Heartbreak #1: Don't Trust Your Fans and Followers Count

Let's admit it. Across the board, blogger or entrepreneur, it brings us joy when we see our followers count grow! Who doesn't? We identify it as an integral measure of our "growth". Thus, we end up obsessing over the numbers to a point that when we lose followers by any form or fashion, it cuts us like a knife and it affects us emotionally. But I say STOP, right there, right now! Wasting precious energy sulking and whining about it ain't worth it! When you lose followers, think of this - It has nothing to do with you, it's them!

Sounds so cliche' doesn't it? An overused line that we'd politely say, or receive, when we are dumping someone, or tragically, being dumped! Though in this case, I simply can't agree more. Yes! It's them and not you! 

I know it's hard not to take it personally when you get unfollowed or unliked. But I say, be done with the self-blaming and pity-party already! Some "relationships" i.e. likers and followers, especially in this constantly shifting industry, simply don't stick - or worst, fakers! And believe it. Most of the followers who unfollow you right after following you, are as flaky as a freshly-baked filo pastry with hidden agendas to boot!  

Darn-tootin' right they do.

During the Holidays, I had a couple of giveaways running. To my delight, I garnered tremendous number of new followers! I felt awesome of course, but it was short-lived. After the giveaways were done and over with, my follower count started depleting across all my social media networks. To watch the number going down at a speedy rate was very disheartening to say the least.

These disloyal followers were "breaking up with me!" 

Charlatans.

I was hurt. What I perceived as a new steady relationship was obviously just a fling. Like a one-night stand, it meant nothing. Zip. Nil. Nada. They just wanted to get with me for a chance to win! And when they didn't win, they left me, pronto!

So, see.  It's. Not. You. And certainly, not me.

Charlatans.

Now if  being unfollowed gives you the blues, keep this in mind:

• You didn't do anything wrong. 
• Your post or photo or tweets or status updates have nothing to do with it - at all.
• You can't please everybody.
• They were simply after the giveaway.

So, this is what you need to do:

• Keep being awesome.
• Keep doing what you're doing.
• Keep writing to your hearts content.
• Keep being you! (Can I add more !!!! to emphasize that?)
• Keep nurturing those who stayed loyal to you through the years.
• And stop beating yourself up for something you can't control.

Get this. Un-true, un-real followers will weed themselves out. Those are the ones that unfollow as soon as a giveaway ends. And let it be. It is not worth feeling blue about them because on the flip side, they will come back! 

Bet on it. They will come back. 

Your next giveaway will draw them back to you. But don't count on them to stay.

Rather take it as a form of flattery that they keep coming back to have a fling with you! Who knows, one of these days, they might actually stay for good. But then again, I won't bet on it.

Fans and Follower counts are as unreliable and unpredictable as the weather! These people come and go as they please. Like mall shoppers on a bargain hunt! There's really no guarantee they'll stay. So, if I were you, I'd put all my trust and energy in building a relationship with those that stayed and to keep being awesome! People will see that - and once they do, they will follow you simply because of that!

When you give awesome, you get awesome!

Count on it!

Right now, I'm currently working on being MORE awesome in 2014! I hope I can keep up. Can you?