Entertainment

Bahamian blogger finds new ways to inspire during ‘COVID burnout’

By CARA HUNT Tribune Features Writer

cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

BEING a content creator can be challenging in the best of times, but throw in a global pandemic and finding the inspiration to inspire others becomes a tricky task indeed.

Ianthia Ferguson, herself a content creator for seven years, recently created a network of creatives called LitFluential.

And just recently she held a summer workshop to help others find some much needed motivation.

“I’ve been so blessed and fortunate to have been able to grow such an amazing community online and I’ve always wanted to bring everyone together and bring all of my events and resources under one umbrella,” she explained.

“I’ve hosted a book launch, an annual Christmas party for creatives, and after the success of my virtual conference in December, I moved quickly to make that a reality.

“I brainstormed names and came up with LitFluential, because we are lit and influential. The dream is for this platform to be a hub and a resource for budding creatives and the millennial woman who’s passionate about beauty, health, lifestyle, business trends, family, home, finance, being a creative, a blogger or influencer; with a website and social media presence that speaks to these interests. I want LitFLuential to be the 21Ninety, the Create and Cultivate or the XONecole of the region.”

Ianthia said she has always been interested in sharing advice, tips and inspiration for budding creatives.

And recently she was able to find the forum to do just that.

“I decided to host the LitFluential Summer Workshop and Content Planning Party to answer some of the questions I always get about being a blogger, influencer and digital creator,” she said.

This workshop dealt with topics such as planning content and keeping your business and personal social media accounts active and consistent

She explained that many of the attendees were entrepreneurs with products and services to sell but who had been struggling with telling their brand story online, gaining new clientele and getting the visibility they deserve.

“The presentation I curated for them taught them how to define their brand story, how to confidently tell that story online and how to choose the topics and niches that appeal to their audiences. I also sat down oneon-one with each student and helped them plan and create a 30-day content calendar. This was huge, because a lot of them want to be on social media, but struggle with knowing what to post. I was so happy that I was able to give them some clarity and insight on that and give them a month’s worth of posts and a workbook,” she said.

“Some of my favourite parts of the workshop were watching people form partnerships and plan out collaborations on the spot,” she said.

And she herself also benefited from the session.

“This was actually my first time ever teaching or coaching a class and I’m wondering why I waited so long. It felt really good to share my knowledge, my strategies and process with (attendees) and watch them soak it all up,” she said.

Ianthia said she will definitely be holding more workshops, online courses and other digital materials in the future.

“My audience has been asking me to provide coaching services for so long, but I think I’ve finally homed in on my area of expertise with workshops like this.”

Those interested can contact Ianthia for replays of the workshops.

“Feel free to follow me on Instagram @iamianthia for all of the updates,” she said,

She added: “COVID-19 burnout is so real, and I experience it very often. Being a creative in the midst of a pandemic is hard. We’ve already committed our lives and platforms to inspiring and uplifting, entertaining and motivating people and in these times, especially, we sometimes need it too.”

Ianthia offered this advice to those experiencing COVID burnout:

“Take as many breaks as you need, for as long as you need. Don’t force yourself to ‘be OK’ if you’re not.

Unplug from social media if you need to. Get back into the swing of things by physically writing content ideas in a journal. Start slow: a blog a week, a YouTube video a month; remove the pressure of schedules and deadlines.

“We’re all in a pandemic. Be honest. Let your audience know how you feel. Talk with other creatives to help boost your mood and remind yourself you are not alone.”

IANTHIA Ferguson enjoys sharing her expertise at the recent LitFluential Summer Workshop.