Recently, I’ve seen posts on Instagram pondering whether or not a person should be embarrassed for posting “like an influencer” when they only have a few followers. As a person with very few followers on my knitting-focused account, this prompt instinctively made me feel anxious, wondering to myself, “Have I unknowingly done something embarrassing?”
The honest answer is that I don’t really know, but I do know that I have always been a creator. In every part of my world, I love using my skills to bring an idea to life. From raw materials to finished product – that’s the kind of transformation I want to be a part of!
Having a creator mindset doesn’t stop at one craft or hobby. It is a part of me in all aspects of life, including my professional interests. I look at the world with possibility, and everything around me can be a tool for inspiration and, ultimately, creation.
“The only unique contribution that we will ever make in this world will be born of our creativity. If we want to make meaning, we need to make art. Cook, write, draw, doodle, paint, scrapbook, take pictures, collage, knit, rebuild an engine, sculpt, dance, decorate, act, sing—it doesn’t matter. As long as we’re creating, we’re cultivating meaning.”
-Brene Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection
So, yes, I have fun exploring new ways to create, like video editing, photography, etc., even when I am bad at it. I know that my skills will grow, even if my follower count never does.
Ultimately, Instagram posts challenge me in a different way than writing this blog, but both require vulnerability. I am not embarrassed to be true to myself, and I believe that real connection (even on the internet) can happen from an authentic place, regardless of the number of followers on an account.
I’ll keep bravely posting with the same goals that I’ve always had, which could easily be summarized as a mission to create & connect.
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