Back to Reality

Hi everyone. I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and are looking forward to the New Year ahead. It's all starting to slow down now, and to be honest as much as I love Christmas I'm kind of happy for it all to be over.

I'm currently lying in bed at the moment and I'm completely restless (nothing to do with the fact that I was drinking yesterday) so I said I'd put my thoughts on paper, so to speak. The past month has been a crazy one to say the least. I work in retail (as most of you prob know by now) so it goes without saying that we were completely hectic for the month of December and November. So much so, that this year I really struggled with work/life balance. Obviously my priorities are always going to be my kids but it goes without saying that my job is very important too as it's the hand that feeds us (if I've got that saying right). It was tough balancing the craziness at work and daily life, plus the extra bits like xmas shopping, school plays-activites and my blog etc. I became quiet forgetful this year, it was like I had way too much going on in my head, I even forgot the tooth fairy 2 nights in a row. I know, I know, how could I? But the reality of it is that I'm certainly not perefct and sometimes I get it wrong. I'd like to think that I'm not the only parent.

Every Christmas you could spend an absolute fortune. I don't know about you but I feel like I never have enough (money) at this time of year. When Christmas day comes every year I feel like "Santa" could have been a little bit more generous. Now I know it's totally ridiculous because the kids have so much and got everything they asked for, however when I go on facebook and I see pictures that other parents have posted of sitting rooms full (and I mean FULL) of toys I feel kind of guilty that I cannot afford to be that extravagant with my kids.

I didn't get to go home ( to Cork) for Christmas this year and I haven't been able to for a number of years now, 10 years to be exact i think. Because of the nature of my job it just never works out that I have enough time to visit. It's sad and this year I really felt it, I would have loved nothing more than to go home and see everyone because it is really what Xmas is all about (being around your loved ones and family) but at least I will be lucky enough see my family early in the new year.

I really really do love Christmas but I'm ready now for some peace and quiet at the start of the new year. I know January can be a month that most people dread, as we are all broke and depressed from the over indulgence of Christmas. But for me this year I think it will be a month for some "time out" and some "me time" that I feel I really do need.

So a Happy New Years to each and everyone of you. I hope you celebrate in style. I'm excited to see what 2016 holds for us all xx

Insta-perfect

Let's face it most of us lead double lives!! The one we have on social media and the real one. Hands up I'm as guilty as any, I love to share details of my life on Facebook but the majority of the time I carefully choose what I want to share because I know I'll be judged. Lets be honest most of us of have done it, (judged) someone else on a picture or a status they've put up. Hell I've even blocked/deleted or unfollowed someone because I didn't like or agree with what they had said, depending on my mood at the time. We've all been in the situation were someone we barely know has sent us a friend request and of course we HAVE to accept because that would be just rude not to, wouldn't it! Endless facebook friends that we never speak to or that would barely say hello to you on the street but yet still virtual buddies.. It's crazy when you think about it all of these friends, but not really friends, and we are so eager to share our lives with them all.

I remember when I was younger hearing the term "to show face" which meant that you would show (to the public) that everything is good or okay, I often wonder is this what we do on social media every day? Happy holiday snaps, great nights out, fun family moments etc. We love to share these moments with the best intentions that loved ones or long lost friends get an update on how we are doing. But how many of us personally reach out to these people on a daily basis? You could be mistaken for looking at someones online profile and thinking that they have it all. Perfect life, family, always happy. It's what you call Insta-perfect. But nobody's life is as perfect as it seems, it's only what we choose to show to the world. Nobody really knows what's going on "behind closed doors" or in somebody's mind, sometimes things aren't as rosy as they seem, and it's hard to share these thoughts with your "online friends" without becoming the topic of conversation or gossip.

I'm well aware that I've shared some personal things online since I've set us this blog and I'm also aware that not only friends but total strangers may read these things. I call it my online diary but in 

reality would I let someone read my personal diary if I had one (probably not)....Ive refrained from 

posting negative things on my own personal page a long time ago because I was conscious of how it would come across. But we all have bad days so of course the negative should come with the positive so you'd think. It's not always like that though because if your too happy people be-grudge you and if your a bit down in the dumps you can come across as a bit of a "Moaning Michael". Fact is your 

never going to please everyone, and the strangest thing is these people are meant to be your friends right, friends that you have accepted into your online life.

On a final note being online, 

I sometimes feel so connected with life but I'm really disconnected in reality.

Drop me a comment and let me know what you think?

Luv lisa xx