Negative Balance
Another week, another blog to write.
This week I'm tackling negative comments. When I first started my
YouTube channel over 4 years ago, I hoped it would become popular and
connect with many people. It took a long while to really take off,
and now it seems to have hit the exponential growth rate I could only
dream of when I began.
Putting yourself out into the web is a
bit like putting a message in a bottle and throwing it out to sea.
It felt that way for a long time. It is like working in a vacuum,
there is no immediate feedback. Luckily I am kind of stubborn, and I
also begged people to watch and share. (Hey when you want your
message out there you have to be a bit pushy sometimes). I prayed
for comments and positive feedback. When I would get some my whole
day seem to light up. I occasionally got donations too which would
practically have me singing. Then of course I got my first negative
comment.
I was crestfallen. I felt like a
failure, a fraud, a person who had no right doing the kind of work
that I do. I mean I'm not anywhere near perfect. Who was I to talk
about spirituality, and to do healing work. So I did what any self
respecting person would do. I deleted the comment after a few days.
(Yes I know so “very” mature). I policed my comment threads like
a fascist dictator. Now I don't want you to think I was the victim
of constant ostracism because I wasn't. My negative comments were
and continue to be in a very tiny minority (thank goodness). It
wasn't until much later that I was able to just leave them alone, and
not feel like I had to respond or delete them.
What changed you may ask. Well my
business grew for one. I was getting feedback from more people. I
was learning more and expanding my skills. Plus I kept getting more
comments in general on my channel and how much people appreciated
what I did. Occasionally I'd get a real zinger comment that required
surgical removal from my heart, but that was rare. Also whenever I
would get a negative comment there was special video I would watch.
(Careful guys it is not safe for work). This video really helped me
realize that just by putting myself out there I was doing something
worthwhile. So I'll let you watch you it and then finish up this
post.
That was fun right? I knew you'd enjoy
it. So what can you take from all this? Well anytime you create
something or take public action there is going to be criticism. We
live in a society with a constant barrage of gossip. Most people sit
on the sidelines and poke at people's shortcomings. They're not all
bad people it is just easier and less risky than putting themselves
out there to be seen. However comfortable the view from the
sidelines is though, that's not where the action happens. If you
want to change and have a better life you can't stay there. Just
know when you join the ranks of people who are making, doing, and
changing, you will be subject to the judgment of the sidelines folk.
You don't have to accept their assessment though. That's the tricky
part of course, and you don't want to be deaf to any actual real constructive criticism. You have to find a balance with the negative comments. Maybe do what I do and realize that if I am getting more of them it is because I am reaching more people. Not everyone is going to love what I do, much as I might wish it to be so. The same will hold true for you. Not everyone will sing your praises, and just remember when they don't it has absolutely nothing to do with you. You're spectacular.
Peace and Blessings,
Thomas Mooneagle
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