Last week we talked about common blocks to posting our regular content, but this week I want to talk about how to know if we should create and share original content around a bigger topic. This is when something greater is happening in the world around us that impacts more than just the people in our immediate circle, community, or industry.
These might be heavy or emotionally-charged topics or even controversial ones. If we do choose to create, this makes it even more crucial for us to create mindfully.
In this episode, I share several self-inquiry prompts to help you assess if you want to share and how you might do so.
To be clear, this episode is not meant to discourage you from speaking up on something you truly believe in. The question is more around whether you want to create original content yourself on the topic. Even if you choose not to create your own original content, you can absolutely turn your focus and attention to amplifying other voices you align with.
What has helped you decide whether to share or join a bigger conversation? Let us know in the comments below. Enjoy the episode!
Below is a transcript of the episode, plus the self-inquiry prompts, for your reference—please excuse grammatical errors!
Hello creators and welcome back to the Mindful Content Creator Podcast. This is episode 17 and today I want to help you answer the question, Should I share, post, or talk about this?
This is different from last week's episode when I talked about the common blocks that can hold us all back or make us hesitate when creating and sharing our content. This episode is more for when we're confronting big topics, for when something greater is happening in the world around us and we aren't sure if, when, or how to join the conversation.
We aren't sure if we should share our feelings, insights, or positions on a particular matter, especially if we aren't sure if every member of our community will appreciate our point of view.
In today's world, expectations have shifted and communities are holding public figures and companies accountable. This is a good thing ultimately, but now there are also a lot of empty, performative posts and messages hanging around all over the place. Some people might disagree with me on this, but I personally could do without these messages, and I'm fine not knowing the stance of every brand in the world on every topic. Unless, of course, they're making a specific call to action that brings us all in to help on a particular cause.
And translate this now to someone who has a smaller following, who is public but on a smaller scale, and who is sharing their own personal brand and business. And I've seen this plenty of times with a wide range of big world events and topics. It can start to get a little confusing.
If you're a small business owner, a solopreneur, you start to wonder, do I need to weigh in and have a stance on every topic, even if it's not related to what I do? Even if I myself haven't yet processed how I feel about something? Or even when I haven't done enough research to speak eloquently on it?
These are legitimate and smart questions, so if you're asking these, don't feel bad about that. You are being mindful. It is okay to stop and wait and think before jumping into every conversation, before sharing everything on your mind publicly.
There's also been a shift that has pushed many of us to believe that, as content creators, we need to share everything about ourselves. Or if not everything, most things. We think our lives have to be open doors in the name of vulnerability and authenticity. Processing things privately has actually become a bit unpopular in the world of social media.
I absolutely believe that vulnerability and authenticity are important, but it doesn't mean that we can't also have a healthy balance and keep parts of our lives and inner workings to ourselves. It is healthy and okay to keep some things private if we want to, and to make the goal to be vulnerable and authentic with the things that we want and feel truly ready to share, and have also fully processed.
I find myself naturally wanting to push back on this need to make everything so public. You do not owe a behind the scenes look into your inner workings to anyone. Will showing some of this make you a better creator and a storyteller? Sure. But doing this from a balanced and aligned place will be much better than opening the doors to let it all spill out haphazardly.
When we're sharing our voice, it's important to be responsible with it. To give ourselves time to sit with things before we invite others in and before we jump into other conversations. And to also acknowledge when we don't know enough or have not done enough research yet to contribute on a deeper level.
So how do you know if you should weigh in? If you decide yes, when should you jump in? How should you jump in? I don't have a blanket answer to these or a formula that will apply to everyone. But what I do want to share are some questions that you can ask yourself to help you come to these conclusions on your own and to make the decision that's right for you.
I am putting all of these questions on Substack on the post for this episode, so please don't feel the need to rush and write these down. I'll post the link in the show notes so that you can refer to them easily and copy them wherever you need.
I broke these all into sections or phases so that you can progress naturally through them. I wrote these like journal prompts so that you could write out your thoughts, but certainly you could also sit and meditate on them, whatever feels right.
The first set of questions calls on you to assess where you are mentally and emotionally on this topic.
This will help you see when you're mentally and emotionally ready to speak.
How do I currently feel about this topic?
Which of these feelings do I want to sit more with?
Which feelings or emotions do I think need to be processed and released before I speak or share? (That's an important one to acknowledge what needs to be worked through before you can move on to the next step to speak clearly and eloquently.)
The next set of questions helps you assess what's already out there on the topic and how you might be able to add to the conversation.
What resources, articles, or posts or statements from others have resonated with me and why?
Which ones haven't resonated with me, and why?
What would be most helpful for me to hear or know on this topic? And is this content readily available to me now from any other sources?
Honestly assess now: If I were to share, what would I be adding to the conversation? Is there anything that people are not saying that I wish they were saying? Is there anything that needs to be said more clearly or perhaps with a different tone?
The next set of questions calls you to assess the level of expertise you have on this topic.
How much knowledge do I have on this topic? What do I need to learn more about?
Given my level of knowledge or expertise on the subject, how deep do I feel comfortable going in my content?
How can I honestly acknowledge my own knowledge gaps on this topic in my content?
Even if I'm not very knowledgeable on the nuances of this particular topic, what expertise do I have that could be helpful to people in their own processing?
The next set of questions helps you get clear on your intention and your why behind weighing in on this.
If I were to share my thoughts, feelings, insights, or guidance through a piece of content, how do I hope someone feels after interacting with it?
Write out three core values you hold in your business and or in your life. Assess whether speaking on this topic aligns with your values.
The next set of questions is for when you've decided you do in fact want to share.
Get quiet and ask yourself: do I feel ready to share? (Do your best to answer this question honestly without any filters or any expectations.)
Knowing that we can't please everyone and that the internet is the internet, write out three truths about yourself and your life. How can you make these truths prominent so you are easily reminded of them, regardless of social media posts or other commentary?
And finally, the next set of questions is for if you ultimately decide not to share, or perhaps that you're not ready to share at this time.
If I am not going to share at this time, what are some other ways I can contribute or support what I believe in?
How could I provide more support to those who are speaking and creating content on this topic?
My hope is that these questions can help you reach your own decision. And if you're still landing in a place of indecision after working through some or all of these questions, trust that you can always create something and then just let it sit. Don't share it out or post it right away. Come back to it again with fresh eyes, and if it sticks with you in a positive way, and you can see yourself sharing it, then this could be an indicator to go ahead and move ahead with it.
And I know it's easier said than done, but try to notice if you feel pressure to rush something out, and if that's what's ultimately driving you. The reality is that you may just not be ready and will need to wait until you have the perspective you need in order to share or comment.
Really, it comes down to this: Are you ready to post about this? Or would it feel better for you to uplift the voices you align with and who are speaking most eloquently, intelligently, and clearly on this topic?
We aren't all going to have clarity on the solution to every problem, and some problems are far too big and complicated to come up with an easy solution. We aren't always going to have clarity on how we can help in a meaningful way, and that's okay, too.
Even if you aren't the one loudly or publicly contributing to the conversation, you can always support those who are. Just because you aren't meant to lead the way in this situation doesn't mean that you don't care or that you can't still show your support. Find those people that you align with and support them in having their voices be heard. Your time to speak may come at a later time or with another topic.
The content prompt that I shared with my Substack subscribers this week is something that you can turn to as well. I asked my subscribers to write about a time when they spoke up for something they believed in or used their voice to advocate for others who couldn't be heard.
Use this time in your life as a point of reference for you. How did you speak up? How did you advocate? And if you have a new situation that arises where you aren't sure if you should join the conversation, look back to this time and see how it lines up to that moment. If it feels as aligned to you as it did then, this is also a good indicator that you're ready to speak.
To me, I'm less concerned about if you share or if you're the loudest voice in the room. I care more about whether you took the time to think about what you're saying and sharing. We live in a rapid, fast paced world that demands that we, too, act with urgency. But this isn't always best. When it comes to important topics, the last thing we want is to be haphazard in our own processing and in the delivery of our words.
Let's normalize being thoughtful in our responses. And let's normalize privacy. We are allowed to keep our deepest inner workings and processing to ourselves.
And if you are ready to share and feeling called to share, and the only thing that's holding you back is the fear of what some people might think, or fear that not everyone will like you for it, don't let this fear silence you. Your voice, the way you say something, may be what finally cuts through the other noise out there for someone. It might be what finally makes it through and sparks someone else to help or make a change. So don't let fear stop you. If you know in your heart it's time to share, share.
I hope that these questions help you assess if you're ready to share or speak on a topic. All of these questions will be available on the post for this episode on Substack. Again, that link will be in the show notes.
If you encounter a situation where you're not sure whether you should share, please let me know if these questions end up helping you, and let me know what does help you decide that it's time to speak up.
As always, the comment section is open over on Substack at themindfulcontentcreator.substack.com
Thanks so much for listening this week, and I'll connect with you next time. Until then, happy creating.
EP 17: Should I Share This?