasure in. My expertise tallies with Arvid Kahl’s, one other introverted public creator. He wrote, “When you get speaking about one thing you genuinely care about, you get to be a brief extrovert.”

For a while, there was a disconnect between what I needed to write down about (writing ideas or classes from my expertise) and what I felt would entice potential shoppers (the enterprise facet of content material advertising).

This affected me as I felt I needed to concentrate on the latter. And since I didn’t take pleasure in it, it heightened the apathy I felt in the direction of model constructing on socials. It additionally affected the standard of the content material I put out as a result of individuals might one way or the other sense my lack of enthusiasm.

Ultimately, I discovered a stability between the 2. I’m presently on a 70:30 ratio the place more often than not I share writing recommendation from my expertise, after which the extra technical stuff the remainder of the time. However this isn’t a tough and quick rule. I’m versatile and modify once I really feel prefer it. Additionally, I don’t drive it. If a subject doesn’t curiosity me in any respect, I don’t write about it.

2. I strive to not do issues that negatively stress me or trigger me discomfort

I agree with the notion that it’s best to consistently push the boundaries of your consolation zone. However I feel there’s a caveat. Don’t push so laborious that it causes insufferable discomfort or anxiousness.

In my case, I pushed so much at first. I used to be making an attempt to observe all the recommendation the self-proclaimed consultants gave, like posting on daily basis, posting a number of occasions each day (some even advocate for 64), commenting a particular and excessive variety of occasions, and so forth. However such ideas by no means labored for me. As an alternative, they’d the adversarial impact of pressurizing and triggering my anxiousness. So, I realized to go at my tempo.

I nonetheless do issues I’m not absolutely snug with to push myself e.g. I not too long ago gave a chat on the fundamentals of content material advertising although it precipitated some stress. However I don’t go overboard.

Principally, I feel there may be the great and dangerous ‘restrict pushing.’ One stretches you, whereas the opposite negatively impacts you and causes you to retreat even additional. I favor to go together with the primary.

Participating with my viewers appears like I’m standing in a crowded room, surrounded by strangers talking to me and anticipating a profound response instantly; however I’m having bother talking as a result of I’m anxious my reply will disappoint them.

I’ve discovered that the answer to this syndrome is to depart the platform for a number of hours after posting after which return to have interaction with any feedback or interactions.

This helps take the stress off and reduces my anxiousness, as I’ve sufficient time to think about an appropriate response.

4. I go away a while between drafting and posting

One in every of an introvert’s worst fears is being misunderstood or known as out publicly for being unsuitable. It’s a concern I stay with and is sufficient to make me not publish in any respect.

A workaround is giving myself sufficient time and house to vet my content material. In different phrases, I don’t publish instantly I create. As an alternative, I let the draft sit for some time, then crosscheck to make sure it sounds clear and correct.

One other factor I used to do to bypass this concern was to depend on my trade buddies. I’d share my content material with them so they might let me know if it was ok to publish. This went a good distance in bolstering my confidence.

5. I don’t take note of the metrics

In contrast to extroverts, I don’t wish to go viral. The thought alone nearly makes me escape in hives. The one time I got here shut, I didn’t open LinkedIn for days. It was nerve-racking.

However virality is a risk when posting on social. To save lots of myself from potential stress and uneasiness, I don’t test my metrics (besides when it is unavoidably talked about by the social networks themselves). I don’t wish to know whether or not my posts are getting heaps or little engagement.

An excessive amount of engagement makes me nervous, and too little may discourage me. The center floor isn’t specializing in them. That means, I’m in a position to focus on creating invaluable content material for my viewers.

The social anxiousness by no means goes away, however it may be managed

Confession: I used to be anxious scripting this piece. I wasn’t certain if my factors would show helpful, and that’s as a result of I’m not sharing a one-and-done answer that can assist you recover from your introversion and/or shyness to develop into a social media creator professional.

I don’t suppose such an answer exists — or at the least, I haven’t discovered it. However the anxiousness might be managed. And that’s what I’m doing. I’m additionally leaning even additional into my strengths as an introvert, like listening and creating with empathy, two of an important components to profitable private model constructing.