This blog, while full of useful tips, is more personal than my usual small business blogs.
The topic is not something I’m an expert in, like copywriting, or eating vegan brownies. It’s a topic which has been increasingly weighing on me. I know it has been weighing on my small business colleagues too.
How can we do our jobs and promote what we do when it feels like the world is on fire?
I don’t have the answers. But… as I often do when my brain is full, I’ve turned to writing to make sense of what I can.
The result is this blog.
I’ve noted down what I do when the world feels impossibly heavy and hopeless. I’m not saying I’m good at this stuff, I’m saying I’m trying. Maybe you do these things too, maybe you’re looking for new things to try.
At the very least I hope you know you’re not alone. When you despair at (in no particular order) the gross wealth inequality in the UK, the ever-rising cost of living, attacks on trans rights, ongoing cruel rhetoric on migration, whatever the f*ck is happening in America every damn day, men killing two women a week in the UK, the climate crisis which will hit the poorest and most vulnerable first, Russia and Ukraine, Reform somehow recruiting more and more voters, white supremacy tightening its grip, and the literal genocide of an entire population, I am despairing right with you.
I’ll come back to this blog next time “showing up” in my business feels hard and I hope you feel you can, too.
1. I (try to) limit scrolling time on social media
Maybe this one’s obvious, but it doesn’t mean it’s easy. I often find myself God-knows-how-many-hours into doomscrolling.
When I realise I’m seeing clip after clip of unbearable suffering, injustice, or commentary about inept politicians, it’s time to stop.
I use Brick to lock my phone and then I try to stay off it.
I try to learn about global and national issues via reputable sources. Seeing more and more content on social media is not making me better informed, it’s making me hopeless.
It’s an enormous privilege to “switch off” from world events. It’s a privilege I’m grateful for. I try to make a difference in other ways, rather than consuming or sharing information on social media (see section 4).
2. I (try to) hold boundaries between work time and free time
Like most small business owners, “work” IS social media. Instagram. LinkedIn. Pinterest. Threads. We have to promote ourselves and what we do.
But, posting about “blogging to increase website traffic” alongside videos of people in crisis does not feel good to me.
The more I see, the more I don’t want to post. It’s a circular problem.
My solution is to make two or three posts at a time and schedule them. I try not to engage with social media much other than this. I focus my efforts on blogs, refreshing my website copy, sending my newsletter, and going to in person networking events.
3. I (try to) keep my messaging focused
I generally don’t post online about the numerous injustices in the world.
If you do, I entirely support you. You should keep doing what feels good for you. You aren’t doing anything “wrong” by posting about bad things happening in the world. Not at all.
Here are some reasons I don’t post on social media about global and national topics:
- I’m worried about accidentally posting misinformation
- I don’t want to post reactively, potentially adding to “noise”
- I find it hard to choose what to post about- everything feels important in multiple countries
- There are much more qualified people than me who post about global and national events
I don’t feel great about this to be honest.
The truth is, speaking out and using our voices is effective activism. I have been inspired and informed by other people. Sometimes I’ll share other peoples’ posts- I’d rather amplify the voices of those who are directly affected than post my own content– but sometimes I stop at liking, saving, or commenting.
So, if I feel bad about not posting about world events, why not just post then? Simply, by keeping my messaging focused on my business I can show up online with some degree of consistency.
And, just because I don’t use my business for activism on social media, it doesn’t mean I can’t be loud about my values elsewhere. Away from my business, I still try to make a difference (next section) in ways which feel consistent and sustainable.
4. I (try to) be deliberate and effective in the activism I can do
I’m sure you do all these things too.
- I sign petitions
- I have Direct Debits for small amounts of money with a range of charities
- I send one-off payments to charities when I can
- I write pretty much every month to my MP (she might hate me, tbh)
- I attend protests
- I read as much as I can (non-fiction books and authors from different backgrounds/ experiences)
- I ask questions, learn, listen, and engage in real- life conversations with friends and colleagues
I do what I can, it’s just outside of my business. Keeping things separate keeps things clear and manageable. As a result, I feel better at showing up in my small business. I know I am doing what I can do.
5. I (try to) build and lean on community
I’m incredibly grateful for the communities I belong to. In WhatsApp groups and online spaces, we share resources and information. I learn so much from small business colleagues who are far more informed than me. Wild Coworking is especially wonderful. I am inspired and uplifted by so many members.
By being in these communities, I can meet with and collaborate with amazing small business owners who all care about improving the world.
6. I (try to) remember small business owners do good in the world (and we need as much of that as possible)
Small business owners are brave. You are not afraid to do things differently, make your own rules, and stand on your own. You might have rejected “traditional employment” entirely to reshape your life in a way that works for you.
This alone is incredible. And, this alone is worth showing up for. You need to promote your business so you can stay in business. By staying in business you can keep living your life on your terms. You can inspire others along the way.
Small business life probably means you can live according to your values:
- Maybe you can work around parenting responsibilities meaning you can be the parent you want to be
- Maybe you work around caring responsibilities meaning you can help your loved ones
- Maybe you work around your disability so you can look after yourself and prioritise your health
- Maybe you run your own business so you can prioritise creativity. Creativity is a radical act, and humanity needs more of it.
- Maybe you run your business with ethical suppliers and sustainable wholesalers, caring for the environment
- Maybe you have transparent hiring processes, work with diverse freelancers, and pay a living wage
I bet that running your own business is the equivalent of putting your own oxygen mask on first. Because you do what you do, you can show up as the best version of yourself.
So, it’s absolutely vital you keep doing what you do.
It’s important you keep living your life your way.
It’s important you don’t get dragged under by the powerful currents of heartbreaking news. It’s important you show up for yourself, for your business, and for your clients with all the determination you can grab hold of.
Even in the face of *gestures wildly at everything* what you do is important.
7. I (try to) come back to my business “why”
This bit grounds me in what I’m doing as a small business owner and why. I invite you to write your own version. Just jot down some notes. You don’t have to show anyone.
I need to show up and promote my business for:
- Me
I’ve never been happier, clearer, or healthier than since I started running my own business. I’m a better partner, friend, and citizen. I need to keep my business going for me. - My clients
I’m a really good writer, and I use my skills to help my clients promote what they do. The best thing is, I only work with clients who are kind, compassionate, bold, radical, and creative. AKA: people who the world needs more of. So, I need to keep showing up for business so I can find my clients. I need to keep helping them. - My colleagues
Successful businesses need support. I pay subscriptions for excellent communities, and I outsource tasks to excellent service providers. If I want to keep doing this (and I do!) then I need to show up and promote my business so I have the income to outsource. - Creativity
As generative AI negatively impacts creative writing and human connection, the specific skill of copywriting becomes rarer. Playing with language and moulding words to behave themselves in the face of brain-melting robots* is radical. (FINE, robots which erode critical thinking skills, if you want me to be not-dramatic about it.) - The world
Having ultimate control of my workload means I have the capacity and headspace to be a good ally, to get involved with the activism I can, and to engage with the world around me.
That’s all I’ve got really. It doesn’t feel like much. I know I’ll come back to this blog when everything feels overwhelming, and I hope you do too. If you do something which could be included in this blog, please email me and share. I’ll add your comments with full credit. Reach me at bonnie@wordsbybonnie.com.
