Sometimes not even the floppiest of hats and the best pair of sunglasses can protect you from the shade being thrown on social media. We all have that friend or family member or person from high school who feels the need to post a picture with a snarky caption or ruin a picture with a selfish comment. While social media can be a great way to connect with many people both near and far, it also can bring a lot of negativity.
A little over a year ago I decided I was done with my personal page. I wanted to be off social media…but still see all of the fun stuff. So, I decided to create a separate account where I could follow who I wanted to follow (not who I was obligated to) and where I could post what I wanted without others interpreting what it meant. I find the humor in motherhood and appreciate the realness, I was tired of trying to “appear” a certain way so I would not be judged. My pictures are just like my parenting, far from perfect but 100% real.
Three months ago, I felt ready to start my blog and to grow my page. I hesitated at first because I had created such a safe space for myself where I could block out the bad parts of social media, realizing I wasn’t invited to something, learning about big news on an app, dealing with individuals who would comment in person on posts they clearly saw but didn’t like (Seriously? Is this a game I don’t know about?) but also considered the fact that it might help me build new relationships with individuals with similar ways of mothering and who I could share experiences with.
Overall I have enjoyed my increased interaction with more people following me and liking and commenting on my page. It’s interesting to me how supportive we can be with complete strangers and yet those who love us or have known us for years can’t provide that support. For me my page is still filled with a majority of strangers, I’ve only told very close and supportive family about it. The community I have entered into has been very rewarding and I look forward to continuing to build it. This page has really made me enjoy social media again and I only find myself disliking it when I hop back on my personal page. 🙂
Hope it’s a good week! I’m dreaming of Friday already…
Hat:Â Carter’s
Sunglasses:Â Kohl’s