Living A Creative Life Offline And Online: Why Community And Authentic Connection Are A Core Part Of The Human Experience
Episode 14: Living A Creative Life Offline And Online
In this episode I share my personal struggle with social media as it relates to being a creative and an artist. I share how it impacts having an online business while exploring what it means to be a leader and be more visible both offline and online.
Episode Details
Episode Summary
In this episode, I’m reflecting on two themes that have been on my mind lately: visibility and creativity.
As someone building an online business and sharing creative work publicly, I’ve been exploring what it means to be visible as a leader while also noticing a growing desire for privacy and time away from social media. Platforms that once felt inspiring and creatively energizing now often feel draining or disconnected, and I’ve been questioning whether they still serve the purpose they once did.
This reflection led me to think more deeply about creativity and what it really means to live a creative life. For me, creativity is less about productivity or performance and more about curiosity, expression, and allowing ideas to unfold naturally. Writing has become one of the primary ways I explore that process.
At the same time, creativity often feels most meaningful when it is witnessed. There’s something powerful about creating something that matters to you and having another person see it, acknowledge it, and connect with it. When those moments of authentic witnessing feel harder to find online, it can raise questions about where genuine creative communities live today.
This episode is an open reflection on the evolving role of social media, the longing for authentic connection, and the search for spaces where creativity can still feel shared and alive.
This episode is for you if…
You’re craving genuine authentic connections and want to build community
You identify as an artist or creative and want permission to be more offline
You’re an online entrepreneur or business owner who craves more freedom and time offline
You’re stepping into a leadership position in your life and are ready to be more visible
You feel disconnected and want to find your purpose
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Welcome to The Shoreline, where we explore the tender in-between seasons of the human experience. My name is Kim, and I'm here to support you as you navigate your next becoming. Here, we don't fix, we listen. We don't rush, we allow. Hello, and welcome to today's episode. If you're new here, I'm so happy you're here. And if you are returning, I'm so glad to have you. Lately, there have been kind of two things on my mind, two things that I've been kind of just thinking about on my walks and in my day-to-day. And yeah, I kind of wanted to explore them with you. The first one has to do with social media and visibility. And one of my goals that I've been working on with my coach is really just trying to be more present and more visible in like a leadership capacity. And in a session, we were talking about like being visible and what that looks like. And I feel like my inclination is always to go to social media. And then I kind of think about how that doesn't feel really good in aligning for me. And I get stuck in this loop. And I don't know about you, but social media just has been feeling really, really draining and not exciting. I feel like the algorithm really has siloed everyone into little pockets. And I used to really, especially when Instagram first started, it felt like a really inspiring place. You know, people were sharing, like, in real time, what was happening. And photos were really aesthetic. And there was like, just like this dreamy, aspirational aspect to it that felt like it was feeding my creativity. And it felt really exciting and like fun. And it really doesn't feel like that anymore. And especially now that social media has been in existence for quite a while, I've noticed in myself that I actually crave more, more privacy. Even though I want to be visible, I want to be a leader, I want to share things, I just don't want to share things in that way. And I got into a discussion with my coach about this, of just like, what is holding me back? And, you know, is this lack of desire to be on social media? Is it coming from a place of fear, of not wanting to be seen, of hiding? Or is it truly something that isn't aligning? And I really think that it is the latter. Lately, I've been really just wanting more time away from my phone, and it feels like there's a lack of potential there. Like, I open up Instagram and, or even Pinterest, and there's like a lack of new ideas, a lack of inspiration, and it just feels like there's nothing there for me. And I would rather spend time out in nature or just in like the physical realm, engaging with the world in a more tactile way. And yet, here I am, someone who has an online business. You know, my coaching is online. I have a podcast, and, you know, I'm posting to my website and sharing on Substack and have a newsletter and all the things. Everything is like in on my laptop, right? And at the same time, I feel this desire for more in-person connection, more time like in my surroundings and local community. And I've been having a hard time really reconciling the two. I feel like I'm really being pulled in kind of different directions of like, okay, like I want to really grow my business and I really feel strongly about helping people and connecting you to your own wisdom and being a leader and being a guide. And yet I also want to be completely offline and just going on walks with my dog and hanging out at home. And those two feel like they're not working together, I guess, or at least they don't in my mind. And I've been really thinking about like, okay, like maybe if I change X, Y, and Z, I'll want to show up to social media, or maybe I can force myself to do it and just commit to it. And the more I go down this rabbit hole, the less aligning it feels. And I don't know, it's just interesting. And I'm bringing this here because I'm wondering if you might feel the same way. And I've heard this conversation before in the online space, especially with Instagram of like, oh my gosh, it used to be this amazing place. I've gotten so much good out of it. And for me personally, and I've heard this elsewhere, like, I've really gained a lot of fruitful and amazing relationships on social media. And at the same time, I don't know if it's serving me anymore. And I feel like even if I were to really commit and put my energy there, I don't know that I would find what I'm looking for, if that makes sense. This does feel like a very Mercury retrograde thing to kind of explore. Or things from the past coming to the surface, shadows kind of coming to the surface, for you to reflect on and ultimately kind of when Mercury stations direct, kind of take that information and processing and move forward with it. And yeah, it feels like for me, maybe this is coming forward because it's time to like, I don't know, explore other options or really like come to a final decision of like letting this go or committing. But right now, I feel like kind of in limbo, like I'll post an Instagram story and then be like, I don't know, did I like that? I don't think I did. And try to have an online presence posting on Pinterest. And I'm always left feeling dissatisfied. And even from not from a creator standpoint, but from a consumer, I rarely feel good after consuming social media. We've been hearing more and more of that, like scrolling has a lot of negative impacts on our physical being, our nervous system. And so I'm wondering, like, are we as a collective kind of over it? And how can we continue to move forward and feel connected to all of our communities, but shift it to a way that feels inspirational and exciting and, like, actually connected? And I think that this is actually part of the second thing I want to talk about, which is creativity and living a creative life. And I've been really thinking about that for myself. Like, what does it actually mean to live life as a creative, to live a creative life? Like, what do I even mean by that? And I think it's really letting curiosity lead, being on a growth path, and feeling comfortable expressing myself and using the medium that I feel drawn to, which for me is mostly writing. And so I've been really thinking about, for a long time now, like, what kind of life will support my writing? How do I need to shift my habits, my way of being, where I live, in order to really support the type of life that I want to lead, which is leading with creativity and living as a creative person and as a writer? And for the most part, I feel like I'm there. I live in, you know, a beautiful environment. I have access to nature. My home is really supportive and quiet, and I've built spaciousness into my schedule, and I'm starting to build habits, like showing up to my work and just allowing it to be what it is. And I'm sharing more of my writing on my website, and I'm showing up here. But it also feels like maybe there's something missing, and I'm not sure what it is. Maybe it's that sense that my work is being witnessed, and I don't know how important that is, but sometimes it just feels like when I post something online, it's kind of like shouting into a void or hanging something up and wondering, like, is anyone going to see this? I'm not sure. And it's interesting, not that part of needing someone else to witness your work is kind of what completes the circle. And I don't think it has to be like, oh, this is your full-time career. Like, I think that creative endeavors can remain a passion, but there's something to be said for expressing and making something and being creative and then having someone else witness that and say, like, I see you doing this thing that you care so much about. And I think that's maybe what may be missing in social media. Like, when we post, you get likes, you may get comments, but there's almost like a lack of authenticity behind it, or it comes from a place of obligation of, like, we're all feeding this machine. We need to like and share and comment in order for more people to see what we're doing, but we're not liking and commenting from a genuine place. It's like to feed this algorithm that is kind of controlling what we see and what we don't see, and it's disrupting, like, genuine connection. And I think that's what was so beautiful about when Instagram first came out is everything was in real time, and, you know, your feed was created by, like, the times in which things were posted and not based on what an algorithm thinks you want to see or what it wants to show you or ad money or whatever it is. And those connections, those comments, those likes just felt like they came from a more real place, right? And I really am starting to realize just how much I miss that connection from the perspective of someone who enjoys creative expression, like creating and expressing myself, and also someone who is really inspired by others doing the same. I used to have all of my favorite creators, and it felt so exciting to be able to show them how much I was enjoying what they were creating. And now it just feels like, it just feels different. I keep saying that, but there really is like a shift that's happened over time, and this conversation is not new, but it feels like we've reached kind of this extreme point, or maybe, yeah, we've gotten really a lot further away from the original intention. And so I'm wondering, yeah, what do you think about social media, about connection online and in real life, and how it pertains to creativity, living as a creative, creative expression. And like, I just wonder where things are going, or where we can all kind of find each other and witness each other's creativity again, because I really miss it. And I want to find other people who are interested in what I'm interested in, or who are curious or creative, or on kind of a spiritual or intuitive path. Like, I really am excited at the idea of finding more of those types of people. And if it is, you know, being on social media more, I think I would be happy to be there if I knew, like, okay, like, this is going to bring more connection for both myself and others. I think I would be more committed to it, even if it's not something that, like, 100%, like, sparks joy. But I just don't know if it's there. So that's really what I've been thinking about lately. And just wanting to, yeah, to feel more connected, to find more like-minded people who are interested in living a creative life. And maybe you're feeling a little bit exhausted and drained by social media, too. I don't know. Let me know what you're thinking and how you're feeling about all of this. And, yeah, if you are looking for creative inspiration, I did just write a blog post sharing kind of what creativity means to me, how I view it, my kind of values as a creative person. And then I also shared my five favorite books that helped me feel more creatively inspired. So if you're interested in exploring that, the blog post is on my website. And I'm really interested to know what you think about that, about creativity, about social media, everything I kind of chatted about today. And as I'm sharing this with you, it's giving me a good reminder, I think, I should revisit some of those books that I've shared and just see where that path leads me and to kind of get a little more curious and see where I land from there. So that's what I have to share with you today. Yeah, and thank you so much for listening and showing up and being part of my life in this way. It's something that I really enjoy doing, sharing on this podcast. And it always makes me so happy to think about who might be listening on the other side of this. So yeah, thank you so much for being here. And I hope that you take good care while the waves carry you closer. Know that your next version is already waiting on the shore.
If you’re feeling stuck in the foggy middle and exhausted from having to always “figure it out” alone, I want to invite you to…
Explore The Shoreline Private Sessions to find aligned support as you navigate a significance life transition
Learn about my favorite books about creativity to jumpstart your creative practice
Connect to your north star using my FREE Intention Setting Worksheet
Discover 3 simple things you can do to create more magic in your life
Kim Kogane is a writer and intuitive guide helping you navigate the tender in-between seasons. She lives in Seattle, Washington with her dog, Cauchy, and three cats. Learn more about Kim.
