Figuring Out My Purpose in this Space
Hi friends!
Happy new year! This year is going to be unlike any year I have experienced, as I now have two AMAZING little boys in my life to love and raise. I was writing my blog schedule for the next 3 months and my heart was simultaneously breaking and bursting with joy at the thought of my babies growing up. This is also the year, as I have experienced major life change, I reach a couple of really big goals for myself. While I was pregnant, all creativity and inspiration drained from me. Now that I am 2 months postpartum, it is returning, and I am ready to create again.
One of my long-term dreams has been to be a successful blogger (by successful, I mean having a blog that people read, not necessarily one that is lucrative). I began blogging in 2013 as a creative outlet for my depression. It blossomed and grew, I stopped here and there. It has always been something I enjoy greatly. Until April of 2019, when I got so discouraged I pretty much just gave up. After that I posted inconsistently, and frankly without passion or purpose.
Why was my passion suddenly gone? I realized it was because I felt inadequate.
In the blogging world, without a thriving Instagram account, there is no thriving blog. If your blog was not established before Instagram was popular, then your blog will not become established without Instagram. I hated this. I felt defeated. I felt that I did not fit in in with the “popular” and “successful” bloggers and Instagram influencers. It seemed that everyone I followed who had a blog or successful Instagram, was wealthy, had a beautiful house, and had a specific aesthetic. They promoted outrageously expensive items. Their blog was all about products, clothes, decor. Writing to me was and never has been as simple as talking about clothes or decor, but talking about real life. About being honest and real, about trying to write something good. I couldn’t buy these fancy products. I didn’t even want to. Why try to be something I’m clearly not? Why write on a blog that no one reads? Who cares about the topics I wanted to share about?
So I just didn’t. I didn’t post on Instagram often. I didn’t write. I just lived my life, because I didn’t have a "niche" and I didn’t have a purpose and frankly I didn’t have the skill to create pretty things like others did. (If you've seen my Instagram, you see it is seriously lacking in the pleasing aesthetic and style department).
Having given up on my desire to write and create on the internet, I decided to just post pictures of my life because I wanted to, and I didn't care about a message or purpose behind what I shared. Late one night I was nursing a baby, and it hit me...
I have a niche. I DON'T fit in with the picture perfect influencers (who always say, "Remember, Instagram is just a highlight reel, I’m a real person,” but never actually show the imperfect parts of their life). I don’t want to promote absurdly expensive products, or influence people to spend money they don’t need to spend. I don’t want to be a living advertisement for products or companies. I don't want to make people feel bad about themselves, or deceive anyone into thinking my life is picturesque.
This. This is my niche. I can redefine “influencer”. I can influence people the way I feel led to influence them. I can influence people to be kind. To be honest. To be themselves. To be bold. To be creative. To focus on things that aren’t material, but instead put their affections on things above. Most importantly I can influence people to put their trust in Jesus. I can live my life in an honest and true way, sharing that with people, and allowing Christ to shine in and through me. This is how I can create my ”brand.” This is what will lead me when I post and write. I can change how I view influencing, and maybe, just maybe it will stand out. Maybe it will never reach a wide audience. That's okay. But hopefully it reaches one person. Hopefully what I share encourages someone, makes someone feel loved and accepted and worthy.
Now, I feel like I have to put this asterisk here. This, blogging and being on social media, is a HOBBY. It is not something I look to make money from. In fact, I never want to make money off of people buying things they don’t need. I don’t want to make money off of people feeling pressured to focus on the material. I don’t want to make money by making people think they NEED this or that to have a good life. This is my hobby, something I truly enjoy doing. Something I want to do with purpose and goals. Some day, I may make money in some way from this. But more likely than not, I wont ever make money from this blog and my Instagram account. And that is okay with me.
I do however feel it is important to clearly define to myself what my goal is here. What do I want to share about? What do I want people to feel and think after being in contact with me through my blog or Instagram? Does the message I send speak love, truth, and Christ? Or does it speak material, deception, dishonesty?
So here is my purpose, plain, clear, and succinct. For my accountability and your knowledge.
I will “influence” people to be kind. I will influence people to be brave. I will influence people to be confident. i will influence people to be honest. I will influence people to follow Christ.
I will influence people to focus on more than material possessions.
I will honestly share my life with others. I will not pretend I have it together or that I am perfect. I will be an encouragement to all who come in contact with me.
I will share the Gospel. I will share things that lift people up. I will share things that convict people. I will share the truth of Christ. I will share what the Lord teaches me.
This is my purpose in this space. I am looking forward to continually pursuing this purpose and letting it drive what I create.
Thank you for sticking around with me. I know this isn't much of a blog, and I'm not much of a writer. But I enjoy it, and I'm grateful for the people that are here and that read what I have to say!
I'll talk to you soon.
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