See Yourself Being Seen

I noticed you noticing me.

The kids in my music class love being noticed. They love it when I make eye contact and individually acknowledge them–a thumbs up, a smile, a “Great focus!” The important part is not so much me noticing them, but rather them seeing themselves being noticed.

I crave this feeling as well. It’s not enough that people see my content. I need to know that they’ve seen it, that they appreciate it, that they like it. So, I check how many people viewed my Facebook posts, liked my Instagram photos, watched my YouTube videos.

Now, this is not always bad. For instance, I learned that a funny skit I posted on FB got more clicks and likes than a serious post. So, I’ll probably do more silly stuff. But I’m trying to bring some awareness to whether I’m checking social media to learn as a creative, or just to see myself being seen.