Hey there, Molly Green friends; Brittany here, founder at Molly Green, and today, I want to chat with you about something that's been on my mind as we dance into the new year – leaving your phone on your coworker's back porch as you leave town for vacation.
The holiday season can be a whirlwind, can't it? We all have our families to visit, traditions to uphold, and those precious moments to cherish. This year, my husband Brandon and I went to to celebrate New Year's with his family. But something extraordinary happened on our way out of town – a momentary lapse, or perhaps fate intervened. I accidentally left my phone in a box of eucalyptus, cookies, and photo-shoot props on Kelsey's back porch for a shoot I was about to miss.
And you know what? It turned out to be a delightful mistake. Over that weekend, I experienced a genuine, uninterrupted connection with family and friends. I wasn't checking Instagram or scrolling through TikTok about what everyone else was doing for the new year. I was present. It got me thinking, and that's what this blog post is all about – why we should take a step back and disconnect from technology to reconnect with what truly matters.
We've all been there – subconsciously addicted to our screens. Clearly something I'm guilty of myself. So, my New Year's resolution for 2024 is simple: I want to use my phone as a tool for learning and success, and not let it use me for anything.
I don't want to hear my two-year-old say, "Mommy, put your phone down and play with me." So, I'm setting some boundaries. No phones during meals or after dinner, way less recreational screen time, no death scrolling, no comparing myself to someone else's curated and idealized version of themselves if I can help it. I won't let social media live rent-free in my brain.
Delving a bit deeper here into the relationship between social media and our wellness, particularly regarding self-image. I've noticed a personal narrative in myself that I believe many of you may relate to. I often see photos of myself and don't like them in the moment, but later, I can appreciate my former self. Instead of seeing her as inadequate in some way, I see her beauty and light.
As a start towards self-acceptance and self-love, I am calling in some appreciation for an old photo-shoot that caught my attention today. I was looking around in our Dropbox files for an image with a cell phone-to place in the header image you see above. I found one of a likely iPhone 6-ha. It's from a shoot of my sister Anna and me running around gleefully in the grass in Molly Green garb circa 2016. I vividly remember not wanting to share the photos because I was self-critical. But now, with a newfound perspective on self-acceptance, I see the beauty in myself and those moments. Sarah Jansson Allmon took these pictures of us in the yard of our house in Alabama; it was previously owned by my great-grandmother and a place filled with cherished memories. It had the dreamiest light on the sun porch at golden hour and witnessed many a Molly Green shoot. Precious people, including Sarah, came into my life during that time, and I'm incredibly grateful for that season. I assume we wanted to use these photos for marketing but I'd be surprised if I pushed out many of myself.
Why am I sharing this with you? As a reminder to speak kindly to yourself instead of constantly comparing skin/hips/lifestyle to others on social media. Embrace your remarkable beauty, especially in the moments initially deemed imperfect.
So, here's to leaving your phone on your coworker's back porch before you leave for vacation. Here's to setting limits on screen time and, if necessary, completely removing those pesky apps from your phone. Here's to not criticizing every pixel in the picture, and here's to a fantastic 2024, where we prioritize our sanity in every way we need to, including nurturing self-love and acceptance.
The Molly Green team wishes you all much love, happiness, and fashion in the coming year. Let's make 2024 the year we reconnect with what truly matters, find balance in the digital age, and learn to appreciate ourselves just as we are.
Cheers!
britt, founder at Molly Green
