Creativity Starts With You, Not Your Followers


Scrolling through TikTok one day, I came across a message from Jalaiah Harmon, the young dancer who went viral for creating the “Renegade” dance. In her video, she said something that stopped me mid-scroll:


“Being a creative doesn’t start with followers. It starts with you.”


That message hit deep. It’s easy, especially in today’s world, to measure our creativity by numbers, likes, followers, shares, views. We tie our worth as artists to the size of our audience. We question whether we’re really good enough if we’re not “viral” yet.


But here’s the truth:

Creativity was never supposed to start with the crowd.

It was meant to start with you.


When I first picked up a camera, I wasn’t thinking about followers or algorithms. I just knew I loved capturing moments, framing stories through my lens, preserving feelings that words couldn’t always express. It wasn’t about building an audience or chasing applause. It was about the feeling I got while creating.


That passion? It has to be enough sometimes.

Because if you only create for validation, you’ll eventually burn out.

If you only create to “keep up” with others, you’ll lose sight of your unique voice.


Your creativity? It’s yours first.


Followers will come and go. Trends shift. But your ability to create, your ideas, your passion, those stay with you. And truthfully, some of the best artists didn’t wait until they had a platform to start making magic. They created before anyone was watching.


I’ve learned this lesson firsthand. There were times when I shared my work and barely anyone noticed. Posts with two likes. Photos that sat untouched in my archives. But those moments? They shaped me. They taught me to love creating for me and not for an audience.


Now, every time I create, I remind myself:

“Even if nobody sees this right now, it’s still worth making.”


Let this be your reminder too:


Whether you have 5 followers or 5,000, you’re still a creative.

Start with your passion.

Start with your gift.

Start with your why.


The rest? It’ll catch up when it’s supposed to.