When I signed up for WordPress (the host of this blog) I was able to register for a free online blog/branding tutorial. I thought if there is one thing I can gain from it, great. Well, here it is day 2, and I can say their advice IS life!
“Day 2: Audit your brand. Every choice you make, from header image, to background color, to widget title, contributes to your brand.” Sounds great, RIGHT? I mean that sounds like Marketing 101…..But, let me go back. While I clearly understand what they are saying and I took some marketing classes in College, and even more recently as an adult….BUT…What IS my brand? What am I here for? What am I writing about? I am not selling a product, like something I have made. Nor am I promoting a service, like my personal health and well being program. I am certainly not promoting ME, ya know with beautiful pics of me in my beautiful house wearing designer outfits going out to the hottest restaurants every night….. (like, seriously how do these women do it? designer filled closets, time and money for facials and manicures, eating out all the time at fancy places, husbands being patient and willing to take insta pics for them much less being in the pics?, and their kids in matching outfits?!) Anyway, by working through it backwards, by going through the process of elimination and knowing fluidly what I was wanting, I am able to succinctly put in to words NOW what my brand is!!!
US!
My brand is US!
That is so funny though. Because as soon as I connected to that, I realized I had the next dilemma. Connection. How can I make the connect with everyone? I mean we aren’t able to go out for a glass of wine (or go to the UPPER DECKER…(that is for my Vermont friends)) and chat? BLAH. This, after all, is an online world. Eventually we will need to post pictures of ourselves, in lieu of sitting across from one another. How can I go about doing that if I won’t take a selfie, much less, God forbid, video myself. If I don’t share….then my brand becomes just YOU! And then, I would be lonely.
Therefore, back to US. It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? Kind of like we are dating. You and me. And, just in time for Valentine’s!
So, baby steps. Together we will connect. Together you can help me overcome my social media anxiety. On INSTA I asked you all to take a selfie that you like and post it, as well as a goofy/less than attractive selfie…maybe where you feel not as pretty. Come on. Do it with me. Social Media is so filled with everyone putting only their best foot forward. Editing pics. Taking a million until we get THE one. Making sure we are standing in the ONE clean spot in our house making the Social World think we are perfection. But, while I like to keep my house clean. And I like pretty stuff. I do not edit, except maybe to change filters. What you see is what you get.
My whole life I have known that the people/experiences/objects I love the most (except my family who, for the record, all exemplify perfection and beauty at it’s highest:)), the design I admire the most, the clothes that I covet, are the ones that are unique…that have an edge that makes them cool. I love texture. NOT smooth, air brushed perfection. Give me whimsy. Give me Elvis Costello with his big glasses and craggy voice any day over Liam Hemsworth…..ummmmm, ok….minus George Clooney. Yeah. George Clooney can stay.
My life, since moving to Chicago, is topsy turvy different than my previous life. To be clear, not in any way shape or form a bad different. Just earth shatteringly different! I LOVE my new life. LOVE my #farmboy. LOVE working together with him. But, this new life is split between our farm life, our city life, our kid life, our work life. My previous life brought lots of girlfriends whether we met from taking fitness classes or from when I taught fitness classes. I met most of all my best girlies that way. Since my life now does not allow me a traditionally consistent schedule, girlfriends are a little tough to come by. I miss you all. I miss the sharing that only happens between friends. So, I am thirsty for the connection. And, to get input…
Us. You and me. We will have each others backs. I will ask questions on my INSTA story from time to time and from there I will write about a topic. For example, I will share my progress on my SHE SHED at the farm (right now, there is NONE progress!:)) in hopes you will share YOUR SHE SHED or craft room. OR, I will share fitness videos I follow and I will ask that you do too!
Let’s overcome/share/applaud commiserate together. These days, we might not always agree on politics…BUT, we can agree to love and support our community that we will build here. TOGETHER.
mad love all! mad, mad love!
allison-joy 