110. How I Got Over My Fear of Negative Reviews

<p>“This was the worst garbage. I picked this up as an audiobook to listen to. Her voice is exceptionally annoying.”</p> <p>This was one of many similar reviews of my second book. While there were lots of kind reviews, all I could hear was that I should not ever narrate an audiobook again because my nasally voice irritated people. I was embarrassed that I had ever considered doing it myself.</p> <p>So guess what I did? I told my publishers that I didn’t want to narrate my third book and they hired a professional voice artist to record it.</p> <p>Over the past 5+ years since my third book came out, God has done a lot of life-altering work in my heart. He’s helped me to stop living my life to please, appease, and perform for others. He’s taught me that I don’t need to chase after the approval or affirmation of others. That I don’t need 5-star reviews or glowing accolades to be enough.</p> <p>I am enough in Him. He loves me for exactly who I am because of Whose I am. And I can stand confident in Christ and live as loved, because I am already pre-approved by Him.</p> <p>And that’s why I stopped letting negative reviews stifle me in insecurity. Maybe my voice isn’t professional voice actor level, but I’m not going to let that hold me back from sharing the message God has laid on my heart through live video, Instagram story, and podcasts.</p> <p>I want to improve and grow and work on honing my craft, but I’m not going to sit around and wait until I can please everyone to show up on video and podcasts. Because if I wait until I can please everyone, I’ll be waiting the rest of my life.</p> <p>Recently, I had the privilege of recording the audiobook for my soon-to-be-released book, <a href="https://amzn.to/39KSWlZ" target= "_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Love-Centered Parenting</em></a>. As I spent hours behind this mic, I felt such quiet confidence, passion, and excitement for this message... and such gratitude that I no longer have to live in fear of what others will think. I am loved by my Heavenly Father and that is enoug