3 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD PROMOTE YOURSELF IN 2021

……Yes love, sometimes it’s actually okay to blow your own trumpet

Remember I mentioned one of my major reasons for starting my blog is to encourage other young people, through my personal life journey and lessons to be the best versions of themselves. I haven’t lived long enough to talk about life the way I do, and it naturally comes to me, but I know that I have definitely experienced things worth sharing. I have learned and unlearnt things worth sharing, I also know you might just be experiencing the very same thing and feeling like I felt the very first time I experienced it. I’m here so you don’t have to go through it alone, lol.

I know like me, in the past or present many of you have really wanted to do something, sell something, make something or even be something at some point and just couldn’t get yourself to carry out the action. Sometimes it’s as little as being scared to sell yourself, to promote yourself shamelessly in front of people, to promote your business or handwork, to show people how good you are and can be at what you do.

I used to feel a type of way about just promoting myself the way I see people do every day for no major reason, but I have moved past that. In the past, I would criticize my efforts till I decide not to go with the idea and then be frustrated that I didn’t do it. I never understood where this feeling of shame, in some cases fear came from each time. The quarantine period in the past year really gave me an opportunity to sit with myself and think. When I thought about it to myself I realized there’s a thin line between Self- promoting your work and what you believe in and just spamming people.

“Without Promotion, something terrible happens, NOTHING”

-Phineas Taylor Barnum

I’ll give you reasons why you should definitely promote yourself in 2021;

1. THERE’S NO CORRELATION BETWEEN PRIDE AND SELF PROMOTION

Most of the time people love the idea of being viewed as humble to people around them and for the most part waiting for other people to sing their praises. The belief that talking good about yourself or your handwork some worth reflects pride is a way of thinking that most people have internalized and this makes it even difficult to self-promote.

I think for me it was a constant conscious effort not to appear prideful or boastful that I struggled with the most because I already had a bold personality. Thinking like this made it rather easy to do nothing but just hope people knew what I could do and how good I was at it. In an ever-competitive world, where there will always be people doing the very same things as you, you definitely should be comfortable with promoting yourself, your work, or your craft.

2. MOST TIMES IT’S ACTUALLY YOUR EGO.

Most times your fear is rooted in your ego. People do not want to be viewed as desperate or needing money, but the truth is, whether it is money or something else, we all need something. And there is definitely nothing wrong with putting yourself out there to get what you need, there is nothing wrong with showing people your value. Live your truth, if you need something, and promoting yourself and your craft will help you get it, then get out of your own head and go for it.

3. NOT EVERYONE YOU’LL MEET IS A FORTUNE TELLER

I just think when you’re not proactive about showing people your value or promoting yourself, you automatically assume that these people are going to recognize your value. And in most cases, that never really happens. it’s really not a joke when people say “a closed mouth is a closed destiny”, it is key to know when and how to pitch yourself or your idea.

On the other hand, people are scared of getting criticisms from other people, so they just stay in their comfort zones and do nothing. The thing with criticism is that it actually makes you get better at what you do, and as someone trying to promote yourself, criticism would only challenge you to ensure you put your best out there.

It only gets better from here, get out of your own head and sell that product/service, get that internship, be that person you want to be, be proactive about promoting yourself and your craft this year.

If this was helpful, please let me know in the comments below.

With Love,

Renita.