PS. I like you is a newsletter for creative humans with self-doubt. Subscribe and read along to get answers to all the questions you didn’t know you had about self-doubt and making a creative life 🌿
I post things on social media. Most people don’t see them.
I’m not mad about this — that’s how the algorithm works. That’s how our lives work.
But, it means I am left with the thought that a lot people are not seeing the ideas and thoughts that I share. And, not to sound narcissistic, I know that some people would really benefit from seeing and hearing the ideas that I share.
So, here’s a few things I’ve shared recently that you may have missed: (If you haven’t been hanging out on my social media profile all day, I forgive you!)
One.
If you’re currently working towards something and it feels like you’re not making progress, chances are you’re not seeing the progress you’re actually making.
If this is you, make a Progress Document.
However you want to note it, note down:
Actions you are taking
Thoughts you’re having while you take those actions
Things you are learning
Results you create
If you do this on a consistent basis (this doesn’t need to mean every day — but it does need to become a habit) you will very quickly see your progress. You will see all the things you are doing, all the things you are learning, and all the ‘little things’ you create along the way.
What this will do is give your brain evidence that you are creating. Even if it isn’t perfect. Even if it doesn’t always result in what you wanted to create. You. are. learning. You are creating. You are making progress.
And, you will see all the things that work and all the things that could be improved. You will see all the steps you have taken to get the results you create, and you will be able to know for next time you want to create something.
Imagine doing this for 90 days. Imagine even 30 days. I’ve currently got a 8,000+ word document in my Google Docs with
alllots of the things I have been learning and doing for the past five weeks. I would not be aware of, let alone remember, half the stuff I have done over the last five weeks, if I didn’t have this document.I have no doubt in my mind that I am making progress. And, I can see exactly what I’m doing (and thinking and feeling) to help me feel that way.
I encourage you to try it. And see how you feel 🌿
Two.
You know, I wrote about Progress Documents on my Instagram a few days ago. I shared it on my stories and posted it in a carousel. It got a decent number of saves — so I knew people found it helpful.
I then posted the same information, in a Reel.
That reel got 13 times the number of likes and 8.5 times the number of saves than the post did.
My point isn’t that everyone should just do Reels. (Please, no!) My point is that different people consume things differently; and I’m glad I didn’t give up after one post and decide that no one else needed to hear this information.
I’m sure some people ended up seeing both the post and the reel. Here, I could think they might be annoyed. But my thought is, ‘Excellent. They’re going to have seen it twice. That makes it more memorable. Maybe someone will try it now, where as before they were just going to think, ‘that’s a nice idea.’”
I could choose to think that sending you a newsletter with information I have already posted on social media is annoying. I could choose to think that people don’t want to be reminded about this thing yet again.
Don’t worry, those thoughts have crossed my mind. (Or else I couldn’t articulate them to you now!)
But I could also equally choose to think that some people reading this newsletter have NEVER come across the idea of a progress document. And they might really benefit from hearing it! They might start applying it today and change their lives. They might use it for the next 60 days and see that actually, they are making the progress their brain constantly tells them they’re not making — and that might be the difference between them giving up and seeing through the project or creation they really care about.
I can have both thoughts. I can think that people will find me annoying. And I can think that people will find this information super helpful.
Both can be true. Both might be true. But I get to decide how much weight I give to those thoughts. I get to decide how much hold those thoughts have on my attention.
If you’re having thoughts that you might be annoying people — or that you’ve already said something and ‘do people really need to hear this again?’ — then search out the thoughts that are going to help you. Search out thoughts that feel supportive — of your creations and your endeavours. Choose the thoughts that remind you of the person you want to help, or reach, today 🌿
Three.
I’m not really one for lots of inspirational quotes, but every so often you get hit by one at exactly the right time. So here’s one I’m sharing if you need to hear it.
“One day you will wake up and there won’t be any more time to do the things you’ve always wanted. Do it now.”
- Paulo Coelho
PS. I like you
Are you a creative with self-doubt? I can help you. I know there’s a whole load of coaches and programmes and communities out there. I know there’s a lot of choices and options, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
If you’ve never worked with a 1-1 coach before, I’d encourage you to try it. I’d encourage you to see for yourself what it feels like to work with someone on a 1-1 basis, and to see the progress you can make in a surprisingly short amount of time.
When you have someone focused on you, and giving you the tools you need, you will start believing in yourself a whole load quicker than you thought you might.
This isn’t to knock other ways of working. All types of support offer their own features and benefits. But working with a 1-1 coach offers a unique opportunity to have tailored, specific and consistent support. Tailored and specific to your needs and your circumstances; where you are, right now.
If you’d like to discuss whether I’m the right 1-1 coach for you, book a consult call. 🌿