Hi guys and welcome back to the podcast. I hope you guys are having a great day when you're listening like always.

Today's episode is going to be just a message from my heart, a message that I have been thinking about lately and honestly is pretty vulnerable and honest and shares a lot of just things that I want to kind of see if anyone else relates to.

And also just make it aware that I struggle with these things and also try to give some hope in the situation too like always because I never just want to dump a lot on here but not actually offer solutions and you know ways to deal with these things that we all go through in our 20s or 30s or however old you are in your listening to this podcast.

But today's episode is going to be about social media and our relationship with social media if it's really healthy, if it's not healthy, why social media can be a source for good and also a source for bad and how to actually make our relationship with social media a little bit healthier.

This is something I've been thinking about a lot lately and especially the older that I get the more I think about and it's hard because when I talk about this, obviously social media is my job, it's my income and I wouldn't want to be doing anything else in the entire world.

I am so thankful to be doing what I'm doing and every time I meet someone in person who shares.

By they watch my videos, how they've grown closer to God, by listening to my podcast or watching my content or how it just offers them some peace when they're feeling anxious.

Those are all reasons that I do what I do and so at the end of the day that is all that matters but I think with any job there are downsides to it and obviously my perspective on social media is probably different as someone who also creates social media but also consumes.

And I think a lot of the reason why I struggle with my relationship with social media is because of how I consume it not necessarily about creating.

And so I thought it would be interesting to hear your guys' perspective like always. I asked on my Instagram which is just at Michelle Reed.

I did a couple of question polls asking why you like social media, why you don't like it, what has helped your relationship with social media and then also asked for you guys to send me an email if you have kind of a longer story to tell.

So I'm going to share those as well as they go along because I do think it's helpful to get input from you guys especially from more of a consumer aspect.

And I do think as time goes on the control our phones and social media have over us does get a little bit more intense and if you're anything like me more addictive over time.

I recently read a book that I'm going to talk about and also a podcast I've been listening to and I kind of feel like I'm having a little bit of a midlife crisis even though I guess quarter life crisis is the right word.

I just been thinking about a lot of things and so not to be too heavy. This is just an honest episode that I have wanted to put out there and I think I touch on social media and a lot of episodes but I don't necessarily share in depth about it.

And so that is what today's episode is going to be about for the life update.

It is Thursday when I'm reporting this episode and we are actually headed out to Nebraska tonight which I'm excited for.

I do think we've been traveling a lot so I'm a little bit frazzled and feel a bit all over the place mentally and physically and just kind of all realms of life.

But I'm excited because we're going to see Eden's family and specifically his dad's side of his family which I haven't really gotten to spend too much time with.

I've never been in Nebraska and so we are going to drive up there tonight and then finish up the drive tomorrow on Friday.

And so I'm excited. You guys know I love road trips. I think they're really fun. We're bringing cash again.

So we found a hotel to stay at halfway through that stag friendly and I think it'll be nice just to get out and spend some time with this family that I haven't met before.

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