Only If You Let It

Do you remember Tamagotchis? I have no clue if that's how you spell it or not, but they were those little electronic key chain things that you had to treat like a baby or a pet - you had to feed it, change the diaper, walk it [ok more like a pet than a baby...] and then if you nurtured it just right, it would hatch into some mystery creature that you really wanted to see, so that was the incentive to keep it alive and healthy.

Remember them?

I got a generic Tamagotchi thing, a little dog names Spot [or something] before I got the actual brand named one. I brought little Spot with me everywhere. Then, I got the Tamagotchi and tried to keep both alive and well. The combination of the two ended up being too much for me to handle, and I had a breakdown. [I wish I could remember how old I was. I kind of want to say I was old enough for it to be embarassing... like 11 maybe??? Anyone know what year those things were popular in?] Anyway... I had a meltdown. I started to bawl because I was too stressed out by having both things beeping and needing me to do different things for them at the same time.

So, what did my mom do? Well, besides shake her head at my melt down over an electronic gimik, I am pretty sure we got rid of the Tamagotchi. Maybe we returned it even. Mom, do you remember?? I kept Spot until the fad passed and something else became the new THING to have. But I still vividly remember being totally frazzled by the two virtual pets.

Last year, in the early days of Laura Radniecki Images, I had two blogs: one for photography and one for Matt and my personal life. I also had my personal Facebook page, and I created a Fan Page for Laura Radniecki Images too. All was fine and dandy for a while, but then, I started to feel the same way as I did back when I had two Tamagotchis to look after - pulled in too many different directions. Too much to handle. So, I deleted the Facebook Fan page and combined two blogs into one.



Today, I created a business page [no more 'Fan' pages for Facebook. It's all about what you 'Like' now.] again, for Laura Radniecki Images. Why?? Well, I've been wondering if I should separate business and personal life in Facebook for awhile. I know of a few photographers who just stick with their personal page, but the vast majority separate it with two. I didn't think I needed a business page because with the blog, the website, twitter, and my own Facebook page, it seemed like enough.

But then, I read an article about how it's apparently [not sure if this was a rumor or a true thing, but regardless...] a FB rule that you're not supposed to use a personal page for business promotion. Sure, there's a fuzzy line that is often toed without crossing. But what crosses the line? FB has disabled people's accounts for crossing that fuzzy line.

So, I decided I'd give it another go. Another go for a Facebook home, dedicated solely to Laura Radniecki Images. I was/am a little worried that it might overwhelm me again - now having two Facebook entities to keep up with.

My friend Hannah helped me with my epiphanie tonight. I mentioned being overwhelmed last year with the two sites. I said something like it'll only overwhelm me if I let it, right? She reaffirmed that statement.

As I read her affirmation, I realized how profound that statement really is. Only If You Let It. An event or situation can only put you in a bad mood, if you let it. Having two facebook pages to keep straight will only make me frazzled if I let it. Trying to keep two Tamagotchies alive will only melt down an 11 year old if she lets it [who needs two anyway???].

A lot of times, I let it. I let situations frazzle me; make me feel like I'm floundering and can barely keep up. Let's not let it. Let's be the ones in control - the ones to decide if we're going to be frazzled, if we'll be in a good mood or not. Let's not let it get us down, whatever IT is to you.



I'm not going to let having two Facebook pages get me in a tizzy this time. After all, it is only Facebook.

And I'm sure as heck not going to try to raise two Tamagotchies any time soon.

xoxo,
L