For longer than I care to admit, this is where I was stuck – the space in between – in between where I wanted to take my business and where I was comfortably complacent (and, well, straight-up scared). 

 

What was I really scared of though?

 

I am not “new” to graphic design. I didn’t just wake up today and decide it would be fun to try my hand at being a designer – I’ve been doing it for far longer than a hot second. So what was holding me back?

 

Rejection – the fear of the ever-intimidating, ever-existing, ever-in-my-brain rejection I might face by putting myself out there for the world to see.  

 

Comparison – that wretched thief of joy who every time I scroll through my news feeds and see the work of those I admire steals my confidence that I might be just as good. The fear that there is no way I might stack up against the designers to whom I aspire to be like someday, the designers whose work blows me away. The thief that makes me forget that they too once had to put themselves out there to get where they are. The thief that makes me forget that everyone starts somewhere!

 

Fear of the unknown – the complete and total lack of knowing what is going to happen, but doing it anyway.

 

These are the things that kept my brain reeling at night, deciding whether or not I should stick with what’s been working thus far or go for something more – something bigger!

 

So, how did I get over my fears? Well, I didn’t – I just decided it was time to face them and let things happen. I mean, what is the worst that can go wrong? People won’t like my work (?) yes, that would be a bummer – but here’s the thing, I know that people like my work because I have clients. I am a digital marketing and social media strategist on top of it all – I work in design all day, every day. The difference is that the clients I do have I have gone after, or have been referred to me – I have never opened my business up to public scrutiny before. I have never put myself out there for people to reach out to me, to seek me out as their designer, and in all honesty, I have been doing not only myself a disservice, but all of you a disservice for not letting you see that you might need me to rock your brand to new heights!

 

So here I am, putting myself out there, practicing what I preach to my tiny human – believing in myself and recognizing that I can do hard and wonderfully beautiful things when I get out of my own darn way!