I’m just going to be honest. Please stay with me because I think there are many other creatives out there who feel the same way I do. (I’d love to hear from you btw.)
Truth:
I feel bad for not posting on social media.
I feel bad for not shooting and writing every day.
I feel bad watching my creative friends stay consistent with their craft online as I watch like a common bystander.
The thing is - I’m not just being lazy. I’m working my tail off at school and work. My Instagram was active over the summer because I had a 9-5 job 5 days a week. The evenings and weekends were mine. I created. I explored. I took risks and made work that I felt proud about.
Now I’m back at school taking 12 hours (9 of which are project/creative heavy and require so much time outside of class to complete), a 20-hour a week job, plus freelancing for our town’s paper on the side.
I graduate in December, but let me tell you: I will have 184 hours when I graduate with two majors and two minors. I have completed several internships, specialty courses, study abroad, memberships and leaderships roles in organizations all the while maintaining a near perfect GPA (3.96).
AND YET. I feel terrible that I’m not posting everyday or every other day; that I’m not out there honing my craft. I should feel proud for what I’m accomplishing right now. I’m holding down internships and jobs that will further my future career. I’m going to leave with two degrees and two minors with so much experience it’s not even funny.
AND YET. I feel guilty every time I get on Instagram and I see my fellow creatives killing it day in and day out. I feel ashamed that I’m not sacrificing time on school and work to “pursue my dreams” and have “more passion” on my personal work than my professional.
I shouldn’t have to feel this way! Am I the only one that seems to be stuck in this rabbit hole?!
I know I can’t be.
Even as I write this, though, I want to tell my other creatives that feel the same way that our day will come. Our hard work away from the limelight of social media will pay off. Are you writing a column for your local paper that no one sees? GREAT. Are you file organizing for another photographer or company? FANTASTIC. Are you writing in your journal every day simply for the fact that you want to grow in your skill? BLESS YOU.
I know it can be easy to get caught up in the accounts, people, companies, and profiles of those that seem to just be killing it. I know I do. It’s easy sometimes to feel like they’re taking advantage of their time by creating when we’re here just drudging it out. I certainly feel like that a lot. Most (and I do mean most) of my photos, writing, and videos have come from school projects, work, or internships. Rarely do I work on my own interests because it’s just easier to finish for other people and put it up in my portfolio.
But hey - we’ve got this on our own time, own terms. Just do your thing when you can, and don’t let the pressures of social media get to you. (I’m clearly talking to myself right now, but y’all join in if you feel this will help! Ha!)
And just for the heck of it, I’m going to congratulate myself for writing this little post. I don’t really have the time to do something like this, but I did it anyway. I needed to get it off my chest and I wanted to share it with those of you who know where I’m coming from.
I don’t even have any new photos besides some local high school football shots to put on this post. That’s how behind I am, but I’m not going to let that get in the way of my victory!
Celebrate your little victories like I’m celebrating my little post. I’d love to hear about your struggles with the pressure to post or the little victories you celebrate so comment below!