Something of a social commentary, somewhat unexpectedly.

It's crazy how much of a difference a job can make to your life.

I mean, it makes sense, given that we all spend so much time working (approx 90,000 hours over a lifetime - eek!), but it's only once you find the right job, that the realisation falls into place.

I started a new job 4 months ago, to the day I'm writing this post, and my life feels like it has changed considerably since then. Outwardly, nothing has actually changed. I'm still living in the same house, with the same boyfriend, and I've not shaved my head, got a tattoo or done anything drastic, but somehow everything seems very different.

My new job is full on, there's no denying that, but I'd honestly have it no other way. I work in Digital Marketing, at a small agency in Norwich, and a lot of the time it really feels like this hobby has become my job. That's the dream right?

You probably haven't actually noticed that I've sort of dropped off the face of the blogosphere over the last few months, because that trend actually started in July 2018, when I still had my old job and I was working 50+ hours in a week (if you know, you know). The difference now, is that blogging has become fun again for me, and not something that I feel the need to do. There are tasks I undertake at work which fit the criteria of needing to be done, so anything that I post on my personal social media accounts, is posted purely because I want to post it.

It's no word of a lie, and I'm not ashamed to admit, that when I still had my old job, I used to stress out a lot about the fact that:
a) I didn't have any fresh content; but also
b) that I didn't have the time to post to Instagram or write blog posts.

I'd obviously find the time to scroll mindlessly, all the while stressing about how badly my account was looking, and how awful the algorithm was, but actually engaging meaningfully with the platform, just wasn't something I could squeeze into my already exhausting schedule.

And this is where the right job can make such a difference. Now I'm seriously hoping that this post goes under the radar at work and never makes it back to anyone in management, because the thought makes me seriously want to cringe, but because I'm doing a job I love, that feels like absolutely the right fit for me, I no longer feel the need to try to 'fit in' elsewhere.

It's easy to fall into that trap when you're an aspiring blogger/YouTuber/influencer. You get hooked on consuming content made by other creators, and to feed the addiction, you start to mimic their behaviour. If you're an aspiring fashion blogger, you find yourself buying clothes constantly, wearing them once or twice and sharing the outfits on the 'gram, then falling instantly out of love with them (because you never really loved them in the first place but knew they were bang on trend and so therefore had to have them). You reach a certain point and brands want to work with you. There will be some that you jump at the chance to work with and enjoy the challenges that they set, and there will be others that you'd never heard of before but blindly say yes to, because it's too much of a test of your willpower to say no.

That comes across negatively, I know, but I truly do adore social media. There are aspects of it I would love to change, yes, but I think it represents a really wonderful opportunity for a lot of people, in that it's the perfect place to connect. I've made some of the best friends through using social media, and I've become aware of some of my now favourite brands through Instagram. But it's important to remember why you started to engage with social media in the first place, and starting a new job has given me the headspace to do exactly that.

I started to post content on social media and write my blog because I loved fashion, and fundamentally, wanted to make friends. I've made some great friends and I still love fashion, but I also love a lot of other things now, so I think it's time to start re-introducing some of those things back into my online life, as it were. I absolutely cannot guarantee regular posting, here or on social media, but whenever I feel inspired by something, I'll be trying my absolute best to find the time to share it.

This post has become something of a stream of consciousness, and not what I'd originally planned, but I think that's potentially a good thing - clearly I had some things to get off of my chest. If you've made it this far, thank you. I'm going to pour myself a glass of wine and cook dinner.

Laura 

P.S. Please do enjoy the sunburn and general sweatiness of the random holiday snaps accompanying this post... it was very warm.