"I Don’t Want to Be a Social Media Manager Anymore"

How do I even begin this one?

So, there were times in my journey?when I didn't want to be a social media manager anymore because I was dealing with a lot of challenges and wasn't getting the results I expected.?I even went on to research other roles that I could explore or courses that I could take. It was a very hard time for me, but I, somehow, persuaded myself to take another step, and now?here we are.

What happens when you start something new?

It's difficult to start something new, especially by yourself. You don't know what to expect, and you'll go through the emotional cycle of change. (To see what I mean, look at the diagram below.)

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This?theory, developed?by Don Kelley and Daryl Conner, explains the various emotions that people through when they do something new?or make a change in their lives. there are 5 main parts:

• Uninformed optimism (You think that you are the unicorn that the world has been waiting for)
• Informed pessimism (Your eyes have cleared and you realize that the battle may be the Lord’s)
• The valley of despair (You ask yourself whether you should quit or give it one more try)
• Informed optimism (You now know that even though you aren’t a unicorn, you can still make?an impact)
• Success and fulfilment?(Your work has made an impact and provided solutions)

For me, learning this was a game-changer because it allowed me to let go of my unrealistic expectations and timelines. It reminded me not to give up in the valley of despair (which I have been in many, many, many times), and it helped me appreciate how far I'd come despite the challenges I'd faced

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Dealing with emotions in the valley of despair:

When I entered the valley of despair. It was a rollercoaster experience that I thought I couldn't get out of. I experienced a wide range of emotions and today, I will talk about two that I dealt with most: overwhelm and feeling like a failure.

Dealing with overwhelm:

When I?first?started taking social media courses, the plan was to get just one role after and apply what I had learnt. It was such a solid plan and I was very confident that I was going to have free time to read, exercise, and hang out with friends (just building castles in the air). But, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Before long, I found myself drowning under my workload because I hadn’t yet acquired the speed that came with experience, I still had so much to learn and I had also started?a business on the side.??I was so overwhelmed that I had to tell my employer about my struggles and she generously offered me some days off.

Now, I have learnt how to break huge tasks into small steps that I can take daily. This allows me to focus on the present moment?rather than worrying about what needs to be done later. I have also learnt how to say no to 'opportunities' that will take me away from my goals. To avoid burning out, I ask for help when I need it and take regular breaks. (ahem, at least I try to)

Dealing with feeling like a failure:

As I mentioned before, I spent a lot of?days in the valley of despair. Whenever I couldn’t meet a goal or achieve a result, I saw it as a sign that I wasn't good enough, instead of understanding that I still had a lot to learn, and acknowledging my wins. As if that was not enough, I kept on comparing myself to other social media managers, way ahead of me, who were thriving and making it. I felt like a total failure?at a point and decided to count my losses and consider a new field, which led me to take a Google UX design course on Coursera.

Now, I understand that failure is part of success. I try not to take negative feedback personally and learn from my mistakes. The UX Design course I took has also made me better at my role because I have learnt how to give our social media audience a good user experience whenever they visit our social media profile. I have also stopped comparing myself to people who have already paid their dues and are reaping the rewards of their hard work. I rather look up to them for inspiration and guidance.

I am grateful that I get to look back at these experiences and see the lessons that I learnt. I hope to share more in future newsletters. I understand that everyone’s journey is different and sometimes quitting may be the wisest thing to do.?But,?before you throw in the towel, make sure that it's not because of things that can be solved or worked on.

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Your turn

What is your main tip for dealing with failure? How do you normally recover and get back on your feet when you fail? Let me know in the comments.

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Till our next edition, stay awesome.

?????If you loved this newsletter share this with someone who could use a pick me up this week.