Sitting down to write this post couldn’t have come at a better time for me. After watching Essena O’Neill’s video on Monday (the girl who quit social media) I have been feeling a bit off. Her words really spoke to me and although I’m not sure that I agree with everything that she said in her first video, I do feel like she made a lot of valid points about the social media industry and the addiction that it can be. I too have slowly built a business based on sharing content across social media and I too have felt the insecurity and struggle that it brings on a daily basis.When I first started on Instagram I NEVER thought about if I should/shouldn’t post something. It was about sharing with friends, documenting my life and not caring about how many likes or followers I had. It wasn’t until I began blogging that I saw such a shift in the way that I do social media. I am now constantly aware of my Instagram feed, going as far as to screen shot a photo of my feed before I post to make sure that it “matches”. I take over 50 photos in a sitting to get “the perfect shot”, I spend HOURS on social media on a daily basis comparing myself, wondering why I don’t have 50k+ followers… and you know what…it is not healthy.
I’ve never talked about this online before because honestly I have always felt the need to feel “perfect” on my blog and my platforms but the truth is I’m not. My Instagram feed is not my life. My Instagram feed is just a tiny snippet of my life that I want to show, curated in a way that looks visually appealing. My intent has never been to make others wish that their lives looked like mine, because guys, my life doesn’t even look as good as it does online.
First off, I am NOT quitting social media. I love my Instagram feed and I love my blog…creating content is what makes me happy. But I do want to take a step back and let you all know that I am more than my social media and I am more than my followers. I am a real person who has a pile of dishes at my sink, who is writing this in her pyjamas and who makes mistakes and definitely doesn’t have it all together.
And on that note…here are 20 random things that make me happy on a daily, monthly, yearly basis that have nothing to do with social media.
1. The feeling of my feet on warm fuzzy carpet
2. Milo’s reaction every time I ask him if he wants to go to the park
3. When Jamie puts toothpaste on my toothbrush before bed/visa versa
4. Red wine + popcorn (just call me Olivia Pope)
5. Cracking a window and letting fresh air flood the room
6. Watching the movie “The Parent Trap” and “Titanic” over and over
7. My mother’s extremely soft hands, and her scent that I want to bottle (is that weird?)
8. Avocados, guacamole, margaritas, Mexican food in general
9. A cup of tea in the morning (Jamie usually makes me it)
10. Dipping my toes in the Atlantic Ocean every summer
11. Freshly laundered towels + bedding
12. A fresh manicure
13. A big bowl of ramen on a cold evening (especially when my sister makes it)
14. Holiday movies, particularity The Family Stone, Home Alone, The Holiday, Merry Christmas Charlie Brown.
15. When I see a couple who has been together for YEARS and are still in love.
16.Catching up on weeks worth of shows on a Friday evening
17. Lighting a brand new candle
18.Wrapping christmas presents…I ask my entire family if I can wrap their presents.
19. Going to bed with Jamie and Milo (in between us) every night and waking up to them every morning
20.Getting ready for date night…even after 8 years.
