Unnatural Business Owners on Social Media

When Social Media Feels Like Too Much (And You’re a business owner)

There’s a particular kind of anxiety that comes from having to be visible.

Not just present.
Not just online.
But on display.

Yesterday I tried to film a simple video.
My yoga routine. A short introduction. Nothing dramatic.

Except it was.

I turned the camera on and immediately felt wrong in my body.
My face looked unfamiliar. My words tangled. I forgot how I normally speak.
I became hyper-aware of everything: my voice, my posture, my expressions.

Then the camera battery died.

And honestly? That felt like mercy.

The friction was so high that continuing felt like forcing myself through a locked door just because everyone else insists that’s the only way in.

If you’re a small business owner, especially one who relies on social media networking, you probably know this feeling well.
The pressure to create content can quietly become pressure to perform a version of yourself that doesn’t feel safe, natural, or even real.

And we don’t talk enough about how dysregulating that can be.

The Myth We’re Sold

We’re told that consistency builds trust.
That video converts better.
That showing your face is non-negotiable.

And while those things can be true, they’re not universally true, and they’re certainly not neutral to the nervous system. For some of us, hitting “record” isn’t a productivity task. It’s a stress response. Your body doesn’t care that Instagram prefers reels. Your body cares whether it feels exposed, judged, or unsafe.

When creating content leaves you spiraling into self-criticism: I look bad, I sound stupid, why can’t I just do this like everyone else, that’s not a marketing issue. That’s a nervous system issue. And no amount of strategy fixes that.

You Are Allowed to Opt Out (Or At Least Step Sideways)

This is your permission slip.

You are allowed to:

• Build a business without daily video

• Market without talking directly to a camera

• Grow slowly if “growth” feels like too much

• Choose formats that don’t hijack your nervous system

Social media is a tool, not a moral obligation. Now read that again.

If creating content consistently dysregulates you, it doesn’t mean you’re weak, behind, or doing it wrong. It means your system is asking for a different approach.

Some Alternatives.

If video stresses you out, here are quieter ways to stay connected without forcing visibility:

• Writing instead of speaking
  Long captions, newsletters, Substack posts, blog entries, places where you can think before you share.

• Voice without face
  Audio notes, podcasts, or voiceovers paired with imagery. You don’t owe anyone eye contact.

• Stillness over performance
  Photos of your process, your space, your hands at work. Let the work speak.

• Asynchronous connection
  Email lists, thoughtful replies, and slower platforms that don’t reward urgency.

• Less frequent, more honest
  Posting less but saying something real often lands more deeply than daily noise.

And yes, you can also take breaks. Strategic ones. Nervous-system-protecting ones.

So now, let’s reframe.

Instead of asking, “How do I show up more?”
Try asking, “How do I show up naturally?”

Because a business built at the cost of your regulation will eventually ask you to pay that debt, with burnout, resentment, or quiet withdrawal.

You don’t need to conquer social media.
You don’t need to force yourself through the friction.

Sometimes the most founder-like thing you can do is notice when something feels like too much and choose another path.

Even if that path is quieter.
Even if it’s slower.
Even if it looks nothing like what everyone else is doing.

That’s still leadership.
That’s still building.
That’s still enough.

Nothing here is urgent.