I'm a blogger so I will be the first to admit that by typing this right now I am a hypocrite.
Now that we've gotten that out of the way.... I just want to take one post to rant on all the social media bloggers + Instagrammers out there. It seems like almost EVERYONE has a blog & Instagram page nowadays that they are trying to reach "Insta fame" with. You know the accounts I'm talking about- the people who post multiple pictures on Instagram under the following hashtags / categories: -OOTD (and all of their AMAZING outfits) -Foodies (including food that every single person has eaten at some point in their lives) -Travel (and all of their posh hotel rooms) -Drinks (all of which seem to be in considerably great focus & quality for someone pounding back drink after drink) -Fitness (complete with every protein drink, work out, & beauty regime) There are more but I think those sum up majority of the Instagram accounts you come by. While it's great to be on Social Media and to network or keep in touch with family/friends, there's a line and most of us cross it. I'm just going to come out and say it: We can't ALL be "Influencers". We can't all have some poppin' Instagram account with thousands of followers who worship our every move. Not only that, must of us shouldn't be. Just because you're drinking a martini, visiting the Caribbean Islands, or happen to be a shopaholic doesn't mean that you're now qualified to be the voice of thousands and to be deemed a personality star. Going deeper than that- it's sad that so many of us just crave the likes. I know I do. I can't tell you how many times I've been on a vacation or at an amazing restaurant and all I can think is how to get the best shot of my Spaghetti Bolognese to later post on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, anddd probably 500000 other media platforms. It's no longer about enjoying a moment but instead about broadcasting our lives. If you stop and think about it, social media is one of the most arrogant inventions humans have ever come up with. Imagine meeting someone for the first time and them saying "Oh I just got back from an amazing trip in Rome where I stayed at the Waldorf Astoria and went shopping for these amazing shoes at Prada. I got my hair done by the one and only @insertlameusernamehere and she did the best job ever! I can totally give you the links where you can buy the shoes - I'll take commission of course but still totally worth it." Probably wouldn't hang out again, huh?! Every picture is overly filtered and planned out. None of these "influencers" are seriously enjoying the moment- no matter how much they make you think they are. People pay big money to be promoted and to promote. Every link posted is to make a profit, get information, or sell you something. Photoshop & flat out lying is a huge part of any influencer's daily Instagram posts. It's great to influence people - but in the REAL world. Be an influencer because people see your life and the accomplishments you've made. Be an influencer by being one of the very few who are actually living in the moment and by being someone who takes every opportunity given to them. Be an influencer by knowing people in REAL life and having good friends. Be kind and welcoming. Spend time getting to know new people & new cultures. Become an influencer by being yourself. Stop spending money on trying to impress others in a virtual world and instead spend money on experiences, intelligence, things you want to buy for you (because it's something YOU want), and helping those around you. You'll be amazed at how much more you can accomplish and how proud you'll be of yourself if you stop putting your entire life out there on social media. There's always going to be new social media platforms & trying to keep up with the Joneses on it just isn't worth it. Create your own path - you'll be amazed at just how many "followers" you'll get. ✨
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Ireland is one of my favorite places in the entire world - & if I had to live anywhere else besides the States, it would definitely be here. The food, the Irish countryside, the farm animals, the old buildings, and the enchanted places and spaces have taken hold of my heart. It feels like home here - a home mixed with magical adventures and fairy tale stories.
It's amazing how much can change in 3 years. [Almost Exactly] 3 Years ago I was at this same spot in the picture above. Only then I was a girl living a completely different life. The only exception was that there was a fire burning inside of me waiting to escape my life of normalcy and doing what I was expected to do for the life I'm living now. I still have a long ways to go in this journey of reaching my full potential and the best person I can be. Sometimes I can be a huge B*tch. Sometimes I still get depressed and think of myself as the way I used to be- a shy girl from the suburbs of Houston, Texas raised by religious right-wing conservatives and surrounded by those who believe a girl should go to college, get married, & supply her husband with a submissive personality and children. Sometimes I worry that I've strayed too far from the "right" path and at some point it will be too late to return to it. Sometimes I think of the things I've done in the past and am overcome by regret and my stupidity. However, more times than not I'm excited for the future and proud of the progress I've made. I'm finally starting to build a life that I want for myself. A life filled with travel, love, good friends, good wine, pretty things, lots of art, and most of all - everything I've ever dreamed of. In some ways, Ireland represents the life I want and the struggles I must overcome in order to reach it. The slow, curvy [dangerous] windy roads one must take in order to reach something spectacular - such as the Cliffs of Moher. The trust one must have when leaving the safety of a large, street lit road for one filled with darkness and fog. That getting there is just as exciting as the destination itself. That sometimes it's the most broken down, deteriorated castles and buildings that provide the most breathtaking photos and enchanting auras. I don't always know where I'm going - or if it's even the right way. What I do know is that I want to give 100% to all my endeavours and to see the path to the end. I hope all of us can find the road worth traveling on and that when we reach our end destination it's a 5 star resort complete with unlimited cocktails & desserts. I met her in high school.
She was one of those people who demanded the attention from those around her simply by being in the room. She was mysterious yet welcoming and flamboyant. The first day I ever met her, I wanted to be her friend. At the time I was a shy high school girl with big dreams yet the inability to see how I could pursue them. She was the opposite- living an exciting life that comes from having wealthy (or so it seemed) parents and opportunities. We seldom interacted in high school and at the time I thought the person I was would be boring to her- or at the very least, someone she wouldn't have understood. However, now that we've aged I think we actually have always had way more in common than I would have thought possible. She opens up her mind on social media. She's artsy yet grounded. She's social yet a part of her seems hidden away. She broadcasts everything loudly but I think she has multiple layers- all of which are intricate and complicated. She expresses herself through poetry- which I think is a beautiful way to let go of sadness or your thoughts. I've always had this artsy, creative side. I've also always had a darker side and my mind is constantly battling the light from the dark. It's a complicated, beautiful mess. I left that shy girl that used to think her only purpose in life was to do what she was told and be seen & not heard in a 150 square-foot closet of an apartment in the East Village of NYC. I've come to realize- through many mistakes, bad decisions, heartbreaks, depression, traveling, magical moments, & unconditional love- that life really can be anything you want it to be. & now I'm trying to make it just that. I think we're similar yet different in all the right ways. For now, it is our posts that keep us connected. Like this one above- a picture she took with a quote that so perfectly describes this BFF missed connection, along with a pair of my own shoes. Maybe someday we'll run into each other in our hometown or at a random spot. Maybe in a different universe we will be friends from the start. Maybe we'll have the chance to connect again down the road and this missed connection will turn into an amazing friendship. Or maybe just the imagination of "what if" is good enough in itself. If you're reading this then know I hope you are doing amazing and that life has turned into everything you ever wanted it to be. We don't have to meet or talk or be friends but know that I'm rooting for you and all the things you've created. ✨ We're both just two girls from Sugar Land who dared to dream big and think outside the box. Your little worlds will create big places and maybe one day I'll get to be a part of them. It's no secret that stocking up on groceries is 10x more affordable than going out to eat every day! Plus the health benefits are considerably higher because you can be in control of the quality of your meals and how fresh your food is. That being said, purchasing groceries can get to be pretty pricey if you don't have a plan or any ideas on how to save. I know I for one can easily drop a couple of hundred bucks at the store and have no “real food” when I get home! It takes some preparation to save on groceries, and it does help to have a general idea of meal planning. Many of us think to "save money" at the grocery store we have to cut out all the yummy stuff and get down to the bare minimum, but that is simply not true! If money was the only component to consider then we could all just live off of ramen noodles and bread for 30 cents a day... however the quality and health benefits of our food will affect us significantly in the long run. While saving money is our ultimate goal, this list is also supposed to help you get the most for your money. Make a list: Having a grocery list will keep you on track of what you actually need to buy. Otherwise, you'll be like me and have a cart full of "groceries" only to get home and realize you still have nothing to eat. I recommend creating your list with categories for each section of the store- so you can save yourself time from going up and down the same aisles. Meal planning before going shopping can be extremely helpful when creating your list and it's great to have a healthy meal plan for the course of your week. Decide what will you do for breakfast/lunch/dinner each day and make sure your grocery list covers all of the main meals and the ingredients needed per recipe. While it may seem tedious to come up with an entire week's worth of meals, it will save you time and money once you arrive at the store. |
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TheMaceyLynn is a Chicago based lifestyle, fashion, and travel blog developed to inspire.
Disclosure: TheMaceyLynn is part of an affiliate advertising program. If you click and/or make a purchase through certain links on this site (or any related social media platforms) I may make a commission from that purchase. All opinions are my own. Photographs taken are my own work.
TheMaceyLynn is a Chicago based lifestyle, fashion, and travel blog developed to inspire.