This post is inspired by the answer in IG story. I asked my followers “What is the most challenging thing you faced as a beginner?” One answer stood out to me.
Setbacks or Set up
Most people take mistakes as setbacks and define them as failures. It’s all about mindset. Your ego protects you from getting hurt. And that’s normal.
Are they setting you up for betterment? If you’ve improved since the mistakes, they are stepping stones to success. The question is: what do you learn from these experiences?
Is it true that you’re the worst critic of yourself?
As someone who posts every day on social media, I am still learning to be kinder to myself. Understand that others will have their own opinions no matter what.
For example, I was scared to post my street photography on my feed. Believe it or not, street photography doesn’t do as well as sunset photos or travel photos. But if I’m being true to myself, I have to post them to satisfy my creative urge. This is the authentic me.
We all have “theories” or explanations in our heads when things don’t go the way we thought. e.g. Algorithm.
I know that sometimes we can feel powerless, but we have the ability to change our story. While the algorithm may be beyond our control, pursuing what you love can truly energize you. For me, photography is a genuine form of expression. I choose to share my passion with others because I want to, not because I have to.
Letting go of the “failure vs. success” mindset is such a freeing experience. Right now, I’m focusing on the impact I can make and sharing my message with the world.
If things get tough, don’t hesitate to take a break—take as long as you need!
As a full-time content creator, it’s easy to get caught in the hamster wheel and risk burnout. I took a break at the end of last year to recharge, and during those two weeks, I came up with the idea to revamp my tutorial designs and organize my photos by genre, so my audience knows what to expect. This approach allows me to lighten the load, giving me more time to rest and clear my mind. I’ve shifted from grounding myself once a week to doing it twice, and I now dedicate half an hour each day to light reading. I have finished 6 books in the past 3 months. My eyes definitely appreciate this change!
Everything is a work in progress, and the algorithm does not define our worth. Next year, when we look back, we’ll be amazed at how far we’ve come. Even if things didn’t go well in the past, I’m grateful for today to keep moving forward or start over. Each day offers a fresh start!
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I had this post in draft for months. This morning, I saw an Instagram friend mention that he lost motivation to post due to a lack of growth in numbers. This reminder prompted me to finish this.