On Running Away from LinkedIn
As I sit here on the eve of this site officially going out into the world, I can't help but look back at the day I decided to share my "career transition story" on LinkedIn.
Re-reading this post from three months ago, I feel mixed emotions.
It was a moment of bravery for me, finding the courage to finally share my story with a broader audience, but it wasn't entirely me.
When I made that post, I wanted to preempt any skepticism that might come of my exit from my last company. I wanted to be transparent, proving that (I didn't get fired and) quitting was a thoughtful choice for me. But looking back now, I see that while the post reflected parts of me, it was mostly rooted in a previous version of myself that worried deeply about others' opinions–particularly since our world ties so much of our personal worth to our work.
LinkedIn can be an intimidating (or annoying or frustrating) platform, particularly for those in transition or just figuring things out or who haven't yet cracked their "Six Figure Online Business!". Coming from an industry where LinkedIn isn't widely used, I was flooded with feelings of "Oh shit, I'm supposed to be engaging with this now??"
The pressure I felt to perform on social media was real, and it didn't align with my authentic self; it never has. Even Instagram–my primary social media app–only gets about one, maybe two, new grid posts per year. So the idea of having something to post regularly on LinkedIn was laughable to begin with.
But amidst all the reasons that LinkedIn wasn't for me, it became a stepping stone towards sharing my authentic voice—not just with collaborators in closed meetings, colleagues in one-on-ones, or friends and family, but widely.
So here we are.
With the help of my sister, the idea of creating my own website was born—a space where I could freely share my unfiltered and unpolished thoughts.
A place that could be part portfolio, part blog, and wholly me.
