insiderblmApparently, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp have been down all day, and as a person who has a business brain, I know that translates into billions lost. Ouch!
At this point, I’ve seen people blame Trump, hackers and/or aliens. So really, no one knows what’s going on yet. But what really struck a nerve with me was when I started seeing frantic posts by internet marketers on my feed (when Facebook came back still wonky).
It got me thinking about how many people rely on Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms to make a living, including me. I remember a few years ago, my coaching business was 100% online.
I said I wanted to do in-person workshops, and really get out there for more events, retreats and in-person client intensives, but I didn’t do anything about consistently it for a while because frankly, I got comfortable being online.
My youngest was still in diapers, and I was dealing with a bunch of limiting beliefs about sharing more of my message. It was easy and fun to post in Facebook groups all day and make 3, 4, 5 figures a week. Sharing my stories, giving value and “showing up” with great content was easy as pie.
Helping people by simply talking to them from my soul on a video call while they are on the other side of the world? I loved it! Yes, I knew I was still playing small, but it helped feed my ego who turned out to be gagging my soul, but that’s another post.
So earlier today, when I tried to log on to do as I do daily: share my message on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, it shut down before my very eyes. It all seemed so deliberate, I swear, I thought I was the one that had broken the internet. It felt personal. It kind of stung.
I wasn’t upset, and I quickly surrendered to the whole thing and enjoyed my day, but I didn’t like the way it made me feel about one of the biggest ways I thought I was sharing my message with the world.
So, like any self-aware person committed to excellence who doesn’t take her own bullshit, I asked myself why.
I knew part of it was because somewhere inside, I still had a nagging belief that Facebook was the only way I was going to be heard faster and by more people. Listen, I don’t have millions of people flooding my blog (yet), and I have yet to be on TV, so like so many others, I rely on Facebook and social media to share my message and reach my tribe.
I write for a few outlets, and now have in-person coaching sessions and workshops, but I still use Facebook, Instagram and now Twitter to reach more people and for marketing and advertising.
As person who has stepped away significantly from essentially living on Facebook, I found balance, and still use it as part of my overall business strategy because it feels aligned, and it works for me.
Then, a light bulb turned on and I heard my truth: I really felt that way because deep down I know I need to do more to share my message. Not because Facebook was down, or from a place of constantly doing, wanting, wishing, but from a place of KNOWING.
Because I’ve always known I am meant to share my message with the masses on and off the internet. I know I step into flow and take the whole damn audience with me whenever I speak on stage. And I know my in-person work is even more life-changing because the way I see through everything is my own person gift.
But I had to be real with myself. Facebook shutting down reminded me of just how big my dreams are and just how painfully small I have still been playing. It brought clarity, and I do not believe that it was a coincidence. The timing could not have been more perfect.
If you are feeling some relief that the internet was essentially broken today, feeling gratitude for the time off of social media, and/or just an overall and deeper awareness around Facebook and social media and what they mean to you personally and professionally, I urge you to tune in and ask yourself these questions.
It’s not about whether we should be using Facebook and social media to share our message, reach our people and make money; it’s about allowing ourselves to get comfortable with it when we know we are meant for so much more.
Could you live your purpose tomorrow if Facebook or social media didn’t exist?
Here are the 7 questions that came to me today:
1. How have I been using Facebook and social media to play small?
2. How have I been using Facebook and social media to hide?
3. Have I been depending on and expecting success only from Facebook and social media because I am afraid of massive success?
4. How else would I be sharing my message if Facebook and social media didn’t exist?
5. Where else would I be sharing my message if Facebook and social media didn’t exist?
6. Does my business rely solely on Facebook and social media to make income? And if so, am I aligned with that, fully?
7. If Facebook and social media didn’t exist tomorrow, would I still do what I do today?
Use them as journal prompts. See what others come up for you. Meditate on them until you hear the answers — you already know. But whatever you do, don’t allow yourself to live a lie. You don’t need Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or anything or anyone to do what you were put on this earth to do.
All you need is to believe in yourself.
With Love,
Vanessa
