A few months ago, a blogger created some Instagram story templates that allowed people to fill in and share certain information. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you’re either relatively new to Instagram story or you don’t use the feature very much. But, it was a very chilled way to share information about yourself. Seeing as most of the templates were related to personal matters, I decided to create a few related to blogging.

This process took me about three hours as I struggled with Canva to design the templates. And guess what? I was doing this at about 3 am in the morning – when I ought to have been sleeping soundly after a full day of being with baby!

It reminded me of the one time, I spent pretty much close to 24 hours creating and editing a 60 seconds video about my best moments of the past year, in order to enter a competition to win a phone – that I didn’t even need. I consoled myself saying “no knowledge is a waste”.  Since then, I’ve never used that video creating skill again, but I’m hopeful that it’s still not wasted knowledge and after spending this much time on Canva (with not much coming out of it, as you’d see below), I’m tempted to keep my fingers crossed and repeat to myself “no knowledge is a waste”. But thinking of how much useless arithmetic I have never had any need for, it’s hard to say this with conviction. Still I’m hopeful. For now, here are the lessons I learned.

Do it for the Warm Fuzzy Feeling!

So, the person who created the original templates had an incredible geometric IG follower growth – from about 30,000 to 300,000 in a couple of days! Was I doing this for a similar response? Absolutely not. I only thought it was a great way for bloggers to share about their blogs / blogging! But I wouldn’t kid you – I remotely fantasied about becoming an instant IG sensation. So while that didn’t happen, it was good to see a few people actually use the template! But the most important thing in creating these was the warm fuzzy feeling it left in me. I think they call that fulfillment. I really was just happy. It wasn’t perfect, not many people used it, but I was genuinely happy. I’d done something I wouldn’t ordinarily do and I’d done it for myself. It reminds me of this saying – somethings will be like taking a leak in a dark suit. Not many people may see it but it leaves a warm feeling. Strive to do things that leave a warm feeling in you! Even if it seems like not many people see it.

Share Your Work

The other point from this was how I almost backed out from sharing – after all of my effort. So I sent a quick message to my friend for her opinion. But she was in a different time zone and wouldn’t see my message till much later. So what did I do, I imagined her response. She’s a pusher. You do not tell her your goals because she will chase. And I knew that she was going to tell me to undoubtedly share! Everyone needs those kinds of friends. The ones who push you and hold your hands even when you’re scared! Who asks you the deep questions you’d ordinarily avoid asking yourself. And sometimes these friends don’t have to be physical or real. They could be that Instagram person who pushes you by their actions – imagine for a second what they’ll advice in that situation. But it’s always so easy for us to be our worst critic and refrain from sharing, putting our work out there. We often feel like we’re “bothering people”. But think about it, even the best products still share their work and put it in our faces, whether through advertising or otherwise.

You’re stronger than you know

I thought of how I’d done this at a time when I was supposed to be stressed out being with the baby alone. But I ended up being so productive.  Sometimes, tough situations reveal inner strengths you never even knew you had! What’s that cliche saying about now knowing how strong tea bags are until they’re in hot water? Or the one of gold having to pass through a fire? I’ve heard of women who started their business or made massive progress only when they became mothers. And I almost sort of see that around me so much lately.

If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will

The final lesson from this template creation – was the fact that I didn’t even use these templates myself!  Maybe I didn’t like it enough or I thought there were better ones out there or I didn’t want to come across as promoting my own template. But it makes absolutely zero sense. You got to believe in you first, before others can. You have got to self promote without apology. No one else would, if you don’t.

So yeah, a few lessons that I’m telling myself all over again – because sometimes you just need that “pick me up”.

What life lessons are you currently learning?

pS: If this post sounds a bit familiar, it’s because I’ve written about it before in this life lately post. But, it was buried with a ton of other stuff and I thought it deserved its own post, because the lessons have been speaking to me all over again – and also because I’ve been seeing some of these templates all over Instagram story again.

If you’re curious, here’s a slide show of what I created!

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