For all of you creatives out there who are a) just starting out or b) have had your business for years, I have a key word that is going to change your life : “UNFOLLOW“. Okay, don’t get me wrong, it sounds harsh but really it’s a life saver. Let me give you a back story. Three years ago when I started out as a wedding photographer I followed everyone, and I mean EVERYONE. I would religiously follow their blogs and even try to manipulate their styles (I know I’m not alone in this). I thought that by following people I was learning new things when really, I was hurting myself. I don’t think there is anything wrong with following people, in fact I still follow a ton of people. The thing is- you need to know what is safe for your creativity and heart. Being a creative is a precious gift, and a talent given from God so why not treasure it? The more attention I gave to what others were doing the more I became insecure with myself. I started comparing myself and really – lost who I was. Lets be real – we have all been there. The scenario goes like this – you are innocently scrolling through Instagram or Facebook and you see a fellow creative’s work. You click it, and then you glance back at your own work and your mind starts racing. The negative feelings start pouring in ; “Why am I not where they are? I’m not as good as them. I should do _____ like them.” The list goes on and you know what you are doing? You are poisoning your creative flow. The best advice I can give is to simply click, “unfollow”. Social media is not bad if you monitor it. Does it mean you don’t like the person? No! It just means that you don’t need to see everything they post, that way, you can focus on your own talents. Focus on what YOU can contribute to this world. After all – you were uniquely made and there is only one of you so why not embrace it?
