A friend recently shared a Ted Talk by actor, Joseph Gordon Levitt. His main point was this, “stop focusing on getting attention. It’s way more fulfilling to focus on paying attention.” Unfortunately, we live in a society that puts a lot of focus on getting attention. How many likes will you get if you post this picture or video? How should I pose for this selfie, how can I get the perfect picture of my kids? Let me post this image so people think our family, house etc. is perfect, therefore I am perfect!? It is exhausting to think and act like that! Wouldn’t it be amazing if we all took a second to enjoy the moments we have together while we are experiencing them? To sit uninterrupted by notifications on our phones long enough to hear the leaves blowing in the wind, birds chirping or our kid’s laughter. Childhood is fleeting and so are those tiny giggles.  We all look to and/or fear the passing of time for different reasons, but one thing is certain the time will pass regardless. I don’t want to regret missing out on time with my family or friends because I am too concerned with the hit of dopamine you get by witnessing the “like” counts go up. Research shows that the pleasure center in our brain is hit as we scroll endlessly and get attention through likes etc. I don’t want my life to be centered around that and I don’t want my kids to witness this and think there is more importance in gaining attention online than being fully present in life’s precious moments.

That’s why writing this blog and trying to gain more of a presence on social media for book sales is a conundrum for me. Of course, I want my books to be popular. I would love to feel like this is all contributing financially to the family instead of more of a hobby. I want children all over to find them engaging and exciting. I hope that families are curious about the next adventures and can’t wait to devour more. And I know to do that I have to build my brand so to speak to get more information about the T-Rex and Tuck Explore series out there. Though, it’s tough for me because I have never loved or been super in tune or involved with social media. That being said, my why is because I enjoy it. I love words and phrases. I love trying to put it all together into its own perfect puzzle (even though I hate puzzles ha). That spark of joy I get when I write a sentence and read it out loud and think, “Oh, I like that line.” I love challenging myself with imagery and setting goals to continue writing more children’s books, but also some day a novel. I have big dreams and no matter how old I get; I don’t see why we should ever stop trying to reach them!

I want to show my kids that if you have goals—no matter how big they might be, you can achieve them! I want my little girl to know that it’s okay to have a strong voice and to use it! I want them both to know that parenthood is inspiring and emotional. That with each word I write, my love for them is woven between each line and sentence. I want them to love reading as much as I do. If I surround them with my books and they see that hard work can turn into something truly inspiring, then maybe they will be focused on paying attention and hopefully less on getting it. And hopefully, if I stay true to my why, I will stay focused on paying attention to what is around me and in front of me, not on getting attention.

So, how can I build my brand and get T-Rex and Tuck Explore the Zoo into more hands without losing sight of my why? That’s where you come in! If you like my blog (and fall in love with T-Rex and Tuck once you get your copy of the book) please share this, comment on posts and like them! Tell your friends. Pass it on to all your people. Know someone who is about to have a baby? Send them a copy. About to be a grandparent for the first time? Share T-Rex and Tuck Explore the Zoo with them and add a little note inside the cover (I promise they will think it’s special). Do this so I can spend more time writing and less time scrolling and posting for likes. We can enjoy this awesome adventure together. I can’t thank you enough for your support and I am humbled by people taking a chance on me and ordering my first book! Until next week, keep reading and never stop exploring.

What is your why? What keeps you going? What inspires you? Let me know in the comments below.