Greetings friends!
Whether you’ve been here for years or you’re brand new to this space…welcome! It’s a joy to have you here.
It’s been quite a while since I spent time writing in a true blog format. Over the last year, we have been through significant change and growth as a family. Much of that has been documented on other platforms (Instagram, TikTok, YouTube), but I’ve had an urge to come back here after discovering that those platforms have become draining. Let me explain…
I once played a game of H.O.R.S.E. as a pre-teen in my parents’ driveway with a neighborhood peer. We were having fun and enjoying our time being outside after a long day of school. During one of the rounds of the game it became clear that I was likely to win. True to my competitive nature, I must admit that it was a satisfying feeling being close to victory. Suddenly, my peer decided it would be “fun” to change up the rules. While that may have seemed fun for her, it didn’t seem very fun for me, and I quickly lost interest in this form of the game. A simple form of recreation didn’t seem to fill my need to for fun when the authenticity of the game was lost.
As is true with all social media, the platforms that I’ve used over the last few years as primary creative platforms are ever changing. The algorithms change constantly and I have often felt that in order to “keep up” and remain “relevant” in the eyes of the platform(s) I have to change parts of myself to appease what’s trending at that moment. Despite every effort to remain authentic, I feel like I have to give up pieces of myself to please a system that is never satisfied. It’s draining. It’s impersonal. If I’m being totally honest…I’m over it.
And I’m not the only one.
Many creators who are passionate about their work are having similar experiences. We’re recognizing that at any point, a platform could disappear, remove our pages for alleged “community guideline violations,” start limiting our reach, or any combination of these. They could do this with no explanation, and in some cases we would lose all of the work we have done and access to all of the people who have supported us for years. We’re recognizing that we’re playing a losing game in many senses…and we’re tired of it. We’re ready to begin using these platforms for OUR growth and to get our message out in a way that serves us and the communities we care about rather than bowing down to a system that is built to ultimately serve the highest bidder in the advertising and marketing space.
That being said…
I’ve decided to come back to this space - my own little corner of the internet where I can write authentically and share our life in a way that hopefully inspires and brings hope. Like anyone else, we are people with many layers and interests. With no interest in “niching down,” my intent is to make Joyful + Rising its own “niche.” If you’re curious, here’s a few things you’ll find here as we move forward in this new chapter…
💜 honest posts about grief, mental health, and medically complex motherhood/parenthood
💜 vulnerable posts about parenting and how our faith inspired us to pursue a path of “gentle parenting” for our kids
💜 faith rooted encouragement
💜 lifestyle posts, including but not limited to an obsession with coffee, wine, easy meals…and so much more
I’ll still be present on various platforms, but will use those strictly as a means of reaching new people and hopefully building a community here. What kind of community? One that brings women together from all walks of life who desire to find joy in all circumstances, to learn from the genuine experiences of others, and to be a light to those around them.
That was the purpose of Joyful + Rising to begin with and it’s time to come back to our roots. Thank you for being part of this journey.
Stay Connected!
💜 Instagram: @joyfulandrising
💜 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joyfulandrising?mibextid=LQQJ4d
💜 TikTok: @joyfulandrising
💜 YouTube: https://youtube.com/@joyfulandrising
💜 Twitter: @joyfulandrising