SOCIAL MEDIA: USING IT FOR “GOOD”

When you engage in social media each day, does it make you feel warm + fuzzy or cold + inadequate? I am sure many of us (if not all) have been stuck in a place of comparing; good or great, pretty or ugly, skinny or fat, rich or poor, failure or successful. It’s no secret that social media can be the culprit of letting these ideas creep into our everyday life, but there’s no rule that says it has to be that way. In my opinion, it’s truly up to you whether or not you make room for the comparison in your social media or if you say, “no thanks” to some accounts or outlets that you’re engaging in. Ridding certain accounts (+ certain friendships if I’m being honest) has really allowed for me to open up + be the person I want to be, growing + evolving to be my best self. That’s why I decided to start this very blog. Which brings me to this realization…

I have to share that I am just LOVING this whole blogging thing! It has really allowed me to share my personal experiences + thoughts in a format that gives me permission to story tell, view your comments, read + engage in direct feedback + EMAIL to connect with you all creating REAL RELATIONSHIPS + CONNECTIONS!

It’s no secret that social media can be the dark cloud over us when it comes to comparing what someone else has to what we don’t; how great someone’s bikini body looks when we’re feeling “inadequate” or even the amazing vacation they’re on when we’re stuck at work. It’s difficult not to scroll through your Instagram or Facebook feed + think or wish you were there or dream the life you’re living is just a bit different, but that’s the thing… YOU have the power to choose what you surround yourself with. I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve been caught in the trap of comparison through social media + it’s no fun. I think that’s why I’m really enjoying this process of sharing my REAL LIFE EXPERIENCES + bringing up topics that are important to girls + women that are like minded like me through my blog. If you haven’t already, I challenge you to stop following or friending the people or that you feel inadequate around or don’t serve you in your personal goals. It’s really nothing against them (so stop worrying about what they will think or their feelings + start worrying about yours). It has everything to do with YOU + your well-being. ❤

When I started speaking about my journey with anorexia + bulimia 5 ½ years ago, I never knew that I would take this experience to a place where I am now, connecting with people outside of Phoenix, all over the country + even with some of you from all over the world! This path of sharing my story + life was not easy to start back in 2012, however it has grown into a passion of mine that I’ve been able to empower others with. I can truly say that I love encouraging others to ask for help + actually talk about topics that can be uncomfortable + feel unsettling. In fact, that’s the factor that drives me most in my journey. All I wanted when I was going through my recovery process was a friend to connect with + to be able to ask the tough questions + see their journey unfold in a real + candid manner.

The cool thing of how my story has unfolded is that my passion for writing has been able to be expressed in a very authentic + public way. Blogging is a way for me to share my thoughts + emotions with others who can relate to my story or want to learn more about being a compassionate person who is enthusiastic about being their authentic self. I’m posting today because I’m LOVING this process + I’m loving this outlet where I can be real + candid with YOU. I hope that you are getting as much out of it as I am because this process is so real for me. I can’t wait to share some exciting projects I have coming up + the direction I see myself going in. Lots of exciting things coming my way + I can’t wait to start sharing them with you…  Stay tuned, friends!

As a last note, I’d love for you to comment here to let me know what you’d like to see on the blog. Drop me a line to share what posts you’ve enjoyed most or what you’d like to read about/connect with me on. You can also send me an email through my “Let’s Connect” link on the blog. Looking forward to hearing from you… + remember, YOU have the choice to decide what kind of messages you see each day. Do you want it to be real + authentic or surface level + create a feeling of inadequacy? #choosehappy

xoxo,

Ashley