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It’s normal not to feel inspired to show up all the time
As a creative entrepreneur, business owner, or professional who needs to be visible for your work, you know how important it is to show up.
And, as a human, we all have days when we don’t feel like showing up. Whether our motivation is non-existent, our energy is tapped, or we’re simply not feeling up to it, showing up can sometimes feel exponentially hard. At the same time, we’re told we need to be consistent.
As an experienced coach, I’ve found that consistency isn’t just an issue of willpower or discipline. It’s much deeper than that. Being able to be consistent with your actions requires being aligned with what matters, trusting yourself and knowing it’s safe to take the next step, and working with your energy instead of against it.
The truth is, consistency doesn’t come from feeling inspired. If you wait until you feel like it, you’re cutting yourself short. The goal isn’t to force yourself into showing up, but to create sustainable ways of showing up that you can maintain on a consistent basis.
Why it’s so hard to show up consistently
When we talk about “showing up” especially in our business or professional work, it can include showing up for the day-to-day tasks of our work, promoting and marketing ourselves, selling our services, and showing up for our client work.
No matter your profession, there will be tasks and parts of the work that you don’t necessarily enjoy. Even if you do enjoy them, there will be days that you don’t. There will be times where life or the weather has got you down, or you’re emotionally or energetically maxxed out, but you know as a professional, you still need to show up.
What stands in the way of showing up? Sometimes it’s a feeling, like feeling sad or frustrated by something going on in your life. Other times it’s a thought, like “who am I to do this” or “why bother?” Yet other times, it might be something deeper, like a fear of judgment or even a lack of clarity or purpose.
And often, especially with highly sensitive entrepreneurs, not feeling like showing up can be based on energy, meaning, you just don’t have the energetic capacity TO show up. All of these are real — and valid — reasons you may struggle with showing up.
The most challenging part of showing up: visibility
Often one of the most challenging things my clients have trouble showing up for are activities involving visibility or being seen. When it comes time to be visible and put themselves out there, they often “don’t feel like it,” especially if they’re not used to being visible or they haven’t had to do it in the past.
When you go from being a corporate employee to working for yourself, being a business owner, or even just being a leader, more visibility is often required. This means you need to get used to being seen, being heard, and being known.
Of course, there are many good sides to visibility: Breaking through the fear and finding the freedom of being your authentic self, accomplishing the goals you set for yourself, connecting with the people, places, and opportunities that are meant for you. But before you get to that point of feeling that freedom and confidence, you may feel challenged to get visible.
This is a totally normal challenge — and one that can be addressed. The way this challenge is remedied is by tapping into the clarity and purpose behind what you want to do, cultivating safety so that you can show up safely, and then building habits and practices to help you do so consistently.
The myth of feeling motivated to show up
In my work as a business coach for creatives, coaches, and healers, I work with many highly intuitive and spiritual folks. Many clients have told me that they just want to show up when and how they feel like it. Some (often more experienced) folks can do this with ease. Yet most others, especially those new to putting themselves out there, can struggle.
The truth is, if you only wait until you feel inspired to show up, it will limit your growth and potential. Not because you’re not “inspired” enough, but because life happens. And like life, even when you’re doing something you love for work, there are still going to be tasks and times that you don’t necessarily love.
(Side note: When doing things they hate, I usually guide my clients through an exercise I call Automate, Delegate or Eliminate. They list all tasks they have to do but hate doing and decide which category to put each one in. This often makes it easier!)
But sometimes you simply HAVE to do the thing and YOU have to do it yourself. And you don’t necessarily feel like doing it. So then what?
Motivation is fleeting. It comes and goes. What’s more consistent is creating habits that make it easier for you to show up and take the action you need to take. Because while you can’t always rely on motivation, you can rely on habits.
How to show up and be visible, even when you don’t want to
We all have times that we need to show up and be visible, even when you don’t feel like it. When you find yourself in those situations – and frankly, even before you find yourself in those situations, try these strategies.
Tip 1: Reconnect with your “why” for being visible.
We often think about our “why” when we start a business or project and then never again. Take a moment to reflect on your reason for being visible in the first place. What is it that you want to share? Why is this important to you? Stepping back can help you reconnect to the bigger picture. This isn’t about social media or even about marketing. Your why is much deeper than that. Tap into that and reconnect to the purpose behind your work.
Tip 2: Uncover any fears around showing up or being visible
The fear of being seen is unfortunately a very common fear, especially for conscious creatives and entrepreneurs who may feel uncomfortable with putting themselves out there. If you feel this may be true for you, it’s important to excavate the deeper layers and see where fear may be showing up. Working through this fear may uncover past trauma and negative experiences, so it’s important to have support when doing so.
Detach from the outcome of showing up.
You can’t control how many “likes” you get on your post, whether or not someone signs up from your recent email, or if that person you meet at the networking event responds. Remember, your results don’t need to mean anything about YOU personally. If you don’t get the results you want, that doesn’t mean you’re not good at what you do or that you’ve made a mistake. The more you can detach from your results, the easier it is to forge a path forward.
Tip 3: Release the need to be right, perfect, or the best.
Perfectionism is the enemy of business in so many ways. If we aren’t careful, our inner perfectionist can take over and run the show. Your perfectionist part wants to keep you safe, small, and stop you from showing up — because it’s scary and a perceived threat. Do you want perfectionism in the driver’s seat? Probably not. They might not even leave the driveway. You, as the leader of your life and work, need to get back in the driver’s seat and put perfectionism in its place: the back seat.
Tip 4: Put stronger boundaries around your visibility.
Usually when people want to avoid showing up and getting visible, it’s related to the nervous system: showing up feels dysregulating, overwhelming, or uncomfortable for one reason or another. You might not have the energetic bandwidth to show up in the way you desire. You might feel taxed and/or triggered by all the noise out there, and rightly so. If that’s you, you can benefit from having stronger boundaries that will allow you to avoid burnout.
Tip 5: Ask yourself how you’re willing to show up.
Maybe you don’t feel like posting on social media. Or you’re tired of spending hours on trying to attract a new client. (The good news is that there are many ways to market your business!) If you find yourself in this situation, ask yourself: What am I willing to do today? Maybe you’re willing to email one person or join a new group. Maybe you’re willing to ask a past client for a referral. You don’t have to do everything, just do one thing.
Tip 6: Stop waiting to be ready to be seen.
If you are a natural introvert, prefer to be behind-the-seens, or are just uncomfortable in the spotlight, it might not feel natural to seek opportunities where you are visible. That’s ok. You don’t have to be a natural. But you do need to stop waiting to feel like you’re a natural. Confidence doesn’t come from taking action. Do the thing and the confidence will come. So stop waiting to feel ready to be seen, and take a small action today.
Tip 7: Make showing up (and being seen) a habit
No one starts going to the gym and loves it immediately. It starts as a habit, or a practice. The beginning stages of a new habit are the hardest. They say it takes 21 days to make a habit. So be understanding but firm with yourself that you are creating a new habit and sticking to it. Take one small baby step and commit to doing it daily. Choose the smallest you can commit to and stay consistent. Comfort isn’t the point, consistency is.
Tip 8: Adjust how you show up, not if you will show up
Even when you create a habit or a practice, there are still going to be days where you don’t feel like it. On low energy or more difficult days, make a conscious choice to scale back rather than disappear completely. If you can’t do what you planned, how can you do a smaller version of it? If you can’t complete the step today, how can you take one small step toward completing it?
Showing up consistently doesn’t equal complete visibility
Don’t confuse showing up consistently with having to show your face or share your voice every day. That’s not the point. The point is to actually create a sustainable routine and rhythm FOR YOU PERSONALLY; one that you can continue and stay consistent over time.
This is where the importance of checking in with yourself and your body comes in. Only you know how you’re truly feeling on any given day, so make it a practice to do that. And build in time to rest. Rest is part of a sustainable strategy when it comes to showing up and being visible.
Showing up does not mean giving people unlimited access to you. It doesn’t mean sharing content relentlessly. It does not mean showing up when you are clearly burned out or suffering or need a break.
The good news is, once you conquer your visibility fears and mindset blocks, you are more able to see when you’re avoiding showing up out of fear versus making a conscious decision for yourself. It can be a fine line. That’s why it’s so important to know yourself, know your tendencies, and cultivate self-trust.
How to build a visibility practice that works with you, not against you
When it comes to showing up consistently in terms of visibility, you want to build a practice that works with you and for you, not against you. A practice that takes into account who you are, your time and priorities, your energy levels, and your preferences.
Your practice should be steady, yet flexible. You don’t have to set a rigid schedule from which you never deviate. But you don’t want to be so flexible that there is no on-going progress. Finding just the middle ground is important here.
Focus on creating a rhythm you can maintain over the long term. Build in times for rest and detachment. Keep your end goal and purpose in mind. And above all, remember to check in with yourself and your body on a regular basis.
You’re not always going to feel like showing up and being visible
Remember, everyone has times where they don’t feel like showing up or getting visible. When you find yourself here, remember that it’s perfectly normal and nothing is wrong with you.
Instead, see this as an opportunity to zoom out and take a birds eye view of what’s going on. Are you truly aligned with what you want? Have you done the deeper work around any fear or mindset blocks? Do you have a sustainable practice?
When you gain perspective and understanding, you can choose your next best step.
That next step may be visibility coaching that can help you to identify your why, learn how to regulate your nervous system, and create a practice of showing up that works for you, so that you can show up consistently and do the work you were meant to do.
If you’re just getting started with this work, you might check out the free resource below.
