Sometimes we get so caught up in the rewards we lose sight of the purpose, of the present.
I all-too-often find myself scrolling through my Instagram feed and, while I appreciate what I see (double-tap!), I also can't help but notice how things can seem so perfectly orchestrated and perfectly coiffed, how much people live behind the lens on their iPhone rather than seeing and experiencing everything with their own eyes. We want to capture the perfect moment, the most beautiful shot, and part of it because we want to share it with the world because we appreciate the moment. However...
...we derive so much meaning from the likes and views we receive.
I'm guilty of this for sure, and I often have my own internal struggle of doing things for me versus doing things for others (my husband always has to remind me, "remember you're doing this for you!"). It can be hard to maintain focus and do for you versus for others when you're trying to build a blog and social media presence, or even maintain relevance among your peers. So many times people follow others and become really unoriginal. When you copy others, you lose your originality and become vanilla - you lose what makes you you.
But you're actually awesome! No one is like you! You have so much to offer this world. No one thinks like you, no one perceives things the way you do. You are the only one who is you in this lifetime, and you're stuck with yourself - might as well be you to the fullest! Full throttle [insert your name here].
Do things for you. Create something that makes your soul breathe fully and feel energized. Talk honestly with people and using your own voice, your own beliefs and opinions - without fear of judgement. And on that, don't judge yourself or others. We're in no place to judge, period, especially since we're going to take on this mentality of appreciating originality!
The next time you go to post something on social media, pause; put your phone away and take it in for a second. Remind yourself that this moment is fleeting, and this moment is precious, and seriously - it does not have to be shared with the whole world. Remember that this moment is for you. Take a breath - ahh, it's so nice to not constantly live for others!!
And fine, after that you can post whatever and hashtag the sh*t out of it.
- S