Your creative superpower is the “you-ness” you bring to different mediums and art forms. You see, someone like you doesn't come along all that often. In fact, there's never been a single one like you, nor is there ever ANY possibility that another will come again. You are someone, whose eyes see what no others will EVER see, whose ears hear what no others will EVER hear, and whose perspective and feelings will NEVER, ever be duplicated.
In a world that is focused on sharing their lives on social media, we often get caught up in comparison culture and trying to be like everyone else to be accepted and “fit in”. When creating social media, there are so many external influences that sometimes it can be difficult to authentically and holistically be yourself. And while being just like everyone else can be something you push yourself to do, this practice can do more harm than good to your confidence as well as the growth of your brand!
It will make you feel like you're putting on a show, and acting as a character when you show up online. And to keep up this “made up” brand can be tough, stressful, and ultimately lead to burnout. So let’s nip the issue in the bud and prevent creative burnout! Here’s our recipe for staying true to yourself as a creative:
Define your values as a creator or brand. It’s really easy to get lost in the world of social media and content creation and forget why you started in the first place and what drives you to continue. Sitting down with yourself and being mindful and intentional in brainstorming your personal or brand values is a great exercise as well as will help you see what kinds of customers you hope to attract or what types of brands you are looking to collaborate with. Our 1:1 strategy sessions can be a great way to get started on defining and discovering your values. We also crafted a guided clarity workbook that you can utilize to find confidence in your brand.
Don’t feel the need to hop on every trend. A lot of the time, we may feel tempted to hop on every trend we see in the hopes of growing our accounts or going viral. However, if a trend doesn’t align with your values or strategy or just makes you feel uncomfortable, don’t feel the need to go against your gut and do it. Different trends work for different creators and it’s important to balance trends with authentic content that YOU want to put out there.
Focus on connection just as much as growth. As a creator, there’s a lot of emphasis on growing our accounts to x amount of followers, having x amount of likes or engagement, but it’s important to also focus on fostering genuine engagement and connections with your audience and community and one of the best ways to do that is to be yourself and create for yourself, not others.