Hi friend,
I was at a party a few weeks ago. I met some of my school seniors where three of them came up to me and told me they enjoy my LinkedIn content.
My cheeks turned red.
Even the cocktail that I was sipping on felt warmer in the already warm summer evening outdoors with the cooler hitting my face with cold air.
Nobody in my life outside the internet ever said that because most of my friends and family don’t even know what I do for a living. I don’t send them my articles or tweets (just like they don’t send me their PowerPoints).
All the compliments that I’m so grateful for come online. But this was the first time I heard them instead of reading them.
It hit differently.
I was embarrassed and got awkward.
You see, so far the online world has been about reaching all these unknown people. But these were people I’d known for a decade, and I couldn’t take a compliment.
Deep down, and I know this is harsh to say — I felt I don’t deserve it.
My Twitter friend Jim calls it the fat-child syndrome. He and I were both obese during high school which took a toll on our self-worth. So when somebody compliments us now, we just can’t take it.
And it’s so wrong.
Because I should’ve been proud of it. I do inside think I’m half-decent, after all.
When LinkedIn Top Voice happened, I spent the entire day feeling indifferent. Again, a little voice whispered to me, “I don’t deserve it”.
And then a bigger voice said, “your friends or family didn’t decide this. LinkedIn did. They’re the authority here”.
It felt better.
“The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.” – Sylvia Plath
Friends, in the process of not taking any wins to my head so I stay humble, I feel I forget to enjoy and celebrate small wins.
I’m numbing my successes because I just want to keep working hard.
What is life without joy?
Give yourself an excuse to consciously feel happier.
Favourite Tweets
See Me on Video
I did my first ever LinkedIn video. I was SO SO SO awkward and nervous but people gave me so much love that I want to do this again.
And I will, every weekend. Stay tuned 😉
You can see it here.
I put out the first episode of Solopreneur Sundays a few hours ago. Check it out here and let me know if you’d want me to talk about anything specific.
Interesting Reads
If you want to read more from me, check out these articles:
That’s all for today friends.
I actually want my newsletters to get shorter because whenever I receive a long newsletter I end up skimming through it.
And I hope mine don’t make you do that, at least from now.
Have a lovely weekend and a great week ahead :)
Love,
N
PS: My Linkedin Content Mastery Playbook is out for pre-launch and there’s an exciting offer inside when you use the code LAUNCH.
I totally relate with Fat child syndrome, it explains so much to me now.. and i am just a new member of your newsletter, and I really look forward every week to read it