Find the courage to be seen

Why posting your writing feels terrifying (and why you should do it anyway)

Watercolour painting by author

Most people would rather die than speak in public.

So it’s no surprise that we’re also frightened to post our thoughts online.

But why? And how can we get over ourselves?

Think back to being a kid and believing you could do anything.

You’d grab a crayon and declare yourself an artist.

Pick up a stick and suddenly, you’re a knight defending a castle.

You didn’t wait until you were “ready.” You didn’t overthink whether your drawing was good enough or whether someone would judge your sword-fighting form.

You just did it because you could.

The slow death of creativity

Then we grew up.

Somewhere along the way, we started hesitating. We learned that mistakes could be humiliating.

That older people had opinions.

• That being seen meant being judged.

• That we might not be good enough.

• That others are better.

• That we should keep our drawing between the colouring lines.

• That we might not be “creative.”

And we believed this back then.

And still do, decades later.

The idea of putting our writing out into the world is terrifying.

The same old doubts plague us.

What if no one reads it? What if they do? What if it’s not good enough?

The creative itch must be scratched

But there’s this persistent nudge inside to try something new. To have a crack, as we Aussies say.

To share what we feel. What we know. What we’ve learned.

To share our life and who we are.

To show up and be seen.

And this is when the self-talk returns loudly and tries to stall us.

• What if I’m not ready?

• What if I haven’t studied enough?

• What if I don’t know the online rules?

Well, here’s the truth: No one’s ever really ready.

That’s why we have to just start.

Because growth doesn’t happen in the cosy cocoon of perfection.

When everything’s neatly lined up, you’ve edited the work to death, and you’ve asked for five people’s feedback.

It happens with small and imperfect steps.

You move ahead in the messy, uncomfortable, exhilarating process of showing up—before you feel prepared.

That’s the fun part and when you’ll feel the energy of creativity flow through you.

And you won’t know yet if readers will love or hate what you write. Or completely ignore you.

That’s the risk you take as a writer.

And you’re not alone.

Doubt and fear are part of the game

Take Maya Angelou, for example. Despite writing some of the most powerful poetry and literature of the 20th century, she once said,

Each time I write a book, every time I face that yellow pad, the challenge is so great. I have written eleven books, but each time I think, ‘Uh oh, they're going to find out now. I've run a game on everybody, and they're going to find me out.’

If someone as legendary as Angelou dealt with scary imposter syndrome, it’s no surprise that we do too.

But she didn’t let it stop her.

Or imagine your book being rejected by 12 publishers.

J.K. Rowling’s first Harry Potter manuscript was. She could have taken that as a sign. Instead, she kept submitting it, believing in herself, and trusting in the story she wanted to tell.

And we know what that courage did for her.

Then there’s Stephen King. Unhappy with his work, he tossed the first few pages of his novel, Carrie, into the trash. But his wife snatched it back because she saw something he couldn’t.

That book was rejected by 30 publishers but finally launched his mammoth career

Another successful published author, Holly Ringland describes her terror at exposing raw emotion in her new book.

That fear doesn’t just vanish once your words are shared and well received. It rallies itself to torment you again next time.

Staying open to all possibilities

So, even though you may not be shooting to become a world-famous writer, consider a different value you may add to the world.

What if your words help someone?

And what if your courage in pushing publish makes you

• Overcome loneliness.

• Find a community.

• Feel seen.

• Come alive.

Is that enough to take the scary step?

Interestingly, Brené Brown, the beloved social researcher says:

The original definition of courage when it first came into the English language was to tell the story of who you are with your whole heart.

So, let’s move towards courage by being seen for who we are.

And to sidestep fear altogether, let’s embrace play.

Instead of worrying about being perfect, let’s be beginners again.

Instead of worrying about the result, let’s enjoy the process.

Here’s a radical thought.

Post your words. Share your thoughts. Be okay with imperfection. Reclaim the freedom you relished as a child—the courage that knew anything was possible.

Because it is.

I’ve posted my recent watercolour bird painting above to get over my fear of sharing as a beginner artist.

Now it’s your turn.

What’s one thing you’ve been afraid to share? Maybe today’s the day to put it out there.

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