I’m in my hometown at the moment on a break to attend a wedding on the weekend that I’m very much looking forward to (though I still haven’t exactly decided what to wear…). I’ve been Instagramming the family dogs a lot, much to the boredom perhaps of my followers and the dogs themselves, who really don’t understand why I keep calling their names and waving a phone at them.
But going through my Instagram is a great way to remind myself of some of the lovely things that have happened in the past few months, even though winter is always tough, and there’s been some particularly terrible things this year, like the sudden passing of a dear friend’s wonderful mother.
A lot of my Instagram is food-related, but grabbing breakfast or a coffee and reading a book is a real small pleasure that helps me get through feeling unwell. It seems a little indulgent when I am #broke, but it’s really my main indulgence, and I think its worth it.
A photo posted by Ashlee Betteridge (@ashbetteridge) on
A photo posted by Ashlee Betteridge (@ashbetteridge) on
A photo posted by Ashlee Betteridge (@ashbetteridge) on
Instagram is also a reminder of the incredible support I have from friends and family. When I was having a mid-winter rough patch earlier this year and was feeling pretty depressed and disappointed and very ill, some of my friends sent me some lovely things to cheer me up. And they were there for emotional support as always.
And my sister was there for support and fatigue-friendly fun when I travelled to Sydney for appointments.
Sister hangs #thegrounds #groundsgrams
A photo posted by Ashlee Betteridge (@ashbetteridge) on
A photo posted by Ashlee Betteridge (@ashbetteridge) on
My colleagues are also such an important part of my life, and in amongst the big big busyness that always engulfs us, we’ve had some real joy this year with some babies arriving and some nice social gatherings.
So as much as my mad social media-ing might sometimes be laughed at, and as much as there might be research showing it contributes to FOMO (fear of missing out), it’s also a great way to remember the happy moments, and helps me feel connected even if I’m stuck in bed or people are far away.