Wednesday, October 7, 2009

blogging.

blogging really is or feels narcissistic sometimes. i don't know, sometimes i just feel uncomfortable/weird inside when i put pictures of us up. or even writing certain things. and then i read blogs like seriously so blessed and i'm like ew am i like that? especially because i don't really blog in a "real" way (according to some) since i choose to only blog happy things. besides the stupid old man post. anyway i tell grant that i'm envious of my friend who publicly admits that she lets her husband wash the dishes and the car while she eats candy and sleeps. i said to grant last night, "how does she just really not worry about what people think of her?, i want to be like that" and he said "britt, i don't know why you worry because you are the sh**". this is the reason i love him, maybe some day i will believe him.

i realize that so many great things can come from blogging, like making new friends or being happy for other people and their accomplishments or even just learning to pay more attention to the sweet things in life... but sometimes i think it's unhealthy. i really do. since most people are putting up the best things in their life, it makes it easy for everyone to start comparing. and that can just be nasty. i think the reason why i'm ok with writing this (since i have serious issues with worrying about what people think) is because i know others feel the same. i listened to a talk by Elder Bednar last week about how dangerous the internet can be. not referring to what we would all assume but instead he spoke about creating these "virtual worlds". he spoke of the dangers that come when we live through the internet. when we live for our virtual worlds, when we live to impress our virtual friends etc. i do NOT want to be victim of this. and the talk really had me questioning all these things. life is good and should be thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis big while blogging should be this big. and gosh i'm not trying to preach here. maybe i'm just writing it to remind myself.

so anyway today i watched stephanie nielsen on oprah. i was so excited for it. and because i've read so far back in the archives i feel like i know her and therefore was nervous for her when she sat down with oprah. i loved seeing her talk and respond to different questions oprah was asking. she was much more lovely than her blog even portrays. i found her to be even more sweet, happy, humble and kind. and then to watch christian. mr nielsen, he was soooo charming. no wonder she talks about him the way she does. the way he was watching her just made my heart melt, and to think they have been married for nine years! i love her blog, i remember when i first found it, grant would come home to find me right where he left me; curled up in a ball reading her blog... in tears. she is so inspiring. i love how much she loves her role as a wife and mother, and with the crash it has molded her into even more than what she was. she not only loves to do the small things with her kids like cutting apples for them or whatever, now she really APPRECIATES it. and it was only monday night when i was laying on the kitchen floor whining because i didn't know what to make for dinner! i'm so grateful for her example, she makes me more grateful for blogging too.

p.s. feel inclined to feed my fishies.

20 sweet thoughts:

Michelle and Landon said...

I totally do this to and need to be better about it as well. I read all of these blogs of friends and then get mad because my life is not as wonderful as theirs. Then Landon sweetly reminds me that our life is amazing in our own way, and its good that its not like everyone else's. We need to make our life our own adventure. And not just so that we can blog about it and one up everyone else. I love reading your blog and especially your friday favorites! Thanks Britt

Adventures in Kamalot said...

thanks for this post! i really try to be aware of the technology thing in our family. i think i'm almost hyper-sensitive about it. who knows. i am anxious to check out this stephanie nielson blog. uh, yeah, that's right. i have no idea who she is, but she sounds like someone i need to check into. life is hard sometimes.

Anonymous said...

i am glad that you posted this. i agree with you. it is so easy to get on here and compare our lives to others. checking to see if we are living up to what they are. but i guess the reason that i just post about whatever, is because it's how my life really is. i am not a perfect housewife, or person for that matter. and Sean loves me anyway, just like Grant loves you. sometimes we don't understand why, when we compare ourselves to these perfect blogs. but i like the not perfect :) i think it makes life interesting. and Sean and i talked about how we want to look back on our life and remember these silly little stories. i never want to forget them. anyway, i am sorry if i share too much info on my blog! trust me, you don't wanna be like me! i am nuts. i would love to be more like you! you are so sweet and funny, and beautiful. and i second Grant, you are the sh**. i am so glad that we have become friends. seriously. we need to play. what are you guys doing saturday?

The Bella Life said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Keighley Fleming said...

This is random and a little creepy but I read your blog because I knew Grant when I was living in UT, and you're friends with Shalynna. I just want you to know I heart your blog and I dont think you live for your virtual friends or have an issue with being narcissistic. {Granted I have never met you :)} Anyways, keep up the blogging because I love reading your posts.


Keighley

grant + brittany said...

Keighley, thanks for your comment. that was really nice. i think you have commented before and i try to click on you and it doesn't work... do you have a blog?

abby said...

amen amen amen amen AMEN. i have such a better day when i don't even go on the internet. it's too much to have to compare yourself to every single woman on the planet who has a blog. it's very overwhelming for me.

i fed your fish.

let's hang with shalynna soon.

Zach and Katie Hillstead said...

ok i will try not to leave a novel on here for you to read. SERIOUSLY everything you just said is EXACTLY what has constantly been on my mind lately. and what is so funny is that it all came from me reading the EXACT SAME TALK BY ELDER BEDNAR! isn't that funny? it's funny how we think of "bad internet" as only being porn and stuff like that, but i have realized that if i am not careful i compare myself to others through blogging and get a little down. that is not healthy. and sometimes i feel like people create this "image" of themselves on their blog too that isn't really how their life is....so i have to be careful not to do that too. anyways, glad i am not the only one who feels this way! and i love that grant said you are the sh**. granty poo just loves you and it is so sweet:)

kaysi van dyke fox said...

brittany, you are the most amazing girl!! grant is so lucky to have you!! i was meant to read this because i sware everytime i come across some people's blogs i get so envious and i totally compare! i wasnt aware of it, but it is so true that we do that sometimes! ughhh, i hate to admit it, but i do! your posts are always so inspiring and uplifting!! i love reading your blog! youre a doll!!! :)


ps. conference was pretty amazing, huh? :)

David and Shalynna said...

I agree! When I lived in Grand Cayman I had plenty of internet time. I realized that I would get very grumpy if I read too many blogs! Then I'd start crying while I did my Saturday cleaning because I would feel like I wasn't talented or cute and sometimes I was totally jealous of people who were ahead than we are with kids, schooling, jobs, etc. I think we all feel this way sometimes. Once I recognized that I was doing this (comparing myself to others through blogs) I tried to catch myself. I still get caught up in it, but it's refreshing to read posts like this and see that other people feel the way I do!

We had so much fun with you guys yesterday. I'm glad Grant likes his new gun! Please remind me that I can't eat ten pieces of crazy bread in the future.

What are your plans tomorrow evening or Sunday evening? I know we live far but I might make some desserts and wanted to have Abby, Jamie, and her kids over with you and Grant. Let me know. Email me or text me and we'll plan something.

michael. mindy. dane. said...

I loved watching Nie too!

And, I love your blog. I think you and Grant are the cutest!

Chelsea said...

Hey Britt, I went to Snow with you and found your blog through Trudy's. I really liked how you talked about how people only post the best, happy things. I am ashamed to admit that I have found myself making comparisons quite alot when I read about all the fun stuff on other people's blogs! I really liked that talk by Elder Bednar as well, what a wake up call!

trudy...{and jamo} said...

wow.
love this.
amen.

miss you.


p.s. what the heck is wrong with that crazy old man who has anger issues & is hitting your car? seriously, come on people, he needs to get his life together. uh.

Keighley Fleming said...

I don't necessarily have my 'own' blog, but I participate and write on www.thebellalifeblog.com

I write some personally stories there. So check it out!

PS. Shalynna (if you ever read this) I can't believe you would ever think you aren't talented or cute! You are like super women!!! Thinking how organized and talented you are makes my head hurt. You are amazing.
ky

J & J said...

it's very refreshing to know that someone else feels the same way i do. in fact, i'm pretty sure you and i have had NUMEROUS conversations around this exact topic. blogging. ew. sometimes i just want to say "ew" to the entire idea of blogging. then again, i look back on my blog and appreciate it so much. the beauty of your blog and everyone else's blog is that you seriously are who you are, even if that means you don't always want to blog about the "bad" things. who cares? it's YOUR blog, and it's beautiful. you are such a fabulous person brit, inside and out. and i totally agree with grant, you are the sh**. so keep on keepin' on.

and i am more than happy to feed your fish. maybe i'll get some of my own, since jake won't let me have a pet.

Tiffany said...

I have totally felt all of those same feelings about blogging. Thanks for sharing the truth! I think that blogging is great as a type of journal of sort, whether it's photos or writing. I think in moderation it's a great thing!

Also, I too love Stephanie, and her example really is inspiring.

Jeff and Jenn said...

I COMPLETELY compare myself to others when I read their blogs! All of these happy people with babies..... and now most are expecting their second baby :( But then I think to myself, Jenn you need to get there on your own time and just be happy for everyone that has what you want! HAHA
I love your blog Britt you are fun and bright and cheery and it makes me happy!
P.S. I read Nie's blog EVERYDAY! I love her, she is so inspiring! And I think her blog is the way blogs should be... even though mine is not!

David and Shalynna said...

Thank you for pointing Keighley's comment out for me. That was sweet- I love that girl.

Thanks again for driving all the way out to see us. We had a lot of fun. Do you agree that you want to have a little boy and little girl exactly like Milo and Pearl? I can't get over how hilarious and adorable they were.

abby said...

you and shalynna are so nice. we were very embarassed by our psychochildren last night. but we left and jamie kept saying how much fun he had and he is pretty anti-social, so there ya go. we loved it. and brittany, i don't know how you left a comment on my blog since we totally avada kedavra-ed you!

Jess and Matt said...

Brittany! I relate 100% with you on this...it's like you took the thoughts and feelings I have and posted them verbatim. I just love you. I might sound creepy since we don't know each other that well, but by reading your blog, and getting to know you through other people, I feel like I do know you. Anyway, I have a SERIOUS problem with worrying about what other people think, and I hate it. I love your blog and think you are a humble, sweet, and wonderful person. YOu are in NO WAY narcissistic. I wrote a post like this a while back, because I was SO WORRIED my blog came across as "my life is perfect", of course it's not! I also love Stephanie...I feel like I know her too. She is precious and so inspiring. I have spent many hours reading her blog. Anyway, sorry this is so long...and I promise I am not that weird, but I really do just love you. I wish we lived closer, I would make you hang out with me ;)