Posting Through The Cringe

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how much creativity we lose to perfection. And not because we don’t have ideas, but because we wait until whatever “it” is, feels right; until it looks better and until we’re more confident and more polished. The internet makes it feel like everything you share has to be definitive. Like every post should sound like you know exactly what you’re doing and what you’re talking about, and that being unsure is something to hide. But that’s never truly resonated with me or been how creativity works for me. Most of the things I’ve made that mattered came from moments of curiosity and experimentation; when I was playful and willing to share something that felt a little unfinished. So this year, I’m letting myself “post through the cringe.”

Photo by: Adam Day

It’s not that I don’t care about quality; in actuality, I care about it a lot. But I’m beginning to care more about staying connected to myself than I do about looking impressive. I’ve realized that “cringe” is usually just vulnerability with a bad reputation. It’s what shows up when you let people see you before you’ve perfected the “thing.”

I said this recently on TikTok, and I keep coming back to it; if artists and creatives only shared once they perfected their craft, we wouldn’t have nearly as much art. We wouldn’t see what growth looks like, and we wouldn’t have half the voices that shape how we see the world...nobody begins fully formed, nor does anyone grow in private.

Allowing yourself to post through the cringe is letting yourself be witnessed while you’re still figuring it out. It’s choosing momentum over control and understanding that vulnerability isn’t a mistake in the process, but a part of it! And this year, I want to return to play! Playing as curiosity, and as permission to explore without overthinking the outcome. I want to allow myself permission to share ideas before they turn into something strategic or marketable. I want to stay open.

I envision that some things I post this year might make me wince later, or some might not land the way I imagined. And I’m okay with that because staying creative matters more to me now than ever before, rather than staying comfortable.

So here’s to posting anyway; to staying curious and letting ourselves be seen before we’re sure.