To say that I was drug kicking and screaming into blogging is putting it mildly. You see, I have been in the social media & digital marketing strategy game for quite some time. I have taught others how to use these channels to gain brand awareness, initiate meaningful conversations with their audiences, create another customer service channel, spark innovation and create new revenue streams. I even blogged for the celebrities and brands that engaged my services, as well as, created programs & taught them how to blog.

And yet, when it came to my own, I kept putting everyone’s needs before my own. It was more than a case of the proverbial ‘cobbler’s children’, I put it off, and put it off until finally one day at the end of a speaking engagement at a blogger’s conference I might add, an attendee asked, “Where is your blog?” and when I shared that I hadn’t one and that I was so busy that I did not have time to launch my own, I felt about 2 inches tall.

What was blocking me? Part of the reason was that I felt that most folks were drowning in information as it was. Also, there are so many brilliant people that I admire and respect that are already reinforcing the things I say and do in my area of expertise (see blog post #2 for more on those folks).

What could it be that is holding me back? And then I landed on it, FEAR. That four letter word, that I think most of us wish were not part of the English lexicon. Fear can control us keep us from doing the things we know we should or could do because it makes us doubt our own self-worth.

Then I got to thinking about why most brands keep their heads in the sand when it comes to social media marketing – how they think they are playing it safe by ignoring what their fans and detractors are saying across the digital landscape.

Well if I was going to practice what I preach, then I had to jump in with both feet!

What will follow this post are my own observations, explorations and opinions. You may not like them, as a matter of fact, at times, I may offend you! But, guess what? It is all in the name of becoming less fearful.

What are you doing to become fearless?

Come on in, the water is fine…..