Jan 17, 2018 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Hey. It happens.
So, the funny thing is, I teach people to find what their brand is and stick with it.
- What do people appreciate the most about you?
- What are your strengths?
- What are you most comfortable doing/teaching/sharing?
- What makes you happy?
And then I go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like … Oh, wait. Sorry. Sinatra in my head. [Note to self: Take the fedora off the shelf.] Ahem. What I was saying was, I sort of took my own advice … and tossed it aside. But like a well-tossed neon pink frisbee, it came right back at me. {Don’t, okay? I know you know I meant boomerang. But frisbee just sounded better. So just … keep reading. Thanks.}
Was it really just last summer I did a renovative rebrand? Why, yes. Yes, I think it was. Who can forget my Wizard of Oz poppies populating the background for my new parent website?
Frankly, My Dear . . . : MJR Website
And how easily the storefront came together, and then, voila! The blog redesign. I can’t really tell ya which is my favorite. I heart them all. Like, a lot.
Not-so-secret sidenote: This Girl, who was never terribly feminine, is enjoying the sights and smells of flowers, perfume, and all things girly. What the heck?! I mean, true story: Even my journals and Happy Planners are, well, pretty.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Happy Planners 2018
But somewhere in the midst of being real, selling books, and claiming my Southern Belle-ness, I realized there was something more. Something deep inside that tied everything together even though it seemed like a chaotic mess.
You all know what it is. At least, you know part of it. Hurricane. My word for the year. Hey, it adopted me, okay?
Frankly, My Dear . . . : That One Time I Rebranded Myself With Pizza Sauce
But that’s why it’s taken me two weeks to follow up with another post. Because I couldn’t put my finger on the first part. I mean, yah. Happy chaos seems to really be my thing. But what does that even mean?
So there I am at lunch with my local bestie, Beckie Lindsey, celebrating the contract for her first book, scarfing pizza, and talking media and marketing and branding and we throw some ideas around and BAM. She’s branded. Like, in a good way. Beckie Lindsey: God in real life … Also, coffee. Yup. That’s her!
Meanwhile, my other media sounding board, Aaron ~ you may know him from his Firsts in Fiction podcast, wink wink. You know. The one This Girl produces every other week ~ he left the lunch. So I text him and say, “Hey, Faux Bro. What’s my branding and recognition?” You know what they both say? Him and Becks? Branding and Recognition. Ooh, big help, guys. Big. Help. not.
And then it hit me like, well, like a hurricane. [Oh, c’mon. You knew I was gonna do that!] I’m reaching for that last mushroom on the plate and trying not to get my sleeves or bangles into the pizza sauce. It was almost an epic fail until my fancy flail saved the day (and the sleeve!). And without realizing that style is a part of my brand, I became the Bohemian Hurricane.
And all her people gasped in acknowledgment.
Yah, that’s right. Go ahead and chuckle. Nod. Do your “Mm-hmm, that’s her!” thing just like they did. ‘Cause This Girl is embracing her wilderness, her free spirit, her loud voice.
And This Girl is going places this year.
Because hurricanes rarely sit still.
Or have perfectly coiffed hair.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Bohemian Hurricane
How do you brand yourself?
TWEET THIS: That One Time I Rebranded Myself With #Pizza Sauce @RealMojo68 #socialmedia #franklymydearmojo
With wild hair and a crazy dance,
Happy branding.
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Jan 1, 2018 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Hurricane.
There. I said it.
I’ve known for a few months this would be my one word for 2018. But before y’all think I’ve gone crazy [too late!], let me explain the beauty of this word and why it means so much to me.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : One Word: Hurricane
NOLA, my rough-draft novel, is set in post-Katrina New Orleans. I was fortunate to speak with several survivors and I also researched a lot about hurricanes and their aftermath. It is as much a part of New Orleans, and my novel, as Cafe du Monde and the Rougarou.
It’s no secret the last few years have been, shall we say, chaotic. Unfriendly. Tumultuous. I was in my own hurricane emotionally, spiritually, and sometimes physically.
I didn’t always know which end was up. Life was scattered and shattered all around me. It was dark, dangerous, stormy and scary.
Frankly, My Dear . . . : One Word: Hurricane
But it was also beautiful. The rains washed the structures of my life, revealing the foundations. Yes, some things were carried away that I wish hadn’t been. Debris needed to be cleaned up. In the remnants, in the aftermath, came a focus. A desire. The ability to start over with what was left.
What I’ve learned from hurricane survivors is they are more than survivors. They are thrivers. Whether they are transplanted to start a new life elsewhere, or rebuild where they are, they do so with fervor and determination.
They also come together as a community. The bond of survivorship compels them to love on and care for one another in ways “outsiders” don’t quite grasp. It’s an in-crowd issue that not everyone is privy to understanding. A weather-born kinship that creates a family out of strangers.
There’s a strength that comes on the other side of the hurricane. An empowerment that says, “You didn’t end me.” I’m not saying everything is perfect, or the way it was. I’m not saying it doesn’t leave its scars on the landscape.
It’s a change, to be sure. And a strong one, at that.
A hurricane can reveal design flaws and crumble what we once put our trust in. It shifts focus to a new normal.
This year, I’m embracing the other side of my hurricane through the strength, the determination, the fellowship, and the staying power it’s revealed to be the four corners of my foundation.
It’s a wild ride, to be sure. But one I wouldn’t trade for the world.
What’s your word for the year?
TWEET THIS: My #oneword for 2018: #Hurricane. What’s yours? @RealMojo68 #franklymydear
With a strong grip and water shoes,
Happy New Year.
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . : That’s all she wrote.
Dec 18, 2017
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Shine Like the Star You Are
Psst. Yeah, you.
That’s right. I’m talkin’ to you.
What’s your favorite thing to do? Nah, you don’t have to tell me out loud. But, really. Think about it. I bet right now you’re smiling, aren’t ya?
There are certain talents we individually possess, certain traits, habits, behaviors. Wonderful things that bring out the best in us. The things we do to make ourselves feel good and healthy, to bless others, or just because.
Ever realize no one else can do it quite like you?
That’s right. I’m talkin’ about you.
You are amazing. There’s something about you that makes me smile. Makes your family and friends smile. Makes you feel like you done good.
Focus on that. It’s not selfish to share the parts of you that bring joy into the world. Yup. Because when you are confident, when you shine, your aura flows out and lights up the world around you.
So go ahead.
Laugh like a Bohemian. Sew quilts. Paint buildings. Sing out loud in public. Bake those cookies. Listen. Hug. Love the world.
Share what you’re good at.
And shine like the star you are.
[ctt_ibox thumb=”11830″ template=”1″ via=”yes” ]Frankly, My Dear . . . : Shine Like the Star You Are https://wp.me/p1tXur-34M[/ctt_ibox]
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Dec 17, 2017
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Frankly, On Faith.
The family table is where it all happens: It’s where the day is discussed over great food. Plans are made. Moments shared. It’s community at its finest. Serious discussion and laughable antics abound.
And when your chair is empty, God sends out His Son to find you and bring you back.
Because you’re that important to Him.
You bring something to the table no one else can: You bring you.
“Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous how well I know it.”
~Psalm 139:14 NLT
Don’t deprive the family of your company.
Frankly, On Faith: Take your rightful seat at God’s table.
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
Dec 16, 2017
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
Frankly, My Dear . . . : Social Media Saturday
Oops. We did it again. We overshared. Coulda been a status update where delete would have been the better option. Coulda been a tweet from a, uh, unsavory source. Coulda been one or two or ten million things that we prob’ly obviously should not have put out there.
Can I just say, we’ve all been there, done that.
Trust me.
Depending on what you’ve done, you may have to do some damage repair. But for the most part, you can recover.
It’s important to take a deep breath and think this through before taking action. [Except for the delete option. Whatever it is, your immediate response should be to take it down, if at all possible.]
If your post is just embarrassing, sometimes it’s to your benefit to leave it up. Reason: Humanity, man! It shows your peeps you’re not perfect. I know, right?! For. Realz. We all kinda like it when we know we’re not alone in this oh-my-gosh-I-can’t-believe-I-did-that world. Also, seriously, if it’s just embarrassing, a good laugh may be had by all. It’s good to poke fun at yourself now and then. And allow others to do the same.
If your post is mean, delete it. If you’re using foul language, venting, or talking smack ’bout someone else, you don’t want that affecting your brand. Hey, we all have bad days, but c’mon. A little respect goes a long way, okay? And self-respect? Even more.
If your post puts you in a bad light, delete it. If you want to share your beach party drunk photos with your friends, do it in a private group. Don’t put them where it can tarnish your professional reputation.
If your post goes against moral and ethical standards, delete it. ‘Nuff said.
You may need to follow up with a statement or apology or comment to address those you’ve hurt, and those who follow you. Don’t make light of what happened. (Unless it was just embarrassing. Then you can laugh all you want.) Open a dialogue and listen to others as they share why what you did affected them. Now, yes. You may need to ignore the trolls who were just waiting for you to slip. But with sincerity, you can address your true community and take steps to move forward.
Don’t use your social media as an instrument of instigation. Be careful not only of what you post, but the comments you share on others’ posts. Sure, you may get a lot of attention, but you won’t always keep your reputation.
[ctt template=”5″ link=”hNgOY” via=”yes” ]Can you recover from sharing too much on #socialmedia?[/ctt]
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
