To succeed in any industry, you’ve got to put yourself out there. We all know this. It’s common knowledge.

For some, “putting yourself out there” means launching a new program, service, or product. For others, it means pitching yourself to a podcast. Or sending a true story in a newsletter. Or booking your first speaking gig.

It means different things to different people, but essentially, “putting yourself out there” means that you’re taking a bold, decisive step to let the world know about your work.

You’re saying, “I’m here, I exist, and I’ve got cool ideas and projects to share.”

And you know what?

It can be scary AF. Especially right now. 

In heightened times, there are all kinds of fears and emotions flying around—as well as a lot of opinions.

And there’s been a decent amount of #salesshaming going on for entrepreneurs who are putting themselves out there, offering helpful products and services.

Multiple times per day, I hear from clients, students and readers who say:

“I know I need to put myself out there and earn a living right now, but I’m so scared. What if people hate me? What if I can’t run my business and support my family? How do I get over this fear?”

For me, the answer is…

You have every right to earn a living, run your business, and offer products & services, and…

… you have to accept that not everyone is going to agree with that. 

The sooner you accept this, the better.

And then, what about when you get a piece of negative feedback–like a nasty email, or an Instagram comment from someone who feels offended and outraged?

When those moments arise, you’ve got to come up with your own personal “coping strategies” to get through it and feel okay. Different strategies work for different people. Here are a few you can consider…

Shake it off.

Running a business is all about attracting your ideal clients. This type of client is not someone who will shame you for trying to earn a living. If someone’s going to flip out because you’re trying to feed your family, or keep the economy going, that’s their drama—not yours. You’ll never “win them over,” and it’s pointless to even try. Instead, delete and ignore—and focus on your ideal clients. For every hate message I receive, I send a love note to a client, friend, or colleague. Take that hate and whip it into love.

Set boundaries. 

Putting yourself out into the world takes a lot of courage. To keep yourself feeling strong, you’ve got to take really good care of yourself, which means basic self-care (sleep, nutritious food, movement, playtime, long walks, whatever helps you to de-stress). Setting policies and boundaries for your business is a form of self-care, too.

What kinds of boundaries? Well, maybe you want to deactivate the comments section on your blog or on social media for a bit. Maybe you want to peek at your podcast reviews, or Yelp reviews, or Amazon reviews, once a month—but not every day. Maybe you could hire an assistant to flick through your emails and deal with the nasty, unproductive stuff so you don’t even have to see it. Those kinds of boundaries can make a huge difference.

And lastly, the only way to get more comfortable with putting yourself out there is…

Just Do It.  

There’s no inspirational quote or magic healing balm that makes it easier. It’s not always easy. But it’s necessary.

Because you can’t make a positive impact on your clients’ and customers’ lives if you’re just hiding out, binge-watching Netflix, too afraid to step forward right now, too nervous to share your work with the world.

You’ve got to put yourself out there.

Will you face negativity and criticism? Sure, maybe.

But the flip side is that you will also get to experience love, appreciation, sales, sign ups, and the deep pride of knowing that you’re pursuing your dream with courage—not hiding in fear. That’s something nobody can steal from you. Not even the meanest Internet troll.

And, if you need a little advanced help putting yourself out there, I just opened a few more dates for Virtual VIP Days with me. Recently, I’ve been working with my VIP clients on tinkering with their messaging for upcoming launches that honors what’s going on in our world. I’m also working with folks who want to use this time at home to work on a bigger dream—launching an online course, outlining a book, scripting a Youtube show, and lots more. If this sounds like you, I’d love to work with you, too! You can grab all the details HERE.