I understand the irony that this post is about the stress of social media and you’re reading this via social media, but please read on. Lately I realized my lack of presence from blogging + posting on the Kasual Life Instagram and I think I just needed a bit of a break. Social Media has pros and cons and I feel like I was subconsciously feeling the negative effects of it.
Don’t get me wrong, I love our blog and Instagram account. Sophia and I blog because we enjoy it and it’s a creative passion of ours that we pursue- when we have time outside of our full time jobs and busy lives. I feel like there is pressure as a blogger to post often, have consistently more followers, get lots of likes, have amazing photos, to always be trying the newest restaurant and bars, and to be social in the city and within the community. That can be a lot sometimes and I think it was important for me to take some time off to zen out. I had to rediscover the balance of doing what I love without being impacted by the negative pressure.
For instance, take Instagram: my favorite of all the social media apps because I love photography and it’s a great place to see what your friends are up to, and follow accounts to get tips on things you’re interested in (fitness, travel, food recommendations, fashion, etc.). The thing about IG is that it’s very curated and I am owning up this. You choose to post the best photo, best lighting, best angles, most fun and exciting things about your life. It’s not a true representation of life and sometimes I felt like I was getting so caught up in those things that I lost sight of the bigger picture. I would put so much effort to make sure our IG pics followed an aesthetic theme, using the right hashtags, thinking of a good caption, just trying to make sure everything was “perfect.” I think that subconsciously took a toll on me so I just stopped checking the account and really lost interest in posting.
I still post on my personal account frequently, but taking a break from being a “blogger” was refreshing and helped me in my personal life. I reflected on why I wanted to have a blog in the first place. Blogging is a great way to show your creativity and most importantly share with your audience whether it’s tips on places to eat, spreading news on local businesses, sharing culture, or giving personal advice.
What Sophia and I value the most is authenticity and quality. We might not post often, but all of our pictures are our own and we don’t post to push out content. We are so thankful when companies want to collaborate with us. On the flip side, sometimes that means having to decline offers that aren’t in line with the purpose of our blog. Having a blog has opened up so many opportunities and experiences for us that would have otherwise not existed and we just want to share those with you.
I feel more energized after my break and reflection on what + how I absorb what I see on social media. We have some new ideas brewing and hopefully can tap into those to create some great blog content.
My takeaway points:
- There’s always behind the scenes moments of what you see on social media and it’s not always glamorous..so don’t compare yourself/your life to what you see
- Don’t nitpick your photos
- Sometimes a great memory isn’t always captured in a “good” photo- post it anyways
- Post because you want to, don’t let likes and followers drive you
- Once in a while just unplug and step away to rejuvenate