Technophobia is a word I use to describe anyone that is either afraid to use social media for fear of getting it wrong. Or even worse you end up posting something so socially embarrassing you can never live it down and then don’t know how to retrieve it back. On the other hand you may be someone that is just not up to date with the speed of technology and do not understand how it can be harnessed for your everyday needs e.g. like looking for a job or networking. I fit into both categories or at least I did, up until recently. I am acutely aware of how embarrassing it sounds but actually it got me wondering how many other people are like me who are afraid to ask or learn something new that’s out of their comfort zone.
The last few weeks on the Successful Mums training has really got me confronting my fears and wondering where this fear came from. I realise now just how much it had and was, not just holding me back but also those closest to me. The hard and fast truth was it was my fear of failing and my lack of confidence to admit to myself that I found something difficult. Things are great when you’re the best or are innately good at something, but when you’re not and your out of your depth what do you do?
Well I can tell you, I used to say and speak negatively to myself.. negative self-talk, that quiet voice that nobody else hears except for you that would whisper things like, ‘I can’t do this because (excuse), there is not enough time (another excuse), it’s hard for me (no motivation). When I said I can’t it translated to, won’t or didn’t want to, when I said there was no time, it meant I was undisciplined and did not know how to structure my day and set achievable goals. When I said its hard what I really meant was I was afraid first and then did not know how to move forward. It’s funny how my journey to address my technophobia, came from a place of need, that forced me to take a step forward into the unknown. This need for a job brought me into contact with Successful Mums, which admittedly has not been a walk in the park but has challenged me to work constantly on my IT skills.
This week I’ve had to sit with my own vulnerabilities while learning about how to use social media, understanding our online identities and the digital footprint that we leave behind every time we access information on the world wide web. I ‘ve also learnt how to use collaboration tools (that’s a first). I’ve accomplished updating my CV and it definitely looks so snazzy now... But its also got me thinking about my own social media branding in terms of my own writing and aspirations to be a motivational speaker and how this powerful tool could help me make an impact and reach a wider audience.
For now though I’m content in the upgrade within my friendship group from being the laughing stock to the one who has slowly redeemed themselves and finally entered the 21st Century with my new found knowledge.
Just remember the first step is your perspective, then the decision, followed by a realistic plan and or goal of how to get there. You don’t have to do it on your own, because help can come from unexpected places and when you least expect it.
‘Sometimes do you feel like you wanna give up? A word of advice, that’s when you have to push even harder because the end is in sight and so is the victory’.
@ubiquitous_uniqueness © Onajite Clarke 2020