How I’m learning to stop overthinking, trust my work, and share what matters most.
Let Them.
Lately, I have been caught in a spiral of self-sabotaging thoughts. Maybe you’ve felt this too. The overthinking. The second-guessing. The quiet, relentless voice that keeps asking, Should I post this?
Sometimes it starts as I’m about to share something simple. A photo from a recent session. A video that took me way too long to edit. A moment I was proud of.
Then the questions pile up.
Should I post these pictures of the same person again? What will people think?
Is it okay to share images from Aria’s shoot? Will someone judge me for photographing a young model?
Are people going to think my work isn’t diverse enough?
Does this video even resonate? The audio is off. I’m just a beginner. Maybe I should wait until I get better at making reels.
Did I already use these photos once? Will that seem repetitive?
Before I know it, I am stuck. Spinning in circles. Not moving forward.
Does any of this sound familiar to you? Have you ever felt paralyzed by worrying about what other people might think?
This morning, I decided to face the beast directly. I opened Instagram. The place where most of these doubts like to hang out.
And right there, I came across a video from Mel Robbins. The title stopped me.
Let Them Unfollow You.
I was curious, so I pressed play.
She started by saying, “Open up your favorite app.” Then she asked, What is the thing you want to use Instagram for? Maybe it’s launching a new business. That hit me right in the chest. Because that is exactly what I am trying to do.
She described the process. You pick a photo. You write a caption. Then, just before you hit post, you freeze. You ask yourself, Is this too much? Should I even share this?
Then she said something I needed to hear.
Too much for whom?
I paused the video and sat there. Because that was it. That was the question behind every anxious thought I’ve been having. Who am I worried about? Who am I giving all this power to?
Mel explained that when you start worrying about someone else’s reaction, you hand over your power. You build a little prison around your creativity and lock yourself inside it. You tell yourself their opinion matters more than your own.
That is exactly what I have been doing.
My social media is supposed to be for me. For my growth. For my business. For my art. For all the hours I spend learning about posing, lighting, editing, and building something I care about.
Maybe you’ve been there too. Maybe you have a project, a passion, or a goal you want to share, but you keep stopping yourself because you’re worried someone will roll their eyes.
Here’s what I’m learning:
I can’t control who is going to unfollow me.
I can’t control who likes, shares, or comments.
I can’t control what someone might whisper about what I’m posting.
But I can control what I think of myself.
I’m the one who knows how much work goes into each shoot. I’m the one who sees how far I’ve come from where I started. I’m the one who gets to decide what I’m proud of.
So if I like the photo, if I want to show my growth, if I want to celebrate a milestone, I am going to post it.
Maybe someone will judge. Maybe they will unfollow. Maybe they will scroll right past.
Let them.
Let them think a negative thought. Let them roll their eyes. Let them gossip. Let them leave.
I am not creating for them.
I am creating for me, for the clients who trust me, and for the people who might see my work and feel inspired to start something of their own.
Maybe you needed to hear this too. Maybe you have something you’ve been holding back because you’re worried it won’t be good enough or it will be “too much.”
What if, instead, you let it be exactly what it is? A step forward. A moment of courage. A piece of your story.
I am choosing to shift my thinking.
The power is not in someone else. The power is in me.
And the power is in you too.
— Cass
**Note the pictures are from Victoria's quinceañera bday shoot**
