Don’t be Your Own Best Kept Secret

Do you have a body of artwork waiting for the world to find it? Do you need to market your work but can’t take the leap?

In this post, I want to address something that I hear often from artists.  That is the fear of putting yourself out there – whether creating a website to show your work, writing a blog post, or putting your work out on social media.

It can be scary for many people, particularly those (like me!) born before the advent of the iPhone, blogging, and social media.  

Don’t keep your artwork a secret!

Don’t let FEAR keep you from sharing your work!

I’ve also struggled with this, whether it was pushing “publish” on my first blog post or presenting to a group of strangers live and then on Zoom.

But I’ve learned some things to make this easier for you.

First, did you know it is usually easier to present to strangers than people you know? So if you’ve been able to share some things with your friends and family and that went ok, it will probably be easier to share it with people who don’t know you.

You have to do it. You can read every book on blogging, marketing, or social media. Still, the only way to get comfortable putting yourself out there is to DO it – by getting uncomfortable!

The butterflies never truly go away for me. I still get them occasionally, depending on what I’m doing, whenever I speak live or on Zoom. I’m nervous because I want to ensure I bring value to the people spending their time engaging with me.

Make it Effortless

Having a system is the best way to take the stress of putting yourself out there. 

Having a simple system to follow makes these activities that can cause you constant consternation easy. For example, if it’s a blog post you are writing, using a set system will get you in the habit of writing and sharing. If it’s a talk you must give, an outline and proper planning can give you all the confidence you need to start. Then, use that template for upcoming engagements. 

Fear isn’t something to be ashamed of having. Instead, it means you care about what you are doing and the impact that your work will have on people.   

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