Many of us are living parts of our lives in a public way. With so many ways to instantly transmit parts of your day via Instagram, Twitter, blogs, and a slew of other new instant-sharing platforms (I’m an admitted TikTok virgin)—it is more of a challenge to maintain a real balance of positivity, authenticity, and real talk when choosing what to post, when, and why.
That’s why I wanted to dive into how I try to balance positivity and authenticity when contributing to this overall online forum—whether through my company’s blog and Instagram or (gulp) through my own personal channels.
photo by steven simko
I Keep Some Things Private
That’s right. I keep elements of my life completely for me.
As a self-described extroverted introvert, I can do the public-facing thing—and I love connecting with our audience face-to-face. But, I also cherish my private life.
Don’t get me wrong, I love seeing your morning routines, your post-workout sweaty selfies, and your fabulous weekend trips to the desert or the beach. For me, though, I like to keep my personal life private. It’s part of who I am, how I recharge, and how I conserve my energy.
I (Try To) Keep A Running List of Achievements
This is harder than it seems! Running a business makes it almost impossible to slow down and celebrate small wins, but I am trying to do it more often.
If the accomplishment is a credit to my team, I definitely try to slow it down, to acknowledge it, and maybe share a few pastries to really soak it in together.
Personally, creating a space to celebrate achievements is admittedly a little more difficult. Here are a few ways I celebrate my own wins.
- Tell a loved one about it (maybe a best friend, your partner, or even your mom!)
- Post about it on social media (sometimes a little humble brag isn’t a bad thing!)
- Treat yourself (it can be a massage, a pedicure, or whatever makes you feel good)
- Take a moment to write it down + how it makes you feel (you can easily keep a running list on your notes app or insert into your planner.)
I Own My Mistakes
In my opinion, the biggest way to make a mistake even bigger is to try to ignore it or push it aside.
When I make a mistake, I try my best to own it and address it—I even address it publicly, if need be. Over the past year, I’ve made a few mistakes, it’s true! But, I think you’d be surprised how quickly a storm can pass if you own your mistakes, apologize for them (when necessary), and, most importantly, learn from them.
I Acknowledge That I’m A Work In Progress (Spoiler Alert: We All Are)
Many of us have been closely acquainted with impostor syndrome or a negative inner voice at one point or another. Instead, we should focus on combatting—and shutting down—impostor syndrome.
Here’s what I try to do. It’s simple and so difficult all at once. I acknowledge and honor the fact that I am a work in progress. We all are!
As long as I wake up every day, can practice some forms of gratitude for what I do have, and learn from my mistakes, then I am learning.
If we’re learning, we’re growing.
How do you balance positivity and authenticity in your life and business?
