Pages



For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb
Psalm 139:13

Wednesday 17 August 2016

Finding encouragement online





Who are your cheerleaders? 

I so often fall prey to blogger envy, FOMO, guilt and comparison when I'm scrolling through social media or catching up on blogs. And I'm pretty certain I'm not the only one (I've written about this kinda thing before). 


Yes, bloggers want to celebrate success and show the best bits, and the intention is never to make readers feel inferior with anything that might seem a bit fancy or exclusive. While I know this is the case, those irrational feelings still surface from time to time. 
Surely the idea ought to be 'I made/ visited/ achieved this and you totally can too!'. Like the power of testimony - we create possibility for others with our achievements, however small. 

There are a couple of fantastic encouragers out there online who, while producing beautiful content of their own, help redress the balance by keeping it real (soooo street - you gotta say it with attitude) and embodying the 'you can too' approach. These are a few of my favourites - the kinda folks who give you the warm fuzzies and seem to be cheering you on.

Blogs
Pip Lincoln Meet Me At Mikes
It's no secret that author, crafter and all round super sunshiney lady Pip is one of my faves. She always seems to write with humour, integrity and a whole lotta sense. Oh, and she loves Gilmore Girls. Can we just be BFFs already? Pip's blog posts are chocka with positivity and practical hints for embracing your creativity and shutting out doubt. 

Instagram
@northknits
When I'm mid-scroll, stumbling on some scripture helps me recognise that there's a bigger love and purpose out there than the amount of tiny hearts next to a picture. I love the bold and totally natural way Jewell shares her faith.

@onesheepishgirl
Meredith is another blogging lady who knows how much a bit of honesty can impact a reader. She's got style AND substance. 

Instagram Stories/ Snapchat
@ohjoy / ohjoystudio
Delightful design maven Joy Cho shares pretty honestly on her feed. Yes, it's beautiful Oh Joy stuff, but the behind-the-scenes realness is great. And sometimes you've just gotta do an OOTD dance and take your kids to school, you know.

I've loved getting more acquainted with the sweet lady behind Tigerlilly Quinn. Nope, I can't relate to the mum stuff, but Fritha's candid way of sharing and openness about the not-so-good bits is refreshing. Oh, and check out her #dresscolourfully hashtag for rainbow fashion gorgeousness (but you already knew that). 

Twitter 
You NEED his Party Tips in your life. Nosebleeds aside, this rock-star-turned-motivational-speaker always seems to know the right thing to say. (Props to Miss Page for this one, who is a legit rock chick).

The Hashtag

#crochetgirlgang
So this is one for the yarny folks amongst you, but I do adore this fantastically girl power hashtag. Sharing with it or searching it often feels like high fiving (or fist bumping) a whole load of like-minded creative lovelies. Go and check it out.



Be an encourager
The online world is full of inspiration, yes, but how often are you encouraged by it? It can feel as if we're blogging into the void sometimes. With the decline in blog comments and that Instagram algorithm going all squiggly (technical term, ahem), are we working harder on our content just to see less of a return in connection and interaction? We can combat this by becoming a community of encouragers ourselves. It's a simple idea. If you like something, say so. Double tap. Share the link. Tweet the creator. And as well as showing our love for our own circle and magical stuff we stumble upon, let's not be afraid to reach out to those who have ostensibly 'made it' as well. We all need a little encouragement sometimes, right?


I'd love to know where you find encouragement online.
Tell me about your favourites! Who have I missed? 

2 comments:

  1. this is a great round up, I love that you found some beautiful accounts and blogs that are inspiring but also keeping it real. I feel this way sometimes, because there is always someone doing a post idea I had ages ago but never got around to actually doing, or people are swooning over their renovated barn in rural wherever lifestyle that is so photogenic it's crazy. It's hard not to get sucked into that, even though there's lots of room for different styles of blogs and social media. But there is room for all of us, I think. After all, I read your blog, and I'm not the only one! You are doing great. Your voice is one that I want to follow.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hey Julie, it all seems to come back to comparison, doesn't it? That's why I love it when bloggers aren't afraid to show a dose of reality. It's reassuring - nobody is perfect! And I totally get the whole rural barn thing!! Ha ha! Let's celebrate the beauty in our own lives! We don't all fit in that aesthetic. Thanks for your encouragement - it's so good to know you're out there, feeling some of the same things! :) x

      Delete

penny for your thoughts . . .

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...