social media – Movin' it with Michelle

I have been reading several posts on “unplugging” more in the upcoming new year. This has something that I have been thinking about for quite some time. I started paying attention to how much time I WASTE ensuring I see everyone’s posts on Facebook, twitter, etc. HOURS sometimes each night are spent pouring myself over newsfeeds and tweets, tumblrs and IGs. Ugh…really?

And for what?

Sure it’s fun to keep up with my friends and family who live all over the world. It’s great to be able to see baby pictures and accomplishments. I really enjoy seeing race photos and family updates.

But wouldn’t it be better if I got a phone call or a text, telling all this very same information PERSONALLY to me? If they really wanted me to know what’s going on in their life, wouldn’t they reach out to me vs. having to blast it on social media? And vice versa as well…Couldn’t I just shoot a text out, or make a phone call to my loved ones vs. posting on FB?

Maybe…

But life gets busy, I understand that all too well. It’s hard to keep in touch, it’s hard to fit in a phone/text conversation when our lives are…so busy? Are we really that busy? If we have enough time to sit on social media for a length of time, couldn’t we use that time differently to communication with one friend, family member or loved once twice each week? It’s a catch 22 of sorts, for sure…

So my goal, moving forward is to do two things…this is a two things Tuesday post, right?

1. Unplug more from social media. I will do this by not checking fb AT ALL during the day on my breaks/lunch etc. I will keep my IG account, because I love photography, but the same thing goes. I will only check it after my youngest daughter goes to bed. Both my kids deserve more attention. I will also make an effort to make at least one phone call each week, to catch up with a loved one. I do realize text conversations would better for some, so that works too. Dust off your ear pieces and thumbs my friends. 🙂

2. Continue putting more efforts into my blog/writing of my cookbook venture. I really am proud that I actually stuck with it for the better part of 2014, so I truly hope 2015 rolls in with continued successful efforts.

I hope with my proposed plan of unplugging somewhat will form a habit that lasts a lifetime. Realizing we all have choices, I do know that social media CAN be a blessing so I won’t unplug completely. I will however start living more of MY life, vs. scrolling newsfeeds about OTHER’S lives. No offense, gang. ❤

Happy Holidays, y’all!

❤ Michelle

dedication, food, goals

Part 2; the Obligatory like and social dismay

July 8, 2014July 8, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

I don’t have a lot of free time. Who does? I try to spend this time with my family, running, cooking, writing, taking pictures etc. But in the last few months I have found myself forgetting a lot of the above listed items and getting sucked in to social media, liking, posting, commenting, and crunching the numbers I had once hoped to get behind my fan page. And in doing so, I found myself reeling back in to a time where I thought too much about all the STUFFS that didn’t matter. And I found myself feeling empty, and sad for lack of better terms. For those that administer a Facebook fan page you have seen the demise of most pages who refuse to pay to boost their posts. I just can’t bring myself to pay to try and motivate, inspire, and help others get through tough times/depression at this point in my life. Should something so selfless and inspiring come at a cost? Apparently so in FB land…With a page of nearly 9500 followers, I am told less than a dozen see my posts, and even fewer comment, like, or engage. Why? Because I don’t pay…in the land of SOCIAL media, I have found my page to be less than just that…

But I keep it going…I have worked so hard on this silly little page (to some) that reaps me only the benefit of knowing I may touch ONE life every day. And I remember back to a time when I couldn’t wrap my brain around getting through a single day without crying or feeling sad, so if just ONE of my posts makes someone smile, inspires someone to go out for a run, or motivates someone to keep movin’ forward I am satisfied.

I have also learned that I need to focus my energy where it counts. I have spent too much time worrying about how to get my FB page moving forward, that I myself nearly stopped dead in my tracks.

So I have embraced half marathon training with my husband. We just finished week 7 of training and I am so proud to say he finished his 7 miler (a PR in distance for him) yesterday.
I have dusted off my camera and starting taking pictures again.
I have been regularly texting/calling my friends and family as best time allows.
I have revisited my goal of writing a cook book and have been working hard and transcribing my creations for compilation someday in the future.
(I did make amazing stuffed portabella mushrooms and a potato/leek mash, but that post will have to follow later).

Why am I writing this down? Accountability, reassurance, venting, or who knows?

I just know it’s time for more change…time to unplug more, spend time doing things I love more, and always, MOVE FORWARD…more.

moving forward, Uncategorized

The obligatory like

July 3, 2014July 4, 2014 Movin' it with Michelle

Part 1.

I caveat this post, with the fact it has nothing to do with food, or fitness-at least the physical type…

I will however say, it has a lot to do with moving forward, or ‘keep movin’ forward as my mantra states.

First point: Social media doesn’t always make you socially connected with people. Can I get an amen? It hit me recently that while scrolling through news feeds and ‘liking’ people’s posts, I still felt very removed from many people’s lives.

I have been doing a little ‘soul searching’ journey if you will over the last several weeks. More so, because I saw myself spiraling back in a bit of a negative funk that I did NOT want to revisit.
While on my bike ride last weekend, I decided to open my mind up a bit, and try and figure out what my deal was lately…
Guess what…I realized that despite who I wanted to blame, it was MY fault for allowing others creep up on my joy like thieves in the night…Time for some “Talk to the hand” action again. Right?

So lately on this journey of moving forward, I decided I would put forth more effort in things I found tugging at my heart. One, is being so close, yet still so far apart from my family. Realizing you can’t just pick up the pieces after being gone for 20 years I knew I needed to try harder. I miss them dearly, so I picked up the phone…

I reached out to my sister first, and we’ve decided to run Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth Minnesota next summer. She has ran the race previously, but since this race is in our hometown I thought HOW COOL would it be to run it TOGETHER!!!! She agreed, and we signed up on opening day-July 1st.
With that, I WON a shirt and a goodie bag for sign up on opening day. HOW. COOL. IS. THAT. LOL…ok, maybe not that cool but having not won many things in the past, this girl was stoked.

Secondly, I called my parents last night…often times a month can go by without us catching up as life gets busy, and time is easily lost track of in the midst of careers, travel, life, kids, training, household disasters, etc…LOL.

In the end, I am glad I picked up the phone vs. just liking status posts or pics on fb…sometimes you need to hear that person’s voice to really feel that social connection.
Is it me, or is social media making us LESS social?

to be continued…stay tuned for Part 2.

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