When Steps Forward Look Like Steps Back

“We’re working backward,” that’s what a friend told me. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ After we got off the phone, I sat with this. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ She has a blog she hasn’t revisited in months. I have a website/blog but failed to launch (story to come). ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ We’re both now investing a lot of time in growing our following on Instagram and posting content there.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ We’ve essentially abandoned our boats in the middle of the ocean and are onshore using our nets to fish.⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Marketers will tell you this is backward. We’re supposed to use social media to direct people to our sites. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ They’re wrong about us. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ God, at least in my relationship, has worked in parallels. You might say he’s worked backward. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ Yet, in that backwardness, there is actually forwardness (I know, not a word). ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ If I hadn’t started the Instagram page first, I wouldn’t:⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ 1. Have eased out of my comfort zone. I’m on a venture to reveal glimmering and lackluster parts of my walk because I want to own every part of the “me” Jesus died for. I have a hunch there’s freedom, growth, deeper relationship, and opportunity to help others. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ 2. Know the community. ⁣ 3. Have a community to receive the website. With only a few followers, I would’ve emptied good content and branding ideas into a social abyss.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ 4. Have experimented and found my voice. I went from pre-used quotes and my applied meanings to writing POVs and creating imagery with my own quotes. And I’m constantly thinking of new ways to engage with readers.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣ 5. Know brevity. When Instagram says 2,200 characters, they mean it. That ceiling will lead to tighter, more digestible blogs. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ Things are happening organically and I’m seeing some details of that plan now after a casual conversation became thought-provoking. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ If it looks like you’re taking steps backward, consider that you might actually be taking steps forward.⁣⁣⁣