10 Lessons Social Media Has Taught Me

Wednesday, June 14, 2017


If you are anything like me, you know that there are both pros and cons to social media. I've mentioned before that I used to be HIGHLY opposed to the idea of "social media" and putting myself out there on the internet, but after starting my blog a few years ago I have come to see that it wasn't all I made it out to be. In fact, while social media can take up to much of my time (lets be honest...its kind of a side job I don't get paid for...#blogger), it can have a number of benefits and I have come to see that I have learned a number of lessons through it's adoption into my life:


  1. YOUR LIFE ISN'T GOING TO BE PERFECT......so you had better accept that right now! Often times I might look at other peoples "perfect" feeds and life and try to compare myself to them and everything they are doing, but at the end of the day I have to accept me for me! Sure, I can look at others accomplishments and learn from their successes in order to apply their lessons to my life, but I can never become someone who wishes to be someone else. I have to remind myself that I am right where I need to be and be content that my present life is perfect!
  2. HEARTBREAK AND TRAGEDIES OF LIFE ARE REAL.....I can't tell you the number of times I have scrolled through Instagram and come across a story that breaks my heart. There are so many (incredible) ladies whom I follow that have miscarried, lost husbands, had broken engagements, deal with health issues, etc. Seeing and knowing that other people are going through trials reminds me that life isn't always easy, that prayer is vital, and that I should always be thankful for what God has blessed me with.
  3. HEALING REALLY IS POSSIBLE (in regards to #2).....yes....heartbreak and tragedies come our way, but even in the darkness and brokenness there is healing and people (we) are stronger than we realize! While not everyone chooses to share their trials and heartbreak on social media, many do, and I have come to GREATLY respect those who choose to share and constantly learn from their strength, joy, authenticity, and determination to never give up! 
  4. YOU ARE NEVER ALONE......I remember when I was growing up and always feeling like no one understood me, or no one liked the same things I did. Social media totally changes that and gave me an outlet to meet people who have the same interests as me, or are the same type of person (where are my fellow Introverts?). I think this many times come down the the amazing community created through social media, be it with bloggers, creatives, photographers, seamstresses, etc. 
  5. ONLINE FRIENDS ARE REAL THINGS.....five years ago I probably wouldn't have believed you if you had told me I would meet some incredible friends through social media! I guess I didn't think connections could be made over the internet that could lead to friendships, but I was wrong. Thanks to messaging options and the ability to comment I have come to meet some of the sweetest ladies who really are kindred spirits. Its even cooler when you get to meet online friends in person and you totally hit it off over coffee :)
  6. THERE ARE DEFINITELY WEIRD AND DIFFERENT PEOPLE OUT THERE......lets be honest...we have all had those "interesting" people follow us, or comment on a post, or request to be our friend....but that is precicely what the BLOCK button is for. Am I right or am I right?!?!
  7. YOU CAN EXPRESS YOURSELF IN WRITING AND PEOPLE WILL AUTOMATICALLY CONNECT......I can't tell you the number of times I have shared a lengthy post about life or something personal and had people comment with encouragement, understanding, or words of wisdom. I constantly see people on social media who use words to express how they feel and those words will always connect with someone who reads it, reminding them that they are not alone (#4).
  8. IF YOU EVER THOUGHT YOU WERE INVISIBLE NOW IS YOUR CHANCE TO BE SEEN.....just like #4, I always (and sometimes still do in daily life) felt as if I were invisible to those around me, be it their lack of vocalization to my presence, or their inability to acknowledge or start a conversation with me. However, in joining the world of "social media" I have had to learn that people actually see me.....like they see what I do, what I wear, the things I love and they like it! Thus social media allows me to be "ME" and connect with others who recognize that uniqueness just like I recognize theirs:) And for those people who already know me, and just happen to follow me on social media, they often see another side to me that they might never have seen in person. 
  9. YOU WILL CONSTANTLY GROW, LEARN, AND CREATE......wow...this one is such a great lesson! Through social media I have seen myself grow be it in my skills, my blog, my interests, communication, or even in how I run the PR side of my blog and grow my audience and reach. However, that wouldn't be possible if it weren't for the things I am constantly learning through watching other bloggers, reading books, or getting advice from people I know. I am able to see what works for other people and apply those skills to my life. And culminating all of those together I have learned that using social media for what I do gives me an outlet to be creative in photography, writing, and design and I love that I have the chance to utilize creativity in such a unique way. 
  10. PEOPLE GENERALLY LOVE TO CELEBRATE OTHERS ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND TALENTS.....you might think (sometimes) that people just use social media to brag about themselves (which might be the case for some), but I have found that if you do what you do because you love it, accept compliments humbly, and remove all pride and self absorption from your life people really do want to celebrate with you when you succeed at something! I love to see the people I follow pursuing their dream, accomplishing something grand, or announcing something exciting! Life is something to celebrate, so why not celebrate it every chance you get:) I think this one again, also comes down to the community we create with those we follow and those that follow us. It's so cool to see what other people are pursuing and its also so cool to share the things going on in our life knowing that someone else is either going through the same thing or has a few words of wisdom or encouragement to keep you reminded of how lovely life can truly be and how splendid people really are! 
Have you learned any of these lessons through social media?
What are some lessons you have learned?

-Madison

A Bit of French

Monday, June 12, 2017

  
Culottes: Thrifted (old)
Shirt: borrowed from sister
Neck Scarf: Vintage (gift)
Shoes: Old Navy
Earrings: Thrifted
Bag: Thrifted (Coach)
Lipstick: Revlon (Ultra HD Matte Lip Color)

I may not be the most "french" person there is (really I lack many things french), but I do love any style inspired by french fashion and culture! With that being said, I love how straight forward French style tends to be (its really so predictable). When I think "french" style, I think stripes, solid colors, neck scarves, and classic gold jewelry. Of course, its always fun to mix it up a bit, so for this look I opted to make it more french fashion meets 2017 spring styles :)

This season has had me dreaming of travel nearly every day! I have always wanted to travel, but recently the urge has been more readily surfacing and I find myself thinking of all the different places I could go, the amazing sights to see, and the styles that would accompany me:) France is definitely on my bucket list because it has so much to offer and there is so much art, history, and culture to be had. I think travel is a great way for us to not only learn about the different cultures around us, but it is also a great way for us to further culture ourselves with different cuisine, traditions, and lifestyles. 

With travel on the mind, and France as my inspiration, I chose to wear black coulotte pants for a comfy and classic look as well as to also take advantage of the spring "coulotte" trend. Of course with black pants stripes are a must, but I went a different route than normal with these also, and borrowed this flowy ruffle sleeve top from my sister which is the cutest (and comfiest) shirt ever! A french inspired ensemble is never complete without a neck scarf and I love everything about this vintage scarf that was gifted to me by a friend. I finished off the look with my old navy clogs, a classic hammered gold dangle hoop earring, and my vintage brown satchel coach purse. 

Looking back at this, I think I am ready to hop on a plane to France! 

Have you ever been to France?
Are you dreaming of travel like me?

-Madison

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Thursday, June 8, 2017

**Photos taken by my brother**
Shirt: Thrifted
Shorts: Thrifted & DIY Trim (similar)
Belt: Thrifted
Hat: Target
Neck Scarf: Bandanna (Similar)
Sandals: Modcloth 


TRUTH.....
I never, ever dress up this much when I am camping (I usually look like a sweaty hobo)

 I actually HATE canooing because they are so untrustworthy and always flip (I preffer to Kayak)

This National Geographic magazine actually has a snow covered mountain and a Skier on the front

By the time this shoot was over I was covered in sweat (ugh...this Texas heat)

The lighting for these pictures was so inconsistent but Lightroom saved my life! 

Last week my brother and sister and I went on a camping trip with our mom to Inks Lake (one of our favorite camping spots). As per the blogger that I am, I of course planned an outfit to take and photograph while I was there. I knew that the park always had canoes by the lake for people to rent and I thought that taking pictures in front of them would be the perfect photo shoot location! With that idea in mind I couldn't resist picking up this darling boater style hat at Target to take with me and also to add to my ever growing hat collection ;) 

Apparently I was really into red for this look because I ended up grabbing these red shorts of mine to pair with this red and brown striped button up shirt. Since I knew I would be wearing my tan Salt Water Sandals  I decided to add a matching tan belt which made it look quite adventure esque, and with that being said I grabbed a red bandanna (big surprise) at the last minute to wear and then topped it off with my hat! Definitely ready for an adventure or a boat ride (just not in a canoe)! 

Do you like canoeing?

-Madison

Gaby Teller

Monday, June 5, 2017


Dress: Modcloth
Shoes: Old
Purse: Vintage
Earrings: Goodwill
Sunglasses:  c/o ilymix
Shop The Look Below to Find The Exact or Similar Items


I can't help but feel like Gaby Teller in Man From Uncle with these fabulously 1960's style round shades that IlyMix so thoughtfully sent me! It's no lie that Man From Uncle is probably one of my favorite movies, not only because it is set in the 60's and stars Alicia Vikander, Henry Cavill, and Armie Hammer, but also because it is full of suspense, intrigue, car chases, gadgets, and all things SPY related. Grabbing these shades for a sunny day makes me feel like I should be a cunning secret agent like Gaby, undercover as an archaeologists fiance in Russia, where I am working to find and capture a deadly nuclear weapon from a mysterious and conniving criminal organization ;)

With that being said, the 1960's have definitely been one of my style inspirations as of late, and these shades are the icing on the cake! I haven't actually ever worn round sunglasses but as soon as I saw these  I knew that they would be the perfect addition to my ever growing sunglasses collection and I LOVE them so much. Of course, as these shades were straight out of the 1960's I had to have the perfect dress to compliment them, and the Windy City dress (pictured in a different color above) from Modcloth fit my vision splendidly! I picked up this darling dress when I visited Modcloth in Austin during my roadtrip, and this dress is definitely a 60's dream in an airy pastel color scheme and print that I can't get enough of!

Ok.....and can we talk about how much I am loving 1960's style earrings after styling this look based of of Gaby's fabulous style. I actually found the pair I am wearing by luck at Goodwill and while I am typically not a big dangle earring fan I think I will be wearing these a lot:)

There really is something different and unique about the 60's, and any time I get to dress in a look that is inspired by a secret agent character I am all for it!

Have you see Man From Uncle?
Are you a fan of round shades?

 -Madison

Madison Travels: 24 Hours In Austin

Tuesday, May 30, 2017



If you follow along with me on Instagram you may remember my recent road trip with my college roommate. We hit a number of stops along our travels and I thought it would be fun to share some of those with you all. The first installment of my road trip recap is 24 Hours In Austin. We camped at McKinney falls and hit Austin for one of our first stops along our trip and that day was JAM PACKED full of exciting adventures. Keep reading to see where we went and add it to your list next time you are in the Austin area:

  1. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - If you love flowers you HAVE to check this place out the next time you are in Austin. There are botanical gardens, butterflys, walking trails, and so much more! Its definitely family friendly and they have a really cool water fall area and kid section where you can build your own Tipi. My favorite part of this stop was finding out there is such a thing as a "chocolate flower" and it seriously smells like CHOCOLATE! You do have to pay to get in, but if you bring your student ID you get a discount, but even with the cost it is totally worth it. 
  2. Mayfield Park - Okay....so this place was THE COOLEST! Its this quaint little historic manor home near downtown Austin and its greatest attraction is Peacocks! YES....there are literally just like 8 peacocks who live on the premesis and wander around freely. It was so cool walking around the grounds, exploring the pond, walking through the flower garden, and seeing the beautiful birds. 
  3. Modcloth - If you are in the Austin area you HAVE to stop by the Modcloth store that is now there! Modcloth has always been one of my favorite online brands and now that they have a storefront in Austin its the perfect spot to stop and be able to brows their collection in person and try on pieces for yourself. 
  4. Prototype Vintage - Okay....so I have heard for years how Austin has the greatest vintage shops and how I NEEDED to go and check them out and I finally got to stop off at one when I was there. I stopped by Prototype Vintage on Congress and OH MY GOSH was it the GREATEST thing ever! I  don't think anything quit compares to walking into a vintage store and realizing that you have stepped into another world....one that you feel totally at home in:) It was like stepping into a treasure chest and I was in heaven. 
  5. Soup Peddler- Okay.....so I might or might not have totally stalked Instagram Austonians to see where their favorite places to eat were, but it paid off when we found this place which was AMAZING!!! Not only is it a healthy stop, but if you like DELICIOUS grilled cheeze and tomato basil soup (what we got) than you have to check out one of there many locations...plus they are totally affordable. 
  6. HEY CUPCAKE - It's a tradition of mine to check out at least one cupcake place whenever I am in a new city and "Hey Cupcake" is a top stop in Austin so of course I had to check it out. Not only is it the cutest place, being housed in a vintage airstream with a giant cupcake on top, but their cupcakes are pretty good:) They are also found along Congress so you can stop by after checking out Prototype Vintage. 

Have you even hit any of these spots in Austin?

-Madison
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