The decision to do so is from my husband's flawless reasoning -- Stop being scared and let people read what I write and start using other networking platforms to promote my blog. He also said that after all, I am a Speech Communication major and I need to get with the times in the realm of digital communication.
I reluctantly agreed after realizing that my husband is right, I do have to stop hiding. I want to share my thoughts with people and I am perfectly capable of producing a decent, somewhat cohesive, poorly edited work that will reveal the innermost workings my brain (picture a clapping monkey). Besides, I have been in dire need of some social stimulation without having to leave the comforts of home. I just had my second baby 3 months ago and I am enjoying nap times very much, thank you.
As I brave through my journey into this new realm of digital communication, I realize that I never used them because I have never had any purpose for using them prior to this. I remember asking a friend from college a year ago or so why people, including her, were using these pound signs "#" in their Facebook statuses. She patiently typed via the private messaging feature of Facebook that these were not pound signs. That, they were in fact called "hashtags" and proceeded to explain their purpose. In my head I started thinking of hash browns! I had hash browns from McD's for breakfast the next day.
The fact cannot be denied however, Instagram, Twitter and other social networking platforms have its merits when it comes to getting your name out there. I posted a picture of my blog's background picture on Instagram yesterday and added my blog URL to both my Instagram and Twitter profiles. Within 24 hours, there has been 30 people who have visited my blog and I haven't even written anything yet. This is my first post!
I have so far figured out how to navigate Instagram and have found it amazing to be able to find people I know easily by linking it to my Facebook account. I have yet to find that success in Twitter. I have however, found respect for those ordinary people like myself who have been "successful" with their networking in the form of followers, comments, likes, etc. It's definitely not easy. You have to be brave enough to be exposed to criticism which I dread the most.
I want to believe that I am a very brave person, however criticism is what gets me the most. It took me many years and what is to me very traumatic experiences of sharing my thoughts and being criticized for it. Needless to say, I take things very personally because my words are not an extension of me, it is my soul that I am allowing freedom to express itself.
Being exposed to criticism means I cringe every time I see someone has replied to something I had said. Recently I have cringed so many times as I tested the waters in the form of commenting on national and local news features posted on Facebook. The most scared I had been was when our dog made us Facebook famous on our local community page. Although in my defense, some of these women can be quite judgmental. The most sleepless I had been was when I commented on a local news article and was accused of being callous. Thank goodness for strangers who know how to read and came to my rescue!
A friend of mine recently confided in me the difficulties of work, family and being your own person, which made made me reflect on my self confidence. I questioned if I was as awesome as I thought I was when I was still working and how this was possible when I question most things I do. So, I asked my husband how I was at work since we worked together for 4 years and because he is brutally honest with me. He said nobody dared to mess with me at work because I knew my stuff and because I "farted" confidence at work.
Funny as it sounds, I believe him. No matter who I dealt with or what the task was, I did well and nobody questioned me, plus I have all these awards as proof. So here I am, trying to translate this confidence into this realm of terror and I pray I come out on top of this one, too, because being able to share my thoughts and ideas is quite fulfilling.
Until then, I have to explain to my husband that he either needs to get with the program and go on at least Facebook so it doesn't look like he copy-pasted my page onto his or he can stop this mission of having star tags become a thing.
**First post done. My blog is officially open to the public. Come at me world, I'm ready like Spongebob is ready! Send me a toot on Instagram and Twitter (tatapatataskie) if you agree with my husband's advice!
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