2020 was the year we all struggled, we all had to stay inside, we all had to get creative when it came to going about our lives. Some of us stayed creative, some of us didn’t. Some of us learned new skills, some of us focused solely on surviving.
As this year comes to a close, I wanted to make a personal note to myself and other creators. As we stare 2021 in the face with uncertainty and maybe even fear. I want us to be kinder to ourselves and here’s my 7 tip plan for how we can do this.
- Remember that you are more than the content you create.
It’s so easy for us to feel that we need to give more of ourselves. It’s also easy for us to beat ourselves up when we fall short of those expectations. 2020 was a year that rocked the world and you were allowed to feel tired and unmotivated. You’re allowed to feel that way now too, It’s not realistic to be creating all the time no matter how much you enjoy it.
2. You cannot compare your day 15 to someone else’s day 1,825
We are all creating and learning at the pace we are meant to go. You may feel that what you deliver isn’t good enough compared to other people in your circle or your general community. These feelings are valid but they need to take the shape of furthering your skill sets, networking with people who share similar goals as you and giving yourself time and space to figure out what makes you unique.
Seriously If you’re reading this know that you are exactly where the universe needs you to be.
3. Surround yourself with people that motivate you & encourage you.
I spent a great deal of 2020 connecting with people who were open to encouraging and pushing me forward in my creative endeavors. Not just a connection but a genuine community. I couldn’t be more thankful for the little circle of creatives I have befriended and learned from. If you feel like you’re flying solo I strongly suggest you seek out other creatives in the same spaces as you. You can grow together and learn from each other and that’s part of the fun.
4. Remember that you are unique on your own
It can sometimes feel like you’re swimming in a sea of very talented people. Sometimes being in this sea can make you feel small. This is another valid feeling, but it’s a feeling that should take the shape of recognizing your talents, achievements, and all else that makes your creative journey fun. I find making a list works well! I’m pretty sure you can list 3 things about yourself right now that you’re amazing at. Research how you can explore those 3 things further.
Are there other people doing similar things that you can collaborate with?
Are there brands you can collaborate with?
Can you take this thing you’re good at and build a story around it?
5. START WHERE YOU ARE
It’s so easy to feel like you need this shiny camera, the best set up, this expensive equipment to create. To elevate your content you will, but do you need those things to get started? No. To give you some perspective I live in a 1 bedroom apartment in NYC, I do photoshoots in my hallway, I do my Youtube streams in my hallway, and I sew all my costumes at my kitchen table. I don’t have an Instagram worthy apartment at all, I don’t have aesthetic props or even furniture. I’ve been creating all 2020 using what I have at my disposal.
6. Keep a notebook
It doesn’t even have to be fancy it could even be a note pad,I find keeping a note-pad of sorts to jot down ideas as they come to me helps! This whole blog post was born from an idea written in my journal so that tells you the power in writing things down as they come to you.
7. Enjoy the journey!
In this age of social media and metrics, we get so caught up in numbers. How many followers, how many subscribers, how many retweets. We get so caught up in these vanity things that we forget to enjoy the creation of the content and the content we create. We forget to fall in love with the things we’ve crafted because we are so driven to want approval from our peers.
This is me and has been me a lot this year. In 2021 I want to give myself more room to create things regardless of how they’re received by the internet because 2020 has made me aware that the only way to be my authentic self is to love the process 1st and appreciate anything that comes after. My greatest wish is that you will do the same.
Kasually Kia 