As I’ve mentioned before in other posts, while being a blogger has SO MANY plusses, and seems so glamorous on an instagram feed, it has it’s challenges as well. Compared to other industries, this industry is very secretive and hush hush, and I find that a lot of other bloggers out there enjoy not revealing too much of the behind the scenes, because it takes away the mystery of it all. I feel the opposite. I like to show you that creating this content takes a lot of time, energy and behind the scenes work, especially the paid work. That is why I wanted to create a new series, where I share 1 pro and 1 con each week (okay, don’t hold me to that, maybe it’s each month) of working in this industry. I think it’s a great way to open up some of the behind-the-scenes struggles that occur, to make you more aware of my mind set as a blogger, and also to share some of the things I am eternally thankful for! It’s a goo way to be positive, and negative (since I feel like the abundance of positivity in this industry is not always a good thing!).
So here goes nothing… We’ll start with the positive!
PRO:
Yesterday I was able to cook Hudson french toast in my pajamas at 8:30AM. Yes, I do make him breakfast on most days, but for some reason yesterday it dawned on me how lucky that is. Back when I first moved to NY I used to wake up at 6:40AM to drive to my job for 8AM, and make microwave eggs at the office. Here I am only a few years later with nowhere to be, in my own kitchen, cooking for my son. It made me so thankful that I am able to work for myself, and be his mom.
The entire point of leaving my 9-5 job was to be a better mom for Hudson, but sometimes I get so busy and so caught up that I don’t even realize how great it is to get to have these moments with him. I cherish our mornings together.
CON:
I’ve been struggling a lot recently with brand approvals on sponsored Stories. I am not sure if it’s general knowledge or not, but most sponsored content needs to be approved before it is posted. When instagram Stories launched, it was a beautiful way to share behind the scenes videos and photos of real-life, outside of the feed. I loved that I could connect with readers there, chat about motherhood, ask for and give advice, and just find more time to talk one-on-on with you all! Then, as with everything, Stories began to be part of a sponsored content bundle. I think this is a great thing, because Stories allows us to link to products, and I know how many of you do message and ask for links! It seemed like a great way to share something, with an easy way for you to shop it!
… But then, something happened. Suddenly brands wanted approvals on the Stories before they went live. They ask for re-wording on speaking, reshoots for in-the-moment videos, etc. I feel a certain way about this. It’s really hard to monetize something that has quintessentially become a huge part of you, and I struggle with it daily. There’s always going to be somewhere you draw the line, and for me that is my line. I love to keep my Stories authentic and real. Anyway, it’s something I personally am shifting, and will be much more selective about moving forward!
Please let me know if you like this series, and if these Pros and Cons were at all enlightening for you!
