E7 | Curating Our Digital Environment to Support Our Sensitive Nature

In this episode, I, your host Patricia Vargas, talk about the importance of curating our digital environment as introverted and sensitive artists. I emphasize the need to remove digital influences that don't align with our values and to surround ourselves with positive and supportive content that will help us thrive. 

00:00 Introduction to the Quietly Thriving Artist Podcast
00:38 The Impact of Digital Environments on Sensitive Introverts
01:56 Curating a Supportive Online Space
02:54 Embracing Magic and Positive Mindsets
05:41 Finding Inspiration from Like-Minded Individuals
08:07 Practical Steps for Digital Detox
08:33 Conclusion 

Transcript

[00:00:00] Welcome to the Quietly Thriving Artist Podcast, a podcast designed for sensitive and introverted artists who are looking for alternative ways to build a flourishing business that works in harmony with who they are. I'm your host, Patricia Vargas. Join me as I share how I let go of the extroverted marketing and sales advice and embarked on a journey of self discovery.

[00:00:21] Through a combination of licensing, selling art prints, sustainable marketing, and implementing human design, I shifted my business from burnout to one that honors the natural rhythms of my energy. My mission is to guide introverted artists in discovering their path to a quietly thriving business.

[00:00:38] Welcome back. Today's going to be a nice, short, sweet episode. And we're going to be talking about curating our digital environments and how that impacts us as sensitive introverts. Because as much as I love the internet and everything that has afforded me I have started to notice, a few years ago, just how sensitive I am to the energies of the internet and how much it actually affects my mental well-being.

[00:01:05] And in turn, how that starts to affect how I feel about running my business online and believing what is possible for me. I noticed that the more that I listened to business gurus and even other artists talking about business who are not introverts or sensitives, the more that I felt like I was missing out on something or like there was something wrong with me because I didn't operate in the same way that they do.

[00:01:30] And it felt really alienating in a way. Almost like being at a get-together with all the wrong people. And it's not that they're bad people, but I just don't feel like I fit in, if you know what I mean. And as sensitives and introverts, I think that we tend to feel like we don't fit in, in general.

[00:01:50] And maybe you have felt this way too, as you've looked for creative and entrepreneurial advice. And it has made me realize the importance of curating our online environment in the same way that we do with our external environments.

[00:02:04] By letting go of what no longer serves us or helps us on our journey. And that means leaving spaces and places where we feel like outliers. And it's crucial for people like us to be in environments where we feel comfortable and safe, and share similar values. Where we feel heard, however quiet our voices may be, and seen without feeling exposed. And I find that that's not always possible with mainstream influences.

[00:02:33] An ill-fitting environment can fill our heads with fears and doubts, or unearth our deepest insecurities. So the right environment can play a significant role in helping us develop a positive mindset about our creative path as sensitive introverts, and that can contribute to our success.

[00:02:54] One of my big core beliefs is that there is magic in this world and that it's all around us, and while we can't exactly conjure magic with wands like Harry Potter, we can do it with our thoughts, our words, actions, and feelings. And when we surround ourselves in environments that feel in alignment with who we are, the universe starts to work its magic.

[00:03:21] And I believe in that wholeheartedly. I have seen it happen time and time again, and that is the kind of stuff that I want to continuously remind myself about. That there is magic in this world. That we are magic, and we hold this energy within us to make things happen regardless if we're introverted or sensitive.

[00:03:42] I need to hear that daily and have it in the forefront of my mind on a consistent basis. And I can tell when I'm in the wrong environment for too long because I start to feel pessimistic, frustrated, or like something is wrong with me because I'm sensitive and introverted, or that there's something wrong with my art.

[00:04:01] And so it's vital for me to see less of hustle culture and girl boss and anything that feels like I have to be extroverted to find success or things that don't sit right with me. So anything that makes my body contract, that's a big indicator that something is not right.

[00:04:19] Like advice that says that I need to share my process, which I don't feel comfortable with as a means to sell my art, or anything that tells me that I need to show up daily when I know that my energy ebbs and flows or that I simply can't because of my chronic condition.

[00:04:35] I want to minimize that kind of talk or hear as little bit of it as possible and instead surround myself with the things that make me feel good and encourage me to embrace my sensitive nature. For example, I have decided to fill my digital environment with things that are about slow living, about being an introvert or HSP, about finding and tuning into the flows and rhythms of our energies and the seasons in our lives.

[00:05:02] About adjusting and allowing things to flow in naturally. About things that connect me deeper to my spirituality. Things that help me learn more about myself, like human design, which I find is so incredibly helpful. And really anything that encourages me to reconnect with myself constantly. And remind me that I am here to make beautiful things.

[00:05:25] And in knowing that that is my purpose, my truth, and knowing that I'm supported in all ways, and again, trusting in the magic of the universe. Those are the things that I want to hear

[00:05:38] on a consistent basis.

[00:05:40] I also started looking for people who are doing things differently, regardless of industry, like Danielle Gardner and Belinda Marie, and taking in their wisdom about being sensitive. And I want to surround myself with those words of encouragement. Words that make me feel like I'm enough, words that make me feel like I could do it in a way that's different from the way that everyone is telling me to do it.

[00:06:04] And so I started looking for evidence that contradicts or strays from the mainstream way of running a business, because I know that it's not the only way to do it. It can't be the only way to do it. The deeper that I dig, the more that I find evidence that there are ways, strategies, methods, and processes that can work with my sensitive nature. 

[00:06:27] And the more that we can curate our digital and external environment with supportive messages and content, the easier it is to tap into an abundant mindset. And it allows our intuition to flourish because we're not alone constantly trying to silence it and force ourselves to operate in a way that we're not meant to.

[00:06:48] And for me, the more that I believe that good things can happen, the more good things actually start to happen around me, and opportunities start to come in and emails start to come in, people start reaching out and sales go up. And I know that it sounds crazy or a little bit woo-woo, but I know that there is this unexplainable, but very real magic that happens when you surround yourself with good thoughts, which are cultivated by being in the right environment.

[00:07:18] So if you're like me and sometimes find fears and doubts, start to creep into your thoughts and feel like you're not good enough because you're sensitive or introverted or what you're doing is not “the right way”, then curating your digital environment might help you shift into a more positive mindset.

[00:07:40] And you can start to look for evidence of people who are doing it the way that you want to do it and start surrounding yourself with the words and images, and the content, and the people who will encourage you to do it differently, to follow who you are. And start to create an environment that you actually feel comfortable in because when you feel comfortable, when you feel a sense of peace and safety, that's when you thrive.

[00:08:06]I like to do an audit of my digital space every now and then, and unsubscribe or unfollow any accounts or websites that I may have subscribed to because they originally piqued my interest, but after consideration, I realized that they don't resonate with me on a core level.

[00:08:24] So I highly recommend trying it out this week and see if that makes any difference in how you feel about your journey and what's possible for you. Alright, so that is the end of this episode, I hope that you have enjoyed it, and if you did, please consider subscribing or sharing it with a friend.

[00:08:43] Thank you so much for listening, and I will see you over in the next one.