When we start navigating the waters of influencing, it seems like getting to 10,000 Instagram followers is that milestone every influencer sets out to achieve. (For the sake of ease – when I say “influencer” I am grouping bloggers into the category as one collective meaning.) I’ll be honest, that was my goal too. I mean Instagram doesn’t even allow you to have that nifty “swipe up!” feature until you have the 10k badge. A lot of brands and collaborations require “10k plus followers” to even apply to campaigns. When I was first starting out – and I started with 3 followers in February of 2018 – I joined all the collaboration sites I could find, only realizing that collaborations and getting paid for any real influencing would be a goal for the future. I had to obtain the status of 10k first. Let me be really honest about something too. I grew fast in the beginning, I was over 1,000 followers in just a few weeks, however I felt like in my first year of Instagramming I was watching everyone else sky rocket while I just inched. I was moving, always forward, but it seemed everyone else around me was hitting 5,000..10,000…20,000 and here I was pouring my heart and soul into everything I did. Every picture I took I tried my hardest, every caption I wrote and rewrote. I studied the algorithm, I took courses, I engaged with true heart and intention. I grew, just slowly. It’s easy […]
The truth behind social media and mental health
“You can not pour from an empty vessel” There are many conversations about mental health and social media..and yet they are brushed under the rug. It’s no shock to anyone that social media, and technology in general takes a tool on people, yet it’s a part of our everyday lives. The scariest part is, I believe most of us don’t even realize what it is doing to our psyche. The big companies who run social media brainstorm and implement ways every single day to make us more addicted. And if you don’t believe me, go into to public and count how many people are looking at their phone verse talking or watching their real life take place in front of them. It’s a cold truth, one that makes me truly unsettled. People are more concerned with getting a picture of their favorite outfit, snapping a picture of a scenic view, and immediately posting. Did they even take it in..or did they just snap the picture to show off and walk away? I don’t think social media, namely Instagram is evil. I do think though it has become a place that fosters negative things however. Can you live without it? Having a blog and hoping to make my living with that and Instagram..I had to have a real heart to heart with myself. The ugly + scary kind. I had to look myself in the mirror and ask a question that I have been terrified to answer. “Can I walk away […]
Self Care in Social Media
Social Media is such an odd concept, right? When I tell my parents I’m creating an Instagram business and plan to replace my income with my blog, they go silent. It’s not that they don’t believe in me, but they don’t understand social media. In the grand scheme of things, it’s all very new. That being said, it’s new to the world, so everyone is still figuring it out, myself included. It wasn’t until recently that I started to see things pop up about taking care of yourself when this is your game. Meaning that if you use social media a lot, for business, as an influencer, blogger, etc, then it’s so easy to let it completely overtake you. Mind, body and soul. I haven’t been in this arena for long, I’m not a big dog yet. I know Instagram and all social media is a long game..and if you intend to stay in it, and stay on top of it, then you have to have a plan to take care of yourself and set boundaries. I’ve only been “doing” this social media thing for less than a year you guys..but i’m a health nut. I’m conscious of everything I put in my body, including my mind, so it became clear to me quickly that I had to come up with a game plan if I was going to avoid burn out (aka going crazy..er). Here is what I do to avoid feeling like social media owns me. Turn off time. It didn’t […]
