Here Are A Few Things I've Been Struggling With Lately...
It's been a little while since I sat down and recorded a personal episode, and I've got to say, I've missed it! I'm really looking forward to opening up and sharing some personal struggles with you, even though I know it will be a little hard.
You might have seen a recent trend on Instagram, talking about how social media is fake, with people getting vulnerable and sharing some of their real life struggles. And it's true, Instagram can often be a carefully crafted narrative that often hides the messy, authentic moments that make us human. But honestly, a few of these threads have had me in tears, feeling validated, feeling less alone, and just all around more connected. So, I'm jumping on the trend! I've recently shared some hard stuff on Instagram, and I wanted to talk about it here in a little more detail.
Before we dive in, I want to be real with you from the get-go; I'm still navigating through these experiences myself, so I might not have all the answers or fixes. Hopefully, me sharing my struggles with you will help in some way! Let's get into it.
Lack of Friendships I don't really have friends. Gosh, that is hard to say! Most people would probably assume that I have a bunch of friends, but that’s definitely not the case. The hard part about this is I have seriously been craving connection and community recently.
Making new friends has never been easy for me. I'm pretty introverted and shy, especially when meeting new people. And now that I'm in my thirties, it sometimes feels like I missed my opportunity, and everyone around me has friend groups. Deep down, I know it's not just me – it's tough out there for a lot of us who are craving genuine connections.
So, I’ve been working on this one and challenging myself to go to events, coffee shops, the gym, and join hiking groups. I've even booked a women’s trip this summer that I’m super excited about, to the Canadian Rockies with twenty women I don’t know. And although I’m pretty terrified about this trip, I know it’ll be so good for me and I’ll hopefully make some amazing connections along the way!
Negative Body Image Body image has been a struggle for me for what feels like forever. I know so many other women can relate because of the constant messages we hear about how we're supposed to look. It's like society has this checklist of what's considered attractive, and it's exhausting trying to measure up.
One of the first reasons why I started therapy was because of an eating disorder and my relationship with food. My body image issues tend to flare up when life gets stressful or I'm going through hard stuff. It’s almost like you try to get some control over things when things feel out of control, even though I know it's unhealthy.
I’ve done a lot of work on this one, and I hope I can come to a place where I truly feel good, comfortable, and content in my body. I’ve been working on shifting my mentality about my body and what it means to me. I’ve been working to limit the messages I receive about what bodies should look like. I’ve been working to do less comparing and more just honoring. I’ve been working to create a strong body, a body that helps me to just do the things I love to do in life - like hike, bike, ski, and just play with my daughter.
I feel like this is such a hard one for so many women. So if you can relate, I just want you to know you’re not alone. And it makes sense why we feel the way we do about our bodies. But let’s try our best to shift away from how we look and instead focus on how we feel. I think this is where lots of the healing happens!
Mom Guilt! This one has been so hard for me ever since my daughter Amelia was a baby, and she's almost 6-years-old. Despite knowing deep down that it's irrational, that guilt still manages to wiggle its way in. I've been putting in the work, and while I've made progress, it's still a struggle sometimes.
If you follow me on social media, you've probably seen that I’m a very present, hands-on, and active Mom. But here's the thing: I've realized that a lot of that guilt isn't coming from inside me – it's external pressure. You know, those messages telling us we're superheroes who can juggle everything? Yeah, they're not helping!
So, I've had to get comfortable with the uncomfortable – like intentionally spending time away from Amelia and focusing on myself. It's tough when you've been conditioned to believe you have to be there for every moment, but I've learned that doing less for others and more for myself actually makes me a better Mom. It's all about setting boundaries, saying no when needed, and accepting help when it's offered.
If you're wrestling with Mom guilt too, just know you're not alone. And guess what? You don't have to keep carrying it in the way that you have been. It's tough work, for sure, but it's worth it. And hey, in case you need a reminder: You're an amazing Mom!
My Relationship with Social Media
Dang, I have such a love/hate relationship with social media! There are so many amazing aspects of social media. I am so grateful for it because I’ve been able to meet and support so many incredible people, and I’ve built such an amazing community through it. But I’ve recognized that it’s also a place that can be so harmful to my mental health.
It can be pretty overwhelming. There’s way too much we take in in such a short amount of time while scrolling. And we can’t control what we see. You see the good, the bad, the fake, the curated, the ugly. You see it all.
So lately, I've been working on setting boundaries and reevaluating my relationship with social media. Sure, I still love posting and engaging, but I've realized I need to prioritize my time and energy elsewhere – like my weekly emails, classes, and podcast. And it feels really good!
Phew, that was a lot! And while I've shared a lot today, I want to acknowledge that there are some things that I might not ever share on social media or on my podcast - and that's ok. While I'm all for vulnerability, some things are best kept private. However, there is definitely lots more I want to be honest and open about, so there will likely be more episodes like this one coming up!
And I'd really love to hear your thoughts on these personal episodes, and whether you enjoy them. I'd love it if you left a comment or reached out with your thoughts. Until next time friend, keep taking healthy action.
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