How I Attempted Vlogmas and Failed Epically
If you couldn’t have guessed by the lack of activity on my YouTube channel lately, I have epically failed at doing Vlogmas. And I’m not using the word “epically” as an exaggeration. I honestly mean epically. But how can I come to that conclusion even when there’s still just a few days left for me to recover? Well, y’all, at this point, Vlogmas is a lost cause. I’m not writing this post as a “oh pity me” or a “please forgive me” but as a reminder that real life and personal health always, always, always come before anything relating to social media. Always. No exceptions.
I really think the message of this post is applicable any time of year, but it’s especially important now that it’s the holidays. I get so caught up in Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, blogging, and everything else that I forget to take time for myself. Not only for myself, but for my family and enjoying the holidays and being in the Christmas spirit.
Last year I did Vlogmas and it went off without a hitch. I didn’t miss a day, each of my vlogs were at least five minutes long, and I consistently uploaded on a daily basis.
Based on how smooth Vlogmas went last year, I was stoked to go about it again in 2016. The first 10 days went great, but then my world was turned upside down on the 11th day, and Vlogmas suffered from then on.
So Why’d Vlogmas Fail So Epically?
Well for starters, let me just sum it up by saying that life got real. And life got real real fast. School ended, there was a very serious situation that arose with my job, and wisdom teeth were removed from my mouth.
Work & School
If you watch any of the Vlogmases from day 10 and on, you can definitely tell that something wasn’t right. I seemed down, and the vlogs just weren’t happy. And that’s when I decided I needed to stop.
Being there for my co-workers was exponentially more important than producing a daily vlog.
Wisdom Teeth
Oh lord, y’all. I was totally planning on doing a funny wisdom tooth vlog, but I was so out of it that those videos will never see the light of day on the Internet.
I sent so many ridiculous Snapchats, recorded way to many hysterical “vlogs”, and FaceTimed my friend while still under the influence of anesthesia. For reference, see that picture below? Yeah I managed to get my mom to take that, edit it to fit my Instagram theme, and post it on my Instagram right after surgery.
So that picture is the extent that the world will see of my post-wisdom-tooth surgery craziness. Enjoy!
All in all, I know from experience that it’s easy to be consumed by feeling the need to live up to these standards set on social media. They differ for everyone, but for me, it was making it through Vlogmas successfully. I’d made a promise to myself and you all, my loyal readers, that’d I’d be producing this content for you.
And as much as it kills me to not post Vlogmas, I know that the reasons behind my unsuccessful completion are way more important and will have more of an impact on my life.
As a blogger and social media influencer, I want everyone (bloggers included) to take a break on Christmas day. Stay off your phone, keep off the social medias, and just be present. Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, Facebook, and a blog will always be there, but family won’t. Enjoy those moments, they won’t last forever!
Happy Holidays!
~abigail gray
P.S. Exciting news! I’ll be in Denver, CO, again for Christmas and I’ll be blogging the whole thing! Hopefully that’ll make up for the lack of what would’ve been very boring vlogs. If you’re from Denver, what’re some things I should check out while I’m there?
