So I recently took a break from social media over the 4th of July. It wasn’t intentional, it just sort of happened. I was rushing around to head to South Jersey and then before you know it I’m on the beach with no content planned. I forgot my charger and Patricio needed his charger at night so I had to charge my phone during the day which meant no Snapchat or Instagram.
Then when I did get my phone I was rushing again so I didn’t document anything. After the 4th I was able to somewhat get back on track but I still didn’t feel like myself. To be honest, I don’t quite feel myself right now.
Part of it is because I’m PMSing. The other part is because being a blogger is hard. There is so much competition, the industry moves so fast, and having a day job doesn’t make it any easier. And my OCD is the icing on the cake.
taking a break from social media part 1
I’m really not complaining because I absolutely love to blog. It’s my passion through and through. But do I wish things were easier sometimes? Hell yeah. Do I wish I had more time and more money to put into my blog? Absolutely. But am I willing to make the necessary sacrifices to get to where I want to go? Most of the time…
The 4th of the July was one of those rare times I wasn’t. I wasn’t willing to give up time with my family to take blog pictures. I’m usually ahead of the game but this time I just wasn’t and that’s that. And now I’m on “vacation” again this week so things will continue to be slow but I’m going to do the best I can.
I put “vacation” in quotes because in blogging you don’t get a vacation. You can’t just check out and forget about everything you have to do. At least, that’s not how it works for me.
When I did do that, when I “forgot” about my blogger duties, my blogger community forgot about me. I lost like 50-100 followers… proof that consistency is key!
So after that little mishap I knew that I owed it to you guys to explain why I’ve been MIA.
taking a break from social media part 2
As I mentioned earlier, blogging is hard and I’m OCD. And those two things combined can be a disaster.
My goal for this “vacation” was to really crank out content, get my shit together, and do the things I always want to do after my day job but never get around to, like create more #BlogWithBritt episodes, take high quality pictures, and finish secret projects I have coming for you guys.
Well, I’m 3 days in and so far I’ve done one outfit shoot of something I’m not even that thrilled with, the pictures you’re seeing now and that’s about it.
Without hiring a professional photographer, it is extremely difficult to bring your vision to life. Like I mentioned in this video, my boyfriend, Pat is NOT an Instagram husband, like at all. And I’m not going to find someone who’s going to bring me A-list quality photos for free, it just doesn’t work like that.
The reality is, the people who are willing to take your pictures for free are either going to be amateur or a friend doing a favor. I don’t want a favor. I want someone who believes in my brand as much as I do and sometimes you just have to chalk it up and pay for it.
My blog pictures have never been at the forefront of my blog and they should be. Pictures are everything. I say it all the time, but I’m not a practitioner of it and that’s something that’s been bothering me for a long time and I recently reached my breaking point.
The truth is, my Instagram is mainly a compilation of all the outfits I wear to work which is why there is a lot of Plain Jane, office-friendly repeats. And while that is a reflection of my real life and what I actually wear, my style goes beyond that. My style is more fun, laid back, and sexy outside of the office and I’m going to make it a point of sharing that more.
Not to mention there was absolutely no method to why and where I took my pictures which was another problem. You can’t establish an aesthetic and a brand without putting thought into where your shooting locations are going to be.
For example if you’re trying to be a minimal streetstyle blogger but only take pictures in your garden in your backyard, that’s not going to work. If you take all your pictures in a city with neutral colored buildings in the background, that works. Make sense?
So amidst my aha moment/social media break I did what any logical blogger would do: I stalked other bloggers on Instagram for comparison… I mean inspiration, which was both productive and counterproductive as you can imagine.
Then two things happened: 1. I wanted to delete my entire Instagram and start over again and 2. I spent way too much time playing around with editing and I finally settled on an aesthetic that works for me right now. (Comment below if you want to see a tutorial of my new editing style.)
So with that being said, I’ve been holding off on posting anything really until I have about a week’s worth of fluid and coherent content.
Here’s more OCD craziness for ya: I even changed the colors I’ve been using for my IG stories and Snapchat from pink to black and white. I was using pink a lot to highlight certain things, which makes no sense because I hate pink and there’s absolutely no pink on my blog or in my brand at all. (Go HERE, HERE, and HERE for more on branding.)
Anyway, this past week… and a half… I haven’t been at my best and that’s ok. It’s easy to lose your momentum when you’re constantly bombarded by other bloggers’ content that’s seemingly effortless and “better” than yours.
But try not to be so hard on yourself (mostly talking to myself here) and know that someone is looking at your content comparing themselves to you. Seriously. You are the apple of some other blogger’s eye! And when you think about it like that, things aren’t so bad.
I’d love to know what about blogging gets you down and how do you snap out of it? Share in the comments below.
xx
30 Comments
Emily
07/12/2017 at 2:24 amThis is so real. To be honest I think a great attribute of success is being able to step back and self-critique (in a constructive way) and put your finger on areas you need to improve. Improving photos is a big one for me too! I would have never known you felt this way, your Insta is so inspiring and killer! Onwards and Upwards! 😊
Brittany
07/16/2017 at 10:05 pmAw thank you so much Emily, that means so much to me. I’ve come to realize that we are way harder on ourselves than anyone else and I’ve also found there’s a fine line between self-improvement and self-acceptance. What’s your IG? I would love to check it out. xx
Emily
07/18/2017 at 3:20 amThat’s definitely true! My IG is @dossierblog – I’m part of the NAB secret bloggers group 😊 Xx
Brittany
07/18/2017 at 3:05 pmYayy! Hey Em. Thanks for dropping by. xx
Liyana Aris
07/12/2017 at 6:17 amCan I just let you know how much I love the photos here? Plus you look super cute! Really digging how you make all the blacks look so summer-appropriate.
I took little breaks from social media as well – unintentionally – and although it felt good on some level, the “coming-back” wasn’t the best; I was trying to catch up with other people’s posts and in the process accidentally did the comparison thing (as we all do!). I feel like I can never win at social media so I guess the best thing to do is to continue doing my thing and try to improve at my own pace!
Easier said than done but it’s a process, right? <3
Liyana Aris recently posted…Dress Over Jeans Trend | Quirky Shirt Top + Pleated Bottom Dress (With Millennial Pink!)
Brittany
07/18/2017 at 2:22 pmWow thanks Liyana! That’s so sweet of you. It’s all part of NAB’s new photo branding!
I have to say the comparison game never goes away but it gets easier the longer you’re in it because you realize every other blogger feels the same way. You’re right in that the best thing you can do is to stay in your lane and worry about your side of the street, not anyone else’s! Thank you so much for your comment, I know how hard it is to share something so personal. xx
Cristina - Memories of the Pacific
07/12/2017 at 8:54 amI know how you feel, Britt. I’m a perfectionist and I take blogging REALLY seriously (and I’m probably a bit OCD too, self-diagnosed though). For instance, my wedding is in 10 days and what am I doing? preparing blog posts that will be automatically published during my honeymoon… I publish every single Monday and I no matter where I am I have to do it. I sometimes think that I’m scared because if I see that the world doesn’t end if I don’t post one Monday, I will think it’s ok to skip another one and you know how this story ends…
Of course I plan to do the same with my Instagrams.
I also wish it wasn’t so hard to get ahead in the blogging world. There are some things with which I just can’t compete. I travel once or twice a year so I cannot have photos of myself on a #worldtour wearing a different outfit every day. I have to play with what I’ve got and sometimes I feel it’s not enough.
I do not have an Instagram husband either, I love my fiance so much but he wasn’t born to take photos… Fortunately my dad has been keen on photography since he was really young (thus, I became passionate about photography too) so he takes my pictures. We don’t live in the same city, though. So I cannot get blog material as often as I’d like to.
So some days I feel like I’m doing the best I can, on other days I feel like I could do much better, IF I took fancy photos around the world, IF I had more clothes, IF I was more appealing… It all depends on the kind of day I’m having.
Every morning the first thing I check on my phone are my IG followers, I guess I hope that they will miraculously increase during one night (that’s the dream right;)), and every single morning I experience the same disappointment. I ask myself, why is it so hard for me to attract followers? and when I think of an answer I tend to be quite hard on myself so I think it’s probably a good idea to take a break from all this every now and then.
Cristina – Memories of the Pacific recently posted…Cerralbo Museum, Madrid
Brittany
07/18/2017 at 2:41 pmUmmm… you left me speechless Cristina! You just said what I and thousands of other bloggers have felt at one time or another. Amazing. You’re a rock star. (I’m also self-diagnosed OCD.) Showing up is half the battle and you do it. Every. Single. Day. So congratulate yourself for that. Your pictures really are great (I’ve stalked your IG a few times) and you’re a great writer so I think the issue here might be the type of content you’re putting out along with your strategy. I’d LOVE to work with you on this in my mentorship program but if it’s not feasible right now then just keep applying the strategies I talk about on here. Seriously, no pressure at all! You’re doing great, always remember that. Blogging is a slow build. Nothing happens overnight and if it does it doesn’t last. Thank you for your support as always love. xx
Priyanka
07/12/2017 at 10:34 amSo weird, it’s almost like you and I are in Sync! I took a social media break this past week too!!!!!! I am starting to doubt whether I am even capable of being a “personal brand.” I’ve kinda always known that I’d rather build a brand than be a brand. So I haven’t blogged or even looked at IG in a week. It’s been bliss. Kinda going through a crisis LOL. I spent 2.5 years thinking about and launching my blog and if not that, then what?!
BUT–you are amazing and so inspiring. Thank you for being so honest and I am sending you good vibes so you meet your soul sister or soul brother photographer!!!
<3 Pri
Priyanka recently posted…27th Birthday: 27 Things
Brittany
07/18/2017 at 3:04 pmYou’re so cute Priyanka, I giggled at your first line. 🙂
I think if you’re doubting starting anything then you should just start because at least you’ll know you tried. There is nothing worse than feeling regret of not doing something, (i.e. I wish I took blogging seriously a lot sooner than I did). It’s easy to fall into the trap of not doing. Not keeping up with your blog is easy, maintaining your blog and improving it is hard. And we all feel that way. Thanks for the good vibes babe! xx
Sheila Joy
07/12/2017 at 1:03 pmThanks for writing this Brittany. Even the amazing bloggers (like you) have their moments and need to take a step back and take a break. Honestly, I think it’s part of the creative process. If you end up going at full throttle you’ll only crash and burn (learned that on my own.)
http://www.insearchofsheila.com
Brittany
07/18/2017 at 2:42 pmYou’re making me blush Sheila! I still have a LONG way to go but thank you so much. It’s definitely all part of the creative process for sure. xx
Amy
07/12/2017 at 8:49 pmI felt everything you just wrote the past couple weeks… I realized I didn’t have a strategic mindset with my Instagram feed and looked at others for inspiration, which made me want to delete the whole feed and start all over! But I have to say personally that I LOVE your feed!! So I guess you’re right!! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
Brittany
07/18/2017 at 2:16 pmYes! It’s a dangerous trap, Amy. You look for inspiration and end up comparing yourself and feeling totally defeated – been there!
Aw thank you so much for the compliment, you’re so sweet. xx
Alexis
07/12/2017 at 8:51 pmThank you for sharing this! I think it’s refreshing to hear that we all go through it and have those moments where you feel defeated. I too have a day job and feel the pressure and play the comparison game ALL the time. When I have these moments I take a moment and remember why I started blogging- because it brings me joy and I can express my creativity. It’s fun for me and that usually snaps me out of it. Kind of a back to basics mentality.
I would love to see a post of how you are editing photos!
Thanks for being an inspiration!
Brittany
07/18/2017 at 2:44 pmYes! That’s so important – remembering why you blog in the first place. You certainly reminded me of that. Thank you Alexis! And I’ll definitely do a post on photo editing. xx
Caitlin
07/12/2017 at 11:15 pmGetting caught up in the comparison game is so hard! Especially as a newbie. I, like you, try my best to remember that it’s the thief of joy. Thanks for the reminder!
Brittany
07/16/2017 at 10:07 pmYes! It’s so true Cait. Thank you for your comment, I really appreciate it. xx
Vee
07/12/2017 at 11:34 pmHonestly I haven’t even launched my blog or my insta yet, even though I am writing a novel and really HAVE to do these things to create an author platform to market my book. Part of the problem is that I’m very introverted, and so it doesn’t feel natural to me to be open or share my life online. Another part of the problem is that… I’m an introvert, and I spend a lot of time just at home with my cats and family. And I work from home. So most of my time out of the house is spent on errands or mundane stuff. So when it comes to instagram, I feel like nobody wants to see my thrilling trips to the dentist or the library or see a thousand photos of my cats. I feel like I am not interesting enough to have a blog or social media. And while realistically I know that isn’t true, the whole nature of sharing online is so… idk… forced? Like you have to curate this veil of perfection, and you can never have a bad day or an unpopular opinion… and I am just paralyzed by feelings of inadequacy before I’ve even gotten started. And I have joined so many FB groups for girlbosses and nobody has any productive advice, which is disheartening in itself. Anyway this has been a long comment just to say, thank you for this post and for your honesty.
Brittany
07/19/2017 at 8:53 pmHey Vee. First of all thank you for sharing your story, I know that must have taken a lot. Second of all, join the Not Another Blonde facebook group… those girls are SO supportive and they’ll give it to you straight. Third of all everything you’re feeling right now has been felt by someone else so I hope you don’t feel alone because you’re certainly not. In terms of starting you really have to be all in when you start because you will face way harder bumps down the road that make starting look easy! I can’t tell you what to do. You have to feel that out for yourself but I can tell you from my experience is that blogging has been the most rewarding venture I’ve ever embarked on and it keeps getting better. Also there’s no harm in trying. I say give it 3-6 months and if you’re still not loving it then at least you’ll know you tried. Hope this helps.. and join that Facebook group girl! xx
Genevieve Cordery
07/13/2017 at 10:47 amI also struggle with this myself. I’m lucky enough to have a sister-in-law/friend who is a pro blogger and photographer to take my photos, but I’ve also invested in myself so I don’t have to rely on her to be behind the camera. It’s definitely hard. I can’t set up a tripod in downtown Charlotte and start clicking away with my remote…someone could try to steal my camera lol. So for now, I’m confined to my home, my porch and my driveway.
I’ve also considered deleting my Instagram. Especially since I’ve had it since Instagram first launched and it used to be my personal account – but I also feel like if someone is willing to scroll back that far, then they must really like what they see. I also feel you on the no-Instagram husband thing. My boyfriend, Pat is never going to be one.
Genevieve | http://www.blueaugustine.com
Genevieve Cordery recently posted…Surviving Your Spending Ban
Brittany
07/19/2017 at 8:58 pmThat is lucky! Good for you girl. I hope you’re still not considering deleting your IG, because your pictures are great! BTW lol to both our boyfriend’s names being Pat.
As always thanks so much for reading G. I appreciate your support more than you know. xx
Sue Grantham
07/13/2017 at 9:00 pmHi Brit, it’s such s fickle business. I often wonder why I try and why I follow???I question blogging all the time which proves that I’m thinking; considering and evaluating. You are very intelligent and a high achiever but at the same time taking time out for you is essential to maintain your high standard of performance. Love your honesty, hope you feel more motivated and inspired than ever. 🙏🏻
Brittany
07/21/2017 at 12:33 pmSue that was so sweet! Thank you for the kind words. I agree in that time for yourself is SO important because in order to be your best for other you have to be your best for you. Couldn’t agree more with everything you said. Stay in touch! xx
Kherington McFarland
07/13/2017 at 10:10 pmOkay….so I LOVE everything about this! Thank you for being so honest + transparent. My husband said he even read this and it made him understand blogging more. Which is awesome because he’s a GREAT #instagramhusband, but sometimes he doesn’t understand why I get so frustrated or down on myself. That being said, to answer your question, I get in a bad habit of comparing where I am to other bloggers {who have probably been in the game 7+ years}. But I LOVE your quote about being the apple of another bloggers eye. That is so true + motivating for anyone who is having a hard time progressing.
Brittany
07/21/2017 at 12:37 pmYou’re truly something special Kher, you know that? Thank you (and your hubby!) for your compassion and authenticity. It shines through in everything you do. I love watching you grow! And honestly, we ALL compare, it’s the nature of the beast I guess. Thank you again for your beautiful comment. xx
Caitlin Sauer
07/14/2017 at 9:26 amBrittany!
I literally felt like I was reading my own words in this post. You are not alone! Life is hard. Blogging is hard. Life is also beautiful and blogging is what we love! But as someone else is who is an overachiever/ ahead of the curve/ perfectionist (working on it, promise!) I COMPLETELY RELATE. It is SO important to take time for yourself and take a break. I have done this several times too and I have feel guilty for not getting through the 10,000 things I had on my blog to-do list that have been piling up when I don’t have the energy after my full-time job or to drag myself out of bed at 4a before work- but I’m working on eliminating the guilt. Everything is happening as it should and we are all in this together, doing the best we can <3 As someone who just found your blog I'm here to say I 100% was looking through your Instagram yesterday and thinking- how does she do it?! The comparison game I work so hard not to play! Especially with the Insta algorithm being even more crazy lately it can make us question everything. I was admiring your page/ followers/ consistency etc. It is SO important to put yourself and your family FIRST. At the end of the day that's all we have. You are a badass boss babe and I'm so glad to know you. Keep shining, gorgeous, You've got this.
Xx,
Caitlin
Brittany
07/21/2017 at 12:45 pmUmmmm whatever you’re drinking I want some! Talk about badass boss babes you definitely fit the bill! It’s interesting how the image of ourselves can completely contradict the image others have of us both positively and negatively, isn’t it? I couldn’t agree more that YOU have to come first and foremost. When you feel the best you can give your best to others. Thank you so much for your sincerity and admiration. I’m so glad we crossed paths. xx
Marty
07/17/2017 at 8:33 amI loved it, real and true.
Brittany
07/18/2017 at 3:04 pmThanks doll! Your support means so much to me. xx