I’ve decided to take a short break. For the next two weeks (give or take), I’ll be off the blog and Instagram.
(This is a longer-than-usual post, so grab your drink of choice and settle in.)
Let me explain…
Lately (starting last year), I’ve been feeling a bit off. I’ve been struggling with comparisonitis, feeling “not good enough,” poor time management, lack of motivation, fear of failure, procrastination, and the like. If you’ve been following Inspired by Charm for a while now, you know that these aren’t new struggles for me. – I assume some of these things are just part of my makeup. (Lovely, right? Haha.)
However, these struggles have been more intense lately (maybe because of our current world situation), and a reset is in order. I need to take a little time off to look at how I currently spend my days and how I want to spend my days. (This involves less time on my phone and more time creating!) I want to make and do without the fear of failing or disappointing someone. I want to journal and reflect. I want to get a better grasp on my time management and my schedule. I want to rediscover what brings me joy for its own sake.
I write this from a good place. There’s no need to worry. I’m fine. I will be back in a week or two, hopefully, better than ever. It’s been years since I took an intentional break from it all, and I need one. If you’re someone who spends a lot of your day online, I’m certain you know what I mean and how I’m feeling.
Instagram, in particular, has become a challenging place for me these past few months. (I think it’s been worse because most of us are spending more time at home and doing a lot of aimless scrolling. Do you know what I mean?) Recently, I looked at how much time I spend on the app. It averages 2.5 hours a day. That’s 912.5 hours or 38 days per year! (And you don’t even want to know about the time I’m on my phone every day. It’s scary!) I am so thankful for the app because it allows me to connect and share, but I don’t want to spend 38 days of my year on an app, especially when it is time just scrolling and feeling bad, guilty, and not good enough.
I plan to step away for about two weeks. When I was thinking about doing this, one week didn’t feel like long enough. I’m not sure two weeks is enough time either, but that’s the plan for now. (In some ways, I want a month-long or even a year-long hiatus.)
The Plan for My Time Off:
I’m still figuring out my plan for this time. I want to keep it flexible, but here are my thoughts at present:
- I’m deleting social media (Instagram and Facebook) from my phone. I plan to avoid both for two weeks. And as I continue to think about this plan, it’s making me crazy nervous because there is a part of Instagram that brings me SO MUCH JOY, and I’m going to miss it. Sharing, inspiring, and connecting in positive ways is fuel for me. For example, it was so much fun the other day when I gave folks a tour of my landscaping. I loved all of our conversations in my messages. BUT, I realize I do need better boundaries, and even though it may be difficult, it’s a necessary step. I will probably also be sharing my plans for less phone time once this is all done. The goal is to create steps and a plan to limit how much time I’m staring at my screen.
- I have a list of projects, recipes, and other things I want to do during this time so I’ll probably continue to “work” (photographing, writing, etc.). However, I want to approach this as a creative time rather than work time. I know that sounds confusing, but I haven’t quite figured out how to manage that yet, so we’ll see.
- Part of that work will include updating some old blog posts so you might see an old post reemerge on IBC. However, nothing new will be posted.
- Other things I want to do: clean and organize spaces in my home, paint a room (My office! Stay tuned for that!), spend time outdoors, journal, read, get back in an exercise routine or just move, listen to music (My new Ultimate Folk playlist is coming together beautifully by the way. I’m obsessed!),…The list goes on. Generally speaking, I just want to do things that fuel my soul and fill my heart. It’s not that I haven’t been doing those things; I’ve just forgotten how to do them with intention and focus.
How to Get Your IBC Fix While I Take a Break:
If you’re looking to stay connected in my absence, you have a couple of options:
- First, I started a new email series where I share some decorating secrets. If you haven’t yet joined that series, you can do so HERE. You’ll get a new email every day for 6 days, so that should give you your IBC fix.
- Second, I will continue to send out my weekly emails. If you’re not on the IBC Mailing List, you can join HERE.
- Finally, I post on the IBC Facebook page several times a day. It’s a smattering of both current and past posts. So if you want to follow along with some older posts and maybe catch things you missed, join me there.
Ultimately, I hope to be able to set new goals and new boundaries for myself regarding social media, work, and phone use by the end of these two weeks. I don’t know what that looks like yet, but I know that I will be taking more time off Instagram. Perhaps I won’t post on weekends or maybe I’ll just limit my scrolling time. We’ll see.
I will also be adjusting my work and personal schedule. I’ve decided to add more me-time. I want to schedule time to paint or draw, to read, to visit interesting local places, museums, and restaurants (when they open) that have been on my “To-Visit” List. There’s just so much I’d rather be doing that’s more life-giving than staring at my phone. I’m on a mission to bring more joy into my days and contentment into my life. I want to fall back in love with my work and how I spend my time.
Want To Know How This Hiatus Goes?
If you want to hear more about this, it’s likely that when I return I will share a bit about my experience and time away. It might be a disaster and I’ll fail miserably, or it might (hopefully) be a wild success and I’ll walk away with a fresh perspective, a clearer mind, better habits, and more tools and ideas to share with all of you.
Until then, you will be missed. Please take care of yourself. Be safe and stay healthy. I will see you soon!
Sending you lots of e-love!
Michael, perfection does not exist. Joy comes from the solitude of creation, never comparison. You are a natural. Never ever forget that. Take all the time you need and reset. Your faithful followers will always be here. Don’t worry about that.
Just be true to yourself. Everything else will fall into place.
Enjoy your well deserved break. Spring is a perfect time for it💖
In reading down through these many comments there is an overwhelming sense of how much beauty and joy you bring to your followers. I’m glad that you are making the decision that feels right for you right now. We hope that you will get a much-deserved recharge out of your time away from social media in realworldland – I think I might also speak for many of us by saying that we hope to see you back again soon with a refreshed perspective on life. Take care and stay safe.
Bless your heart.Take all the time you need. We’re here when you decide to return.
You will be missed Michael! You deserve some much needed time to yourself….we will be here when you get back…..can’t wait to hear all about your adventures! You are so brave to do this….
Take care! Get rest, stay safe!❤️❤️
Beautifully written ! I plan on keeping in touch through the sources you outlined. Stay safe and the best to you.
Take a deep breath and just….step back. We’ll still be here when you’re ready to come back. Enjoy your time off.
Michael, I understand SO well where you are, and your reasons for making this change. Though I am nowhere close to the professional level as a writer, blogger, and social media influencer that you are, I have faced those realizations about my blogging, too. And I found that giving myself permission to step back and rest from it all was the best thing I could do for myself.
My breaks from blogging have been spurred on by both sudden life events (my Dad’s death and helping my Mom build a new life) and later by my realization that echoes what you are facing now: being caught up in the business of creativity was killing my creativity. I stepped away from it all with the intent to never return, releasing myself from the edict of ‘create content for consumption’. At first I didn’t do much but read and take myself on ‘Artist Dates’ (thank you Julia Cameron!)… gradually, I felt the desire to ‘make and do’, as you shared – but only for ME, not for my blog. Not as ‘content’ alone. And finally, a year later, my imagination and creativity were in hyperdrive and I was creating SO much, ALL the time, that I felt the desire to come back to social media and post again, sharing what I was up to. The response has been heartwarming, to say the least.
Since my ‘big break’, I have more joy in blogging and Instagramming and facebooking than I ever did before! It felt like I hit ‘reset’ on my brain, because I have given myself permission to break alllll of the ‘rules’ of social media – to post what I want when I want, to make things just for fun and then if I like the results, share them, and most of all to limit my time spent online. I want to LIVE life creatively – not watch creativity online, or to be spending so much time promoting my creativity that I am not being creative! I hope that this break for you brings you the rest, release, and creative thinking power that can build the foundation of a new ‘normal’ for you once you return. Enjoy every moment of your life, my friend… we look forward to seeing all that you will share when you return!
You certainly will be missed especially for me your recipes. I’m really sorry I missed your landscaping tour I’m really into that. It’s no wonder you’re burnt down with all the redecorating you’ve done and transforming that house and you did it in such a short amount of time right after you transformed an apartment. You take care of yourself no one deserves it more.
As the many have already said. You will be missed. Take your time and come back when you’re ready. I think I would wait for just about ever for your return. 😢😉☺️🙃
Hi Michael, maybe you really need a break as you said. Maybe you are expecting too much of yourself. Please take care and be safe. I really want to see your posts again after your break. Love your ideas. Take care
Love all your inspiration! Know that you will be missed, but your reset will lead you to greater things…love that you shared and your willingness to do so is proof of what a wonderful person you are in all regards! Stay well & enjoy your time, as much as you need!
Michael ~ A little time out — real time out! Perfect! I wish you rest, peace, a reset — JOY overflowing — and laughter! ♥️
Hello Michael.
You so deserve some time off. It’s obvious just how hard you work on your blog, which is incredibly inspirational! But everyone needs a break. Especially creative people. We can just lose our sense of life-balance and burn ourselves out! You give so much by providing a wonderful place for all of us to come and be inspired. This takes lots of forethought, planning, and work! We don’t see all that you do behind the scenes. (I can’t even imagine…) Taking some steps back and taking competition out of the equation…these are good things. The stress from competition can just kill creativity. (Only compete with you. You are an original, Michael. Just be you.) Just go and rest. Nourish yourself, physically, mentally, creatively. Do lots of self-loving things. Even naps are okay. Explore when you want. Rest when you want. Come back when you truly feel that you are ready. I believe that many of us will still be here. I plan on still being here. I’m sending you lots of hugs!
You will be missed, but kudos to you for your reset! You have some of the best content on IG. I truly enjoy your style and ideas. I recently shared your page to a few friends. I’m excited to see what will come next. Enjoy!
YOu are like my pastor and he burned out so he went to a retreat area where he had no contact and he read, walked and at times just just sat and enjoyed the beauty. He was so refreshed when he go home
I love your blog.It is so inspirational. Please take the time you need. You have already given us so much. It’s time for you now,
Enjoy yourself. Do what you want to do when you want to. Thanks for all the sharing. I have gotten great ideas and recipes from you. Many I haven’t completed and I want to do and just haven’t gotten around to it. Take care of yourself.
Yours in one of my FAVORITE blogs, insta , and facebook. I love your style,, practicality, and accessibility. See you soon!
I’m happy for you! Enjoy this time- you will love it
Thanks for sharing all your talent and insight !