Putting yourself out there.

We all know it’s hard to stand up in front of a group of people and start blabbing. We all know some people have a severe fear of public speaking and a fear of ridiculing themselves. Sometimes these fears are completely understandable. Sometimes, they are so over the top that it can or does become a traumatic experience.

Then there are the people that grow into the role of public speaking as my brother and I have. We have been groomed, so to speak by our family business. While at first, it was a small family business that ran from the basement of our house, it eventually grew into a 250-employee manufacturing giant.

A little bit at a time.

While growing up with the business, we got used to speaking to more and more people. These baby steps ensured the fact that we didn’t get thrown in front of 200 people all at once. Playing soccer and being in the spotlight also helped.

But then there is the camera.

So now we have social media and things suddenly change. The public speaking role was one thing. However, speaking before a camera, well that’s an entirely different thing. Seeing yourself being played back on a screen and hearing your voice can be a very scary proposition.

When I first started my social media accounts, I cringed at hearing my voice and turned down the volume all the time. Slowly this passed and I got used to speaking to hundreds of people at a time both on-screen and off-screen. Now it was time for something new. I had to get my brother on TikTok for the first time.

It is harder than it looks.

My brother is pretty tech-savvy. He knows the basics of how things work. However, put him in front of the camera and his fears and anxiety will rise for sure.

It is different to navigate this social media machine that we are now accustomed to. Women in general grasp this better. Must be the fact of putting on makeup and seeing themselves in the mirror more often. I am unsure. However, getting my brother to appear on camera and do a few shots was not that easy. He was afraid to make a mistake and like all of us, he too is self-conscious.

Such is life in the digital age. Such is business life and building a personal brand. Better get used to it and better get hold of this new life we have all needed to adapt to. Social media is not going away. If you have yet to post a video of yourself talking, try it. Have fun and get used to seeing your face and hearing your voice… It sure is fun!