My website went live two and a half weeks ago and my business was launched. I was full of excitement and enthusiasm, but I’m going to be honest the last two and a half weeks have been miserable. It feels like months not weeks, I have been stressed and anxious, full of self doubt. I felt like I was trapped inside a ball of wool and couldn’t find my way out. Surrounded by different strands that didn’t seem to lead anywhere, unable to find the beginning or the end.
Why you ask ? Well the short answer is Instagram. I am an Instagram novice. I have never been very active on social media, I read Facebook and Twitter on subjects that interest me but rarely comment or post. I had 0 Instagram followers. I didn’t even know how to create a post never mind make a reel or what a story was.
So I have spent the last few weeks learning this. In hindsight my first mistake was actually not learning about this before launching, however I didn’t think it was so difficult.
Image Karen penroz unsplashed
I was trapped in the middle of this ball of wool
Instagram rules
I have been watching utube videos and reading blogs and watching endless reels to find out what it was all about. My research led me to believe my instagram grid layout had to be all pretty with a repeating pattern. That I had to post everyday and also upload a story everyday and I had to post a video reel several times a week. I have two accounts @mywitchyshop and @danaredmoon. It was taking up my whole day, all the planning and scheduling, the creating and posting. It was exhausting and intimidating, but most of all frustrating. It was taking hours. I was miserable having spent all day everyday in instagram hell.
Stuck in a loop
While I was stuck in the instagram planning, creating and posting loop I was unable to focus on the things that mattered. I wanted to be creating wellbeing bundles, writing the letters to go in the boxes full of information, suggestions and tips. I wanted to be writing blogs. I wanted to be doing the things I am passionate about which is promoting magickal wellbeing, self-care and self- empowerment.
Furthermore I definitely was not following my own advice, I was not being self-caring, my own wellbeing practice was pushed to one side.
The self-care bath ritual reel
It became clear on Friday evening that my own wellbeing practice and self-care was being pushed to one side, when I decided I was going to have a ritual self-care bath. Now this type of bath is different to just taking a bath, it is done with intention and focus. The scene is set with crystals, bath salts, incense and candles all corresponding to self-love, nurture and self compassion. I may choose to read something inspiring or sit with my own thoughts.
Now because I was influenced by the belief I had to be constantly posting content on instagram I decided to kill 2 birds with one stone and video my bath set up. Needless to say my self-care ritual bath was no longer a self-loving act. I was so focused on taking the video I was unable to put my focus and energy into the bath ritual. When I stopped the video and lay back in the bath I was stressing about uploading the video, would it need editing and if so how do I do that. All magickal intention had been lost.
The weekend
My weekend pretty much continued in the same vain. I posted a Sunday check list ‘Do nothing” tick ‘Chill” tick. It felt dishonest, because it was. I definitely was not chilled I was busy trying to analyse the engagement my posts had received and plan the next two weeks posts. I even posted a photo of my lunch. Why? Why? Why? was I doing these things that didn’t feel right, didn’t feel authentic and made me feel uncomfortable.
I spent a sleepless night feeling icky about the whole thing. Monday morning I felt worse than ever thinking about the posts I had to get out before helping my daughter with something in the afternoon.
The unplugging
Then I stopped I didn’t turn on my laptop, I didn’t check Instagram. I made coffee and I sat at my altar. I lit my candles and incense and I took the time to just be. I just stopped to listen to myself, my own inner voice, I grounded myself and I pulled some cards.
I unplugged from the outside voices and influences and only then could I hear myself and know what I needed to do. I asked myself several questions
Q. Why did I need to sit here this morning?
Because I am stressed, anxious, overwhelmed.
Q. What is making me feel like that?
The pressure to create and post on social media everyday.
Q. Why do I think I need to do that?
Because I have read/heard I need to.
Q. Why do they say I need to?
To get views and follows, to be seen as legitimate, to be taken seriously, to gain a social media presence. To grow my business.
Q. Why do I not want to be posting everyday?
Because right now it is taking up to much time, creating a lot of anxiety and making me feel overwhelmed and doubt myself. It is taking up time and energy that I want to be spending on my business, creating beautiful bundles to promote magickal self-care and wellbeing. I want to be writing to inspire others.
Q. Am I happy with what I have posted so far?
Short answer no it has been about quantity not quality. Taking the ritual bath as an example, posting about ritual baths could be of value, but only alongside an explanation of why and how they can be used as a wellbeing tool. Explaining how they bring a little bit of magick into your life by utilising energetic correspondence and how it is a self-empowering and self -loving act. A reel without context is of no value.
Q. So what are you going to do?
Stop posting everyday, plan to post 2 or 3 times a week, quality post that are relevant and have a purpose. Post only things that make me feel good and I believe will be of value to someone else.
Q. What else?
Put my focus and energy in the foundations of my business. The message I want to convey. Create a solid business foundation based on my beliefs and authenticity. Create the bundles explain why I have chosen the items I have for each bundle. Share the magick that I enjoy in my own life and feel so passionately about.
Not my actual Altar
My Mistake
I believed the discourse about social media the must dos and the should dos. I believed the message I was receiving that the only way to get my business seen and for it to grow was to post everyday. That my own worth and my businesses worth was based on likes and follows. I followed the herd. I didn’t question the why or if that strategy was the right one for me or my business. I didn’t check if the herd was going in the direction I wanted to go. I lost sight of my own authenticity, my business aims, and my values that are reflected in my business.
What did I learn?
To listen to my own inner voice, trust my intuition. If something does not feel right for my business, trust it probably is not right. Take the time to stop and check in with myself. Stop to check in with my business aims and ensure it is not being put of track by outside influences. Don’t follow the herd if they are not going in the direction I want to go.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
