A Lesson Learned
I recently decided to revamp my website. I planned to hire someone to do the work for me, but a friend recommended I check out Squarespace to create a website on my own. She created her website this way and thought I could too. My initial reaction to this was a hard no. Doesn’t my friend know how bad I am with technology? Isn’t this the same friend who took a coding class for fun? I came up with a number of reasons to support my no and upon examining the evidence, my reasons didn’t hold up. My emotional mind said no but my wise mind said yes.
I convinced myself to at least try. My first step in the process was to create a Squarespace account (they had a free trial). This was easy. It took me 3 days, however, to actually play around on the website to see how everything works. In those 3 days, I observed and labeled my anxiety around building a website. It was as if someone was telling me I had to run a marathon. Through self-talk, I reminded myself that I have a choice in this situation; that I’m just trying it out. I also tried to acknowledge that what I deemed impossible could actually occur—that I could do it. This was difficult to internalize, but I nonetheless entertained the idea.
After a day or two of exposure to Squarespace, I realized that the thing that caused me distress might actually be doable. I scaffolded the tasks to make them seem more manageable for me, I paced myself (though I obviously wanted to create the website in one day!), I expressed gratitude to myself for getting out of my comfort zone and learning something new, and I continued to engage in my daily routines and my work.
Long story short, I created my website. It’s not perfect and that’s okay. I completed what felt like an arduous task.
My anxiety around this task might seem silly, but trying something new can be scary. After reflecting on this undertaking, I acknowledged that the process I created for myself is similar to what I would use for a client. I developed a greater understanding of my client’s experiences. Things can feel so overwhelming that avoidance becomes a go-to coping mechanism. Sometimes having someone in your corner, someone who believes in you, can make all the difference.
