In Radical Self-Expression Part 1, I talked about why being yourself in your business is something you MUST do right now.

It’s the only real way to be seen and heard in today’s overcrowded marketplace where we’re bombarded with marketing campaigns, messages and memes 24/7. 

I also shared 3 actionable radical self-expression exercises you can put into practice right away to build courage and stay resilient in the face of harsh judgment and criticism (check out the post here, if you missed it). 

So now that you know the why and some of the how behind the art of radical self-expression, let’s take things up a notch (or 10!)…

Let’s talk about using radical self-expression in social media to build a strong community of raving fans and followers…

People who’ll love you, connect with you and buy from you just because you’re YOU 🙂 

We’re Not Gary V BUT…

Most people have a pretty uncomplicated relationship with social media.

They either love it or hate it and there’s no in between.

I’ve been kind of allergic to social media pretty much from Day One (you can find out more about my out-of-the ordinary relationship with it in this video).

And I’m the first to admit that I’m nothing like Gary Vaynerchuk who never gets tired of showing up raw and unedited on YouTube, Instagram… or Tik Tok for that matter!

So I know a lot of entrepreneurs are a lot more like me and a lot less like Gary V.

They don’t enjoy revealing gritty behind-the-scenes stuff in their business and they’re not comfortable ripping off their masks — those carefully crafted personas we all take on — when people are watching.

And that’s because most of us want the world to see the best version of who we are and not the mistakes and the mess-ups.

But here’s the thing…

Entrepreneurs who are unafraid to share both the good days and the crappy ones, those who are brave enough to practice radical self-expression and show up fully as themselves…

Those are the ones who are kicking some serious bu$$ when it comes to sales, sign ups and subscribers!

So here’s what you need to know…

Love it or hate it, social media isn’t going away anytime soon and the truth is you can’t afford to ignore it and you can’t afford to be anyone other than YOU when you’re posting and sharing… 

Not if you’re planning to stay in business for more than a year or two!

Here’s an “Indecent” Proposal… 

If you know me, you know I don’t do things halfway.

And one of my favorite personal mantras and also one of our company values at Live Your Message is…

All in like a Bad-Ass Boss 🙂 

So what this means is we go  ALL in and we hold nothing back. We say what we mean and mean what we say and we’re not into blaming, shaming or judging.

We believe in taking ownership and responsibility of every situation and we know that if something’s going to change, it’s down to us to make it happen… and so we make it happen.

We step up and do what it takes, even when it’s hard — especially when it’s hard — and at the end of the day, we’re all in, like a bad-ass boss because that’s just the kind of people we are!

So in the spirit of All in Like a Bad-Ass Boss here’s my “indecent proposal” to you and everyone in the Live Your Message Tribe…

Let’s commit. Let’s go all in. Let’s take off our masks and practice radical self-expression on Facebook or Instagram or whatever your favorite platform happens to be.

So I know some people might be wondering if I’ve lost my mind and maybe that’s you!

Maybe you’re thinking, “Marisa… are you crazy? There’s NO WAY I’m practicing radical self-expression on social media. That’s like putting out a “welcome” sign so the haters and the critics can take their best shot!”

But here’s the thing…

Being YOU on a major social platform is one of the best things you can do for your business right now.

I’d even say it’s the only real way to tap into the unlimited power of Facebook and Instagram and all the rest.

Radical self-expression on social media can lead you to aligned opportunities and partnerships, and explosive growth in your subscriber list and your audience.

Plus being you on social will attract all the right clients and customers who’ll genuinely love you and everything you put out there… flaws and all 🙂

So if that’s something you think is worth your time, energy and effort, if you know you have it in you to push past your comfort zone and get real with yourself and your audience…

I’ve got 3 empowering practices I want you to try.

They’re designed to help you build strong, foundational skills to express who you are as you are on social media. 

Each one will move you closer and closer to the place where you can be boldly and bravely unscripted, unrehearsed and unabashedly YOU…

A place where radical self-expression becomes second nature.

Practice #1: Drop Sasha Fierce

Did you know Beyoncé was a super shy kid when she was growing up?

I know that’s hard to believe especially if you’ve watched her perform live. She’s out there larger than life, wowing the crowd… soaking up all the admiration and attention.

So how the heck does a shy kid take the stage — and the world — by storm?

In an interview early in her singing career Beyoncé revealed that when she was onstage she wasn’t Beyoncé… 

She was Sasha Fierce. 

Sasha was Beyoncé alter ego — her avatar — the part of her that was bold, brazen and ultra-confident.

The part of her that didn’t know how to be shy or awkward and could perform in front of millions without missing a beat.

Beyoncé stepped into her Sasha Fierce avatar every time she needed to get on stage or do an interview or anything else…

Until the day she realized she didn’t need Sasha anymore because shy Beyoncé could do everything Sasha did.

And that’s exactly what I want for you.

I want you to create an alter ego — an avatar, a persona — that can breeze through the social media stuff that feels awkward or scary or nerve wracking to you right now.

Maybe that’s getting in front of the camera for an Instagram Story or sharing a behind-the-scenes look at your life on Facebook…

Basically all the things that you resist doing.

Give your avatar a name and a personality. Give him or her traits and skills — courage, confidence, authority, authenticity, charisma — anything and everything you think you need to practice radical self-expression.

Imagine transforming into this powerful character every time you hit record or press publish.

Keep going until you know you don’t need your avatar to get real on social media and you can finally do what Beyoncé did…

Drop Sasha Fierce 🙂

Practice #2: Look Through Empowered Eyes

This one might feel a little uncomfortable at first but I want you to try it because the results are beyond worth it. 

Think back to your childhood — maybe when you were in grade school or middle school – and recall the most humiliating thing that happened to you.

Then I want you to replay the whole thing — scene, by scene — in your mind. See the incident like you’re watching it play out on a movie screen and here’s the most important part…

Look at it from the perspective of whatever age you happen to be right now.

In other words, I want you to “watch” a humiliating childhood incident through the eyes of your adult self.

And when you do that you’ll feel something magical start to happen…

The pain, the emotion, the “sharp” uncomfortable feelings that you experienced start to lose their edge and you’ll realize that it wasn’t really as bad as you thought it was when you were a kid.

So I want you to do this when you feel like you’re freaking out because you need to record or share something on Facebook or Instagram.

I want you to look at the entire experience through the eyes of your adult self.

Because a lot of the time, when we’re faced with something scary or challenging, we unconsciously revert to a much younger age than we are now and we think, “Oh my gosh, something bad is going to happen to me!”

But the truth is nothing bad is going to happen if your Livestream kinda bombs or no one “hearts” your post!

The truth is you’ll be just fine and you’ll definitely live another day and have a second, third, fourth or 10th chance to get better at being yourself on social media… 

And you’ll understand this and feel this on a deep level when you can view it all through the eyes of the empowered adult that you are today…

And not through the eyes of the frightened child you once were.

Practice #3: Become a Cyber Stalker 

Just to be clear…

This isn’t about cyber stalking someone in a creepy way!

I’m talking about paying close attention to the most raw, authentic leader you know and admire so you can learn from them. 

I want you to watch their videos for a few minutes every day, follow them on Facebook and Instagram or Tik Tok, and if you get the chance attend a live event where they’re speaking or presenting.

Make sure you choose someone who’s real and authentic… someone who’s practicing radical self-expression.

Ideally this should be a leader who regularly goes way beyond what you feel comfortable expression on social media.

The idea is to watch them, follow them and connect with them.

I want you to feel inspired by their energy and their authenticity to the point where it ignites your motivation and you can go out there and start to be as fearless and as real as they are — in your own way. 

Nothing’s Burning Down or Blowing Up

Radical self-expression on social media isn’t for the faint of heart and it’s definitely NOT easy.

So allow yourself time and space to experiment and push the edges of your comfort zone a little more every day.

And when you start to notice your audience becoming more engaged, and more responsive to who you truly are…

When your subscriber list and sales numbers begin to go way up…

And you see that nothing’s burning down or blowing up and you’re absolutely safe…

You’ll feel stronger, more confident and more grounded in yourself and who you are.

In time, you’ll get to the place where being yourself and being totally real on Facebook or Instagram or YouTube or whatever it happens to be is as easy and natural to you as breathing and that’s when social media stops being a burden… 

And transforms into this empowering space where you get to show up, be yourself, serve others from the heart and create a successful, profitable business you love 🙂

Before you go…

Which one of these 3 practices are you planning on doing first? Share in the comments… I’d love to know!