When your inner critic says “I don’t like the way I look or sound on video”
This is post #2 in my series on inner critics and videos. Start here with the overview post.
The phrase “I don’t like the way I look or sound on video” was one I heard THE MOST from my poll of friends about what keeps them from making videos. I knew it had to be the first in this series on what our inner critic tells us about making videos.
Do you know how many amazing, kind, knowledgeable, fantastic voices are silenced because they’re worried about how they’ll look or sound on video?!
Way too many!
Of course, it takes a lot of courage and vulnerability to show up on video or record audio. It’s not for everyone and that’s ok.
But if you feel compelled to create video or audio content, please don’t let this phrase stop you. The world needs to hear your words if you’re excited to share them.
🔭My perspective
When I hesitate before hitting publish on my own videos, I think about who needs to hear this message and won’t hear it elsewhere. I keep that person in my mind, take a deep breath in and out, and then I press that damn publish button.
Honestly, I’ve never gotten a negative comment on a video and the worst thing that’s happened is that no one comments on it at all.
On the flip side, the amazing support and responses I’ve received from my videos and my increase in self-confidence made all that pre-publish angst and anxiety worthwhile. It gets easier each time I push that publish button.
By putting myself out there just as I am and proudly taking up space, I want to empower and motivate others to do the same.
💌 Making videos requires self-love
A big part of the hesitation to go in front of the camera lies in societal expectations of our bodies and appearances. If you’ve almost never feel love for your body, I’d highly recommend the book, The Body is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonia Renee Taylor. It can help you unpack your experiences in a kind, heart-centered way.
There is a place in this society for everyone to speak their truth and share their perspectives. Trust me - I feel this deeply! Even though I have certain privileges, I’ve also had disadvantages and have had microaggressions lobbed at me due to my appearance. It still affects me as I’m watching playback of my videos.
I cringe at how my voice cracks sometimes or the weird expressions my face makes involuntarily. I record take after take when I notice these things, even though other people may not notice or if they do notice, they don’t care.
Like I wrote above, this all gets easier with time - you become desensitized to it because you have positive support to buoy you up.
Now, instead of listening to my inner critic rail on about my looks or my voice, I focus on getting my message out there in the way that only I can. I concentrate on validating the perspective of myself and those like me.
Your people are out there, waiting for someone who looks or speaks like you to show up in this world.
I’m ready to hear you, too.
Video affirmation if you say to yourself “I don’t like the way I look or sound on video”
🕵🏼♀️Questions that’ll help you reframe your inner critic’s perspective:
What if no one else cares about how I look or sound?
What if people are excited to hear from me, regardless of how I look or sound?
What if someone really needs to hear this message, regardless of my perceived flaws?
What if someone else needs to see someone who looks or sounds like them because they’re “flawed”?
Have you ever felt love for your body or your voice? If so, when? Channel that energy into your creation.
