Created out of loneliness and a desire to be ‘real’

Many of you might know that I work so hard to get my blog noticed.  It’s so difficult because the blog world is so saturated.  But I didn’t start this blog for a quick buck, I started it after my first child was born because I needed some sort of outlet.  I felt like I had lost a huge piece of my identity when I decided to be a stay at home mom, and give up my job as a Massage Therapist.  I loved my work, and I loved the fantastic income even more 🙂  I was suddenly thrown into a new world that was exciting and lonely at the same time.  My blog served as a creative outlet for me where I could share my insights on the things i loved.  It was also a time filler.  We only had one car at the time, so I was stuck at home with Kylie girl.  And I’d have to come up with things to do that didn’t involve cleaning, cooking, dirty diapers or nursing, otherwise I’d lose my mind!  I was also new to Houston and didn’t really know anybody so friends were few. But I’m so grateful to my visiting teachers, and my visiting teaching companion, who are all still good friends to this day.
I’ve been blogging for over 3 years now and it gets so discouraging when I see others just starting out and they have 100 times the following I do just after one year.  I know comparing never does any good…but as humans we simply do…it’s an ongoing battle.

View media with a filter

I just read an article from Deseret News titled “Are Utah and Mormon mommy bloggers creating a false perception of reality?” Uh YES!  I’ve always felt that yes, the blogging world does create a false perception of reality.  That doesn’t make blogs bad in my mind.  I myself like to put my best face forward and create beautiful photos to the best of my ability.  But I think it’s important as readers to always view content with the “this was intended to look perfect” filter, and as writers to not create an image of something we’re not.  I always do my best to be ‘real’ with my readers.  (For instance, these photos had to be taken super fast, because the sun was setting, because we had to go when Daniel was home from work because there was NO WAY I was going to attempt this with the two girls lol).  But what really hit home from this article was that when something starts making you feel  inadequate or less worthy, depressed about your own life or discouraged, turn it off.  Unfollow. Put the device down. And to even go on a ‘Media Fast’
It’s sooo easy and so dangerous to get sucked into the picture perfect world that surrounds us at every click of a mouse or tap of the finger.  I don’t believe this is what our heavenly father wanted for us.  He doesn’t want his children to compete, to feel depressed or inadequate.  But to connect, to encourage, to build up.

Media fast

I went through a phase where I was definitely becoming sad, discouraged, feeling like my life was awful compared to others.  That for 2 weeks I decided to not get on the internet or any social media at all.   After those two weeks I felt as if I’d been freed from a dark fog that I hadn’t realized was there.  I felt happier about my own life.  I loved being with my kids, I enjoyed my own blog more, and I started to get sponsors left and right!
I also stopped following people i’d followed for years and instead found people who made me feel uplifted and ok about being human and not perfect all the time.  I basically did away with Facebook completely too.  My whole life turned around.  And I was giving majority of my time to more fulfilling things.  After reading this article tonight I realized that over the past few months I’ve started to slip back into that fog.  So I’m going to nip it in the butt and come up with a better plan.

1-) NO, ABSOLUTELY NO social media on the weekends-minus tonight ;)-Those are the few days we have as a family all together.  I plan to savor every moment of it

2-) Only get on instagram once a day at 5:30-6 to post and to scroll through a few things.  Insta-stories I’ll be a little more lenient with, but only for posting.  Browsing other stories will fall into the 5:30 only category.

3-) Only blog in the evenings.  If I try to write a post in the day time when the girls are awake I hate the feelings of frustration and resentment that come when they keep begging for my attention.  Because either A) I can ignore them-which isn’t fair to them, they need a mom at their age who is there for them- or B) I get so irritated that they keep interrupting me and I get mad at them for just being kids.  So I’ll just make it simple.  No blogging when they are awake.

Honestly no matter what emotional state your in, a Media Fast can be good for all.  I mean when did it become a bad thing to be on the internet less and with the people in your life more?

Thanks for reading ya’ll, and goodnight

xo