I work with several clients who are in high-vulnerability industries. We're talking healthcare, organizational conflict management, survivor advocacy โ genres of work where people's lives and livelihoods are quite literally on the line, and introspection, restorative practices, and humanity are necessities.
And yet, many of my clients feel weird about having their faces all over their socials.
I've had several conversations about this over the last few weeks where I've gotten to quote one of my favorite episodes of Schitt's Creek.
You know that episode where David is going for his driving test and he's panicking about how he's going to be perceived and Alexis tells him, "Nobody cares, David?"
Fun fact: IT'S TRUE.
You look at your face all the time. In the mirror. In your phone. In pictures. On your social media. Of course you're tired of seeing it! And we're our own worst critics, so of course you feel like however you're showing up isn't good enough.
But you know who wants to see your face? People who are coming to your account. Especially with work that is deeply vulnerable, no one wants to hear about that from a faceless account. They probably made it to your socials because they saw your face in another video, and they want more of your face! They want to see the human behind this work. They are here to see YOU, specifically!
The reality is โ like Alexis tells David โ "people aren't thinking about you the way that you're thinking about you." It's a dangerous trap to start policing the way you show up because of how you think other people perceive you โ especially when you have evidence to the contrary.
Anyone who doesn't want to see you? They're not for you. Everyone else? Is here for you exactly as you are.
It's okay to be uncomfortable about showing up. But do it anyway. Bring your humanity to your socials, and, by extension, to your online community. That's what people are looking for ๐งก
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