YOUR INSPIRATIONAL REMINDER #4
So this week’s reminder may have come straight from me watching Cinderella earlier in the week, but I think it might be my favourite phrase of all time.
One of the themes I’ve been noticing recently – in conversations with you, in conversations with me and in the things I’ve been paying attention to – is the idea of there being too much out there.
I know, I know. You’re sick of hearing about all the noise. But hear me out.)
I’m noticing that whenever we have a new idea for something we think, Oh I bet that’s already been done before. She’s so much better at that than me. I’ll never be able to compete. There’s just no point, there’s too much out there already. I can’t get myself known.
But I’m starting to believe that we’re categorising that too generally.
I’ve been having a lot of chats with someone I know lately about her job. I won’t get deep into the details, but she’s basically moving into a more important role and a couple of people aren’t happy about it – because she’s moving up and not them.
One conclusion I came to is that it doesn’t matter who we are in a situation. It matters how we handle it.
So let’s look at this job thing as an example. There are two ways this person could handle it. She could become really arrogant about her new position and do everything to make it known to others that she’s the one that moved up and not them. Or, because of the bitterness of the other people, she could rise above that and handle things in a much more mature way than them.
Let’s relate this to the blogging industry. Yes, you could take a step back from everything and feel negative about the fact that it’s so much harder to get yourself noticed now. But how about thinking differently? How about doing it anyway? How about recognising that even if something has been done before, you’re using your own voice to tell the story?
Have courage and be kind.
Many of us suffer from the fear of competition and it’s a mentality that we need to stop. We look at other bloggers and wish we could be as successful as them. Or we look at their content and wish ours could be as good as theirs. But I think where we fall down is thinking that every blogger out there is the same. Where we fall down is thinking too generally.
For example, I share a lot of bloggers content on social media. Different articles every day, because what they create is good and I know it will benefit my audience if they read it. They usually always tweet me back saying, “Thanks for sharing!” But sometimes I’ll get a reply saying, “Thanks so much for sharing! How’s your week going so far?”
That simple act of asking a question separates people on social media completely in half. They’re keeping the conversation going. They want to hear from you.
So what I’m coming to realise is that I can get all the “thanks for sharing” messages I want. But it’s when I get a reply that wants to continue a conversation that I know is worth paying attention to.
This is what separates us as bloggers. This is what separates us as people. This is where the generalities aren’t right anymore. This is where you can make yourself known.
So what do you do to make yourself stand out?
Have courage and be kind. Don’t feel like you have to do what everyone else is doing to get ahead. Don’t feel like you have to create the next best course. Don’t feel like you have to write 3,000 word blog posts if you don’t want to.
The way you stand out in life and online is by having the courage to be yourself and do your thing. And being kind. Being effortlessly kind.
If you liked this inspirational reminder, check out the rest of the Your Inspirational Reminder series - a weekly blog post where I inspire readers that they can get to where they want to be, even if they don't know where that is yet.
Leave a comment and let me know - how are you going to use the reminder this week? Here's to being inspired. And make sure to use the #YourInspirationalReminder hashtag on Instagram to document your journey.