How Building a Social Media Presence Helped Me Overcome Social Anxiety
How Building a Social Media Presence Helped Me Overcome Social Anxiety
An iPhone camera and microphone changed my life
I used to be a scared kid. Meaning I would get nervous for class presentations, nervous speaking to people I didn’t know, and nervous whenever I was put into an uncomfortable situation. However, all of this changed when my mic turned on, and the camera started rolling.
When I first started my YouTube channel, I had visions of success but trouble converting my ideas into reality. I wasn’t the best at video games, and I was awkward at vlogging, so I looked to make content that relied on other people as the main subject. I knew that by creating a niche through interview videos, I could gain the exposure I wanted that would allow me to build my social media brand. I could bounce off of what the interviewees would say and create funny edits online, so the audience could enjoy my videos without having to be there for me. Most importantly, interviewing hundreds of people has really helped me overcome my social anxiety and fear of rejection.
My interview videos cover many topics, including music, trivia, and lifestyle questions. I’ve gone to multiple college campuses and cities, asking college students or random people on the street various questions.
People might think it’s easy to go up to others and ask questions, but a lot of challenges come with this task. To get the most natural and enthusiastic responses out of others, you must have a welcoming and charming personality. I always try to approach people with a smile and bring positive energy when I’m strolling down Comm Ave.
Being cordial helps increase people’s chances of saying yes to being in the video. It’s essential to be able to converse with whoever you’re interviewing. You never know where the conversation is going to go or what someone might say, and the wrong words tend to make things incredibly awkward at times. After two years of creating public interview videos, I’ve honed my ability to do these things where it seems natural.
Most importantly, you need to be resilient. There’ve been countless times when I had technical difficulties with my recordings. There’ve been countless times when I’ve walked the streets in New York City for hours to be continuously turned down. There’ve been countless times when the content isn’t entertaining, and I have to redo it again on a different day. Persevering through these struggles will keep you on the path to success.
The moral of the story is that from my interactions with strangers, I learned it’s okay to be scared. Accepting this is why I’m no longer afraid. Everyone’s the same! They all have their own opinions, some of which you cannot change. Some people will take time out of their day to speak with you, while others will not. Life goes on. It’s important to realize that you can only control your own actions. By no longer latching on to the judgment of others, it becomes much easier to do what you want. My experiences have taught me to do things for myself and speak my mind when I want. In the end, there’s nothing to be nervous about when you’re no longer trying to impress others. YouTube has definitely changed my character, and I look forward to using these past experiences to help me create new and better content in the near future.
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