One of the biggest challenges I've faced on my journey to creating my Velveteen Lounge Kitsch-en media empire is knowing that not everyone adores me. Shocking, right? It's in my DNA to be nice to people and I always approach any new person in my life wanting to have a fabulous relationship, whether personal or professional, but sometimes it just wasn't meant to be. Sometimes folks hate you on sight. Sometimes there are professional rivalries, imagined slights or you just resemble someone's abusive boss or cheating wife. There's not much you can do about other people and what they think. All you can do is be kind, be yourself, do the work you want to do and live your life in a way that makes you proud. If someone doesn't like you or what you represent, that's their problem!
At Vidcon last year I attended many panels featuring creators of wildly successful food and lifestyle shows on YouTube and some of their stories were shocking. The abuse and vitriol that even the most popular ones endure is pretty amazing to someone like me, who wants to love everyone. But I took a valuable piece of advice away from more than one panel, which is that
you're no one without haters. If you don't have haters, it means you're not putting yourself out there in the world. So thank a hater! Their asinine comments are evidence that your message is being heard!
Here's a little cocktail to enjoy as you build your business, life or just navigate the crazies who are determined to hate everything:
