Welcome to my new rebranded blog – same old me, just a different name. Whatwillfiftiesbring can last only so long, as I inevitably would have to transition to whatwillsixtiesbring, and then seventies, and then – UGH. So I decided to take this opportunity to update my site and my name. Welcome to lifeexperiencesaddup!
I have learned a lot about blogging over the past few months, and I realize I have been doing everything wrong, or as marketers like to say – doing squat about search engine optimization. While taking an online course on how to be a Virtual Assistant, the unit on blogging was eye-opening. It’s not all about the writing but about the selling. Most blogs I read ( and I guess I’m not reading the right ones) follow this formula: to re-purpose content from an ad campaign, a social media post, or an online class in the hopes that the idea will sell, sell. Ads are endless with fashion, food, and travel bloggers, and reading recipes on blogs is an advertising pop-up nightmare. Scrolling is infinite and by the time I get to that recipe I am looking for, I have become a scrolling champion. When I blog, I don’t follow the formula that leads to the inevitable call to action – learn more, let’s connect, or get your free copy now! I reviewed all my previous posts, and all I have to give you is words and, hopefully, a thoughtful takeaway.
I started this blog not only because I like to write, but because I want to share – l like for people to have an “aha” moment when reading something. It’s the reason why I like non-fiction – real experiences and antidotes about real people. I recently stumbled across the “Sunday Read,” put out by the New York Times, where an editor or staff writer reads an article they have published. Listening to these stories is pure joy, and I absorb the writer’s words, marveling at the skill it takes to detail a human experience. I get lost in the power of words and stories. This very thing is what I hope my blog will be – a story, a situation, a piece of life put down in the written form that someone can identify with and enjoy.
The idea of writing and sharing ideas could not be more pertinent than now. Have we all gotten enough of the daily news, or want a reprieve from it? The positives are rarely exemplified because fear is the only thing that sells. I hope to press reset, and get back to what life is really about – love and the people you share your life with. On the frequent walks I take with my husband each day, we both have noticed more kids outside – shooting hoops in the driveway, riding bikes, skateboarding, and just being kids. Forced to be home opens up what life used to be before soccer practice, swim practice, and other organized activities became the norm. Families are dining together, interacting with one another more, and the Zoom calls have made all of us realize the importance of connection, any way you can find it. During this time for me, I’ve picked up on a few things as well.
ITS THE LITTLE THINGS
I started using pitchers. An odd tidbit to have come out of COVID, but when you realize your home is your only salvation, you start looking at all the items in it as having a purpose – a useful function. I have all these cute smaller sized pitchers I inherited from my parents that take up space in my china cabinet – unused for years. Since I now have more food in the house due to cooking so much these days, my refrigerator is full. That little bit of orange juice left remaining in the carton that is taking up space – pour into a pitcher. It “Marie Kondo’s” your refrigerator aesthetic as it makes the inside look more organic. If you don’t have any tiny pitchers – you can use cool small cups or glasses. The inside of my refrigerator now gives me joy.
THE PLAYING FIELD HAS BEEN LEVELED
My Instagram news feed is a joy to behold. Certain celebrities I follow are home each day, trying to figure out the same things we are trying to figure out – how to keep busy, how to juggle a professional and personal life that has suddenly melded into one, how to set boundaries on your work day. Posts from Influencers are no longer relevant to me, and when things return to normal, I hope they never are. I don’t want their posts to be what I care about or what matters to me. Outside of being nothing more than advertisers, Influencers are like Seinfeld episodes – all about nothing and everything to do with illusion. Do we really want to see an absolutely perfect looking human standing on a beach, touting the benefits of the particular resort they happen to be in – selling, selling, selling? How does this help my life? It slowly detracts from my human experience as subconsciously I do compare myself inadvertently to those who seem to have it all, and who can pay someone to make them so iconic that they in turn make huge dollar amounts by looking at the camera the right way, or creating the illusion that if you could be where they are right now – your life will be perfect. As Hugh Grant so eloquently says in Notting Hill when he finds out the whole world, except him, knows everything about his famous love interest’s extracurricular activities, “My whole life ruined because I don’t read Hello Magazine.” Life is not about watching someone else live a fabulous life and yes – you will survive if you are not aware of the latest scandal. RESET RESET RESET
YOU REALIZE WHAT IS IMPORTANT
Sounds cliche – right? We are told to hold onto what is essential, but is this something instinctively known by all of us – do we get it? It takes times like these to bring that lesson back to us and for us to hold on to it. It is true – we are not defined by our careers, how much money we have, the cars we drive, or the vacations we take. Being stuck at home, things start to add up. We cannot rely on the distractions that so many of us utilize to avoid dealing with how we feel, or how to make us feel better. You cannot run to the mall to buy that little something to jump-start your weekend, or grab dinner at your favorite bistro with a friend, or meet at your favorite coffee shop. Even shopping online is not fun as I mean, really – how much loungewear and leggings can one person buy? We are not out in the material world as much, so we are left with the physical.
THE JOYS OF WALKING
I gave up running years ago as it was just too hard on my body, and I moved more into Pilates, yoga, and cycling. Yoga and Pilates are easy to do inside during quarantine, and since its early spring, I have been able to get out on my bike. Walking, however, has been one of the most exciting discoveries I have found. I launched onto it one morning when it was too cold to ride my bike, and I was desperate to get out of the house. It doesn’t matter if it’s cold out (bundle up, no biggie), or if it’s raining ( I have had the most pleasant walks carrying an umbrella and wearing my raincoat and rain boots). You connect with the Earth, and it’s fabulous. I usually listen to podcasts and catch up on things. Weather in Northern Illinois always gets a well deserved bad wrap, but when you get outside and be part of the current weather environment – it’s not so bad; in fact, it is downright beautiful. I have started, recently, to keep the earbuds out, just to take it all in. The sound of the gravel crunching beneath my feet, the grasses swaying in the wind, the frogs croaking in the wetlands, and hearing the water ripple on the lake is a reminder of how beautiful our planet is. Last week, while walking in an upper 40 degree chilly spring day, I had a moment. I worked up enough of a sweat to feel warm inside but felt the cool breeze on my face. The world looked crisp and clean, and I found myself overwhelmed by nature.
Most people are on the world, not in it
John Muir
COVID has changed our lives, there is no doubt about it. Just how your life is changing is up to you. Rediscover the simpler things in life, and what is most important to you. We don’t need to rely on the media to define who we are and how we are going to handle this. And as I emphatically stated above, I want this blog to be more storytelling than selling, so here is the audio version of what I wrote today. Put in your ear buds, take a walk, and enjoy.
Life Experiences Add Up 