October 24, 2020

Take a look at your Instagram profile. Is it filled with images of your latest project? Timelapses of your most recent work sesh? Beautifully designed graphics for another happy customer?

If you’re reading this, the answer is likely a resounding “Yes!” What you have is an aesthetically pleasing feed with no sign of human life.

How do I know? I used to do the same thing.

I see all you talented designers and muralists hiding behind mood boards and mockups. I see you doing it because it’s easy to put your work on full display. You think it’s what your audience wants to see. But what if I told you that your audience wants to see you too?

Well, it’s true. When you show up online – as your full self – you attract your people. The people YOU want to work with. The people YOU want to surround yourself with.

It’s why you need to stop hiding behind your brand.

If perfectionism is getting in the way of you connecting with your community and having a good time doing it, DM me on Instagram where I talk more about how to overcome what’s holding you back. I love diving into this work, and I'm here to support you to do the same.

Now, back to 3 reasons why it’s important to share about yourself rather than keep things strictly business.

1. You can relate to your audience

When’s the last time you sat down with a book that made you want to tell other people about it? For me, it was recently when I read “Building a Story Brand” by Donald Miller. In it, he talks about how we're all looking for how to survive. Does your audience look to you as creating a community, making them more money, or bringing them more status? You get to solve these innate needs for them.

But how? Be vulnerable. Share more than your latest project. Turn the camera around to show your face. Tell people what you drink when you read emails. Open up about what helps you set your day up for success, why you only rescue black dogs, what you did over the weekend, or how you practice self-care and avoid burnout. People want to connect with you. Work is great, but you’re also a human.

I get that it’s easier said than done. I didn’t use to show my face online or allow myself to be vulnerable. I worried so much that if I opened up, I wouldn’t be good enough for people or they would think it was weird that I shared something personal. But it isn't! People want to relate to you. And they can’t do that unless they feel like they know you.

If you're not sharing about yourself, how is that coming across to your audience? For one, it makes it harder for them to find and connect with you. Let’s talk more about this.

2. It’s easier to find your community

I used to never share my face because I felt like it “wasn't professional.” The result was I would only post murals and design work. I was sharing my skill, but not who I was as a creative. It was work-driven because, as I mentioned, I thought I was being “professional.”

Want to know what that was really about? It was me scared to share more of myself.

My feed before I stepped out from behind my brand.

Now that I do share, I connect on a deeper level with people. When I open up more about myself as a person, turn the camera around to show my face, and share behind the scene moments of my murals, that’s when I found my community. People want to know you beyond what you do for work… even if you’re really good at what you do.

People are looking for other people to connect with. That’s why I encourage you to share the good AND bad, the professional AND personal, the perfect AND imperfect.

My audience isn’t just a bunch of people who follow me because I post mural mockups. It’s also not just people looking to hire me for design or murals. I found a community of creatives like me who want to heal their perfectionism, charge their Holy Fuck Pricing, and feel seen, heard, loved, and understood — and that's what we all want at the end of the day.

My feed after I stopped hiding behind my brand and put my authentic self forward.

3. Lastly, you get to have fun!

The other thing we all want? To enjoy life. When you show up as yourself, that’s when you can! “Authentic” and “genuine” aren’t just buzzwords, they have depth. When you show up authentically, you get to be you, which is so much less stressful than trying to be perfect.

Speaking of not trying to be perfect, your Instagram Stories are a great place to practice. Stories disappear after 24 hours, so you can give your audience a taste of your silliness or slide in with your smiling face. Use it as a space to share behind-the-scenes, your opinions and perspectives (even on controversial topics if you dare!), and your lovely face. It’s a great place to get comfortable being vulnerable. Allow this type of content to fill your feed as you feel more at ease sharing yourself with the world.

So, in summary …

If you didn’t know already, my mission statement is “to help you be seen and heard.” It’s how I get to make an impact on the world. I learned that when you accept yourself first, you stop holding yourself back. Plus, I did it, so I know you can do it too. Remember, getting comfortable sharing more of yourself is a journey, not a destination. The more you practice, the more confident you become.

If you want support coming out from behind your own brand and getting comfortable with yourself, book a Power Hour Session so we can have you feeling confident and proud of yourself! You deserve to be seen!

3 Reasons It’s Time to Get Comfortable Sharing More of Yourself (And Stop Hiding Behind Your Brand)