blogging

Taking Back My Power. No More Facebook Brain Drain.

Posted by Barbara Techel

Taking Back My Power. No More Facebook Brain Drain.

You will be with you longer than anyone else on this planet – why not make it a good relationship? ~Louise Hay

In having a heart-to-heart with my inner self of late, I’m being honest in looking at what in my life drains my energy.

I’ve been feeling for quite some time now that Facebook oftentimes takes away from my precious and valuable energy. While I’ve met some wonderful people via this social media avenue and it has been valuable in helping me spread the word about my work, I’m giving thought to how I will best use it going forward.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, here on my blog and in my newsletter, I’ve been pondering writing another book – one that feels the most challenging of the six books I’ve written to date. It will require much focus and it’s a book I feel more and more everyday I want to write.

This means being serious about looking at what feeds my mind which is fuel for my inspiration and energy. This has me facing the fact that when I find myself aimlessly scrolling Facebook it actually is more often than not, a brain drain for me.

In being honest and paying attention to my habits, when I feel stuck in my writing, working on a creative project, or working through the course I’m currently in at Oracle School, I’ve come to realize how easy it is to distract myself instead of sitting through something that feels challenging at the moment.

Oftentimes without even knowing it, when I feel stuck in my work or in school, I’ll realize I’m mindlessly scrolling through Facebook. I don’t even remember clicking over to Facebook! This can then take me down a bunch of different avenues. I have many interests, which is a lovely thing in ways to have, but also can leave me feeling drained when I lose focus (Hey look! A chicken!).  🙂

I don’t like how this feels anymore. And why I love the quote by Louise Hay in that I’m the only one who can be accountable to myself. I get to decide how my life will be meaningful and how I wish to feel on a daily basis. I want to spend more of my time feeling energized, not drained.

I’m also giving thought to if I will continue to share links of my blog posts to my Facebook page or not. Though this one feels scarier to me as I think about how I will share my writing and future books I publish. And this quote speaks to me and what I’m working on:

But I’ve been frustrated with how Facebook has changed their algorithms and how it has come down to money for ads and how many likes (or not) you receive which then determines if your posts are seen (or not).

At the beginning of the whole social media advent, it was for me, in that having a social media presence meant I could fulfill a purpose of mine in making a difference and being a positive voice in a world that can too often be filled with negativity.

While I’ve not made a definitive decision whether or not I’ll continue to share my posts via Facebook, it’s made me think about this home I call my digital home – my blog and website, Joyful Paws. I’ve been reading with great interest how blogging is making a return and how other creatives, such as Jon Katz of Bedlam Farm and Tammy Strobel of RowdyKittens.com, are thinking about Facebook and embracing taking back of their time and how they spend it. I agree with Tammy, who is also is a one woman operation as I am, that I only have so much energy to go around.

Thanks to Tammy I’ve also been reading with interest thought-provoking articles from Cal Newport, a Computer Science Professor, and the affects using social media has had on many, myself included. All of this has been confirmation for the many feelings I’ve been experiencing.

My digital home, when I think about when I first began and evolved in my blogging platform, is much the same way I see my home in which I live. It’s at the heart of who I am. A friend recently said to me when visiting me at home, sitting in my living room, how cozy it was, and how she could feel the beautiful energy and love within it. I can’t tell you how that warms my heart!

Home is so important to me – it’s always been one of my values. And so is my home on the internet, my blog. It means so much to me when you stop by and leave a comment. Even if you may not always agree with something I’ve written, it’s about being able to have a constructive and meaningful dialogue. You don’t always get that on Facebook.

For now, until I decide how I will move forward, I will continue to share links to my blog posts on my Facebook page, but won’t be interacting as much there anymore. In large part due to how I wish to conserve my energy because trying to be so many different places can leave me feeling drained…and then frustrated with myself for not having the energy to do what I really want to be doing.

What I’d welcome is when you feel called to share in conversation or simply leave a comment about something I’ve written, that you feel comfortable in doing so on my blog. Consider it your personal invitation to get comfy in my big red chair in my living room and imagine me pouring you a cup of tea or glass of wine. 🙂 

As I’ve been doing with blogs I enjoy, I’ve gone back to subscribing to them (and commenting directly on their blog) or adding them to my Feedly reader. I’ve always enjoyed supporting artists, and this means writers, too!  Two great options to choose from if you wish to do the same with my blog and subscribe if you don’t want to miss when I post. 

In regards to my interaction on Facebook, for now and the foreseeable future, it will be much more limited as I take back my power and focus on what feeds my soul…. in turn, it’s my hope that by my focusing more on what matters to me, it will encourage you do the same, and with your new found energy you will come sit a spell now and then here at my digital home, and engage in conversation when you feel called to.

Last but not least, thank you from the bottom of my heart to those of you who have been with me here on my blog since the beginning. Please know it means so much.

XO,

Barbara

P.S. I’ve reinstalled a helpful app on my computer that you might find useful also if you are feeling called to limit your social media exposure. It’s called Freedom where you can block your social media sites for a period of time. Because after all, we are all a work in progress, and it can be easy to fall back into old patterning. 😉

Additional Reading

Cheerful and Deep. Thank You, Kathryn.

Posted by Barbara Techel
Cheerful and Deep. Thank You, Kathryn.
My writing cottage – the space that supports my heart.

It occurred to me today as I began writing this post that I’ve been blogging for ten years now, having started in 2007.

When I first started, while I enjoy writing, there were times, I’ll be honest, it felt like a chore. I’d come to realize the reason for that was that I bought into the template of what I should do shared by those in the industry that set a specific standard for building an author platform. While that may work for some I often resisted, but was too afraid to follow my own inner guidance for fear no one would read my blog.

Oh, how I’ve grown!  The moment I let go of the should and surrendered to my own process, I’ve come to love coming to this place to share my thoughts, hopes and dreams. And I say a deeply, grateful thank you to each of you for having stayed with me on this journey.

I was reminded of all of this because of a lovely comment yesterday from reader, Kathryn who shared with me that she loves reading my blog and finds it “cheerful and deep.” It brought tears to my eyes and made my heart soar! Thank you, Kathryn!

I loved it and feel it truly represented what I hope my blog is for others — part of my mission is to be a positive face in the world while at the same time the more I come to understand about tuning in and listening to our hearts, I love sharing that deeper wisdom with you, too.

So thank you again, Kathryn. And thank you to all of you who are here. It means so much to me.

Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.

A New Website Look and A Chance to Win a Copy of My New Memoir “Wisdom Found in the Pause – Joie’s Gift”

Posted by Barbara Techel

A New Look and A Chance to Win a Copy of My New Memoir "Wisdom Found in the Pause - Joie's Gift"

I’ve had a vision inside my heart for quite some time now—a vision of how I was going to evolve and expand from the many wonderful teachings I’ve received from the dog’s in my life:  Cassie Jo, Frankie, Joie, Kylie and Gidget.

Each one instrumental in bringing me to this space I stand in today – standing tall in the woman I now am – proud of who I am, what I’ve accomplished and excited about where I am heading.

First let me say that Joyful Paws will always be a big piece of who I am and I have no intentions of leaving behind the sharing of what I continue to learn from my dogs. But here are the ways in which I want to expand and explore:

  • Sharing the wisdom of all animals.
  • Sharing the beauty of nature and how it helps to ground and center us.
  • Encouraging others to find their authentic voices by opening to their intuition.
  • Encouraging others to find what is meaningful and what will bring more joy to their everyday lives.
  • And lastly, I leave some white space….as a way to honor new exploration and bring what I learn here to my blog in hopes of more inspiration and encouragement for others.

While I believe my blog/website has been doing just that, writing about the many different topics I’ve written about the last few years, the look to my website, especially my banner, didn’t really reflect that. While I love sharing photos of my dear, sweet dogs (as my old banner reflected), it’s because of everything I’ve learned from them, that I’m now much more confident and comfortable in my own skin (woo hoo!).

As many of you know, my Zen writing cottage is an extension of who I am also (as seen in my new banner!) – my sacred space that wraps its loving walls around me each morning when I enter through the old fashioned screen door. I knew I had to have that part of my banner as it is the place I continue to test my wings when they want to expand and try new things.

It’s the place I come to, to pause often, listen deeply, and capture what matters most to me… and what is my greatest wish in helping others to do the same.

I still have some “behind the scenes” tweaking to my website, but it was the banner I wanted to share with you today. I hope you will like it as much as I do!  A very special thank you to my web gal, Caryn Newton of Lantern Glow Design for helping me put this together.

And one last thing, I’m also excited about is that my website is now mobile friendly and you can read my posts very easy from your phone. Me thinks I’m finally “with it!” 

And now to celebrate with a giveaway, because I love to give gifts!

Win a copy of my new book (plus a customized journal)!  If you’ve already purchased a copy(and thank you if you have!) you can still enter and give it as a gift or donate to your local library.  That would be cool!  Just leave a comment in the comment section below and your name will be entered for a chance to win. (open to US residents only). Entries must be submitted by Thursday, Oct. 27th at midnight cst. I’ll notify winner on Friday, Oct. 28th.

Thank you for sharing and subscribing to my blog updates.