“Alexis is doing pretty well in school”, says Mr. Kindergarten Teacher.

At first, that sounded like a standard spiel you tell the parents to confirm they made the right decision to have their kids go to your school. However, the moment he got into the specifics such as “social interaction” and Math and ABCs, I realized he wasn’t just telling me what I wanna hear. Then he showed us a portfolio of her work. I gotta say, I’m proud of her drawings. But here’s a good takeaway:

The more specific you get, the more trust you can draw from the interaction.

***

I decided to turn on my IG notifications on my phone.

I was invited to be one of the e-mail writers of the online community I’m in. It’s where we are learning how to tell stories, think critically and communicate in a way that doesn’t bore the reader. I gotta admit, it felt pretty good when you get an invitation like that. It validates how my writing skill is “good enough” lol. I have a tough time getting eyeballs on my work. But I don’t wanna game the algorithm.

Therefore, I wanna use this opportunity to be seen more often than usual.

***

I’m learning a shitload of things right now.

I do it all for the sake of learning the “business” side of writing. That’s what I plan to focus on in 2024. I’m gonna try to be more “salesy” –y’know, hype things up a little when I sell myself. Selling myself makes me cringe, but that’s exactly why I need to lean into it. But of course, I’m gonna make sure it’s not too much to a point where I look like a bag of fluff. I’m pretty hard on myself (when it comes to gauging what I can and cannot do). That used to serve me a lot, trying to look humble and all that. But that needs to change if I want people to trust me more.

Sure, the quality of our work can do the selling for us, but why not pair that up with verbal or written communication?