I can’t speak for you, but personally I’ve totally been influenced by an influencer on social media. I’ve swiped up. Made a purchase. Read an article. Bought a book. You get the idea. Most of the time, even if we get annoyed by some of the influencers that seem to be everywhere on social media, we still follow a few. Since we follow them, we’re typically impacted by them to some degree.
Occasionally, as I scroll my feed, I see these influencers (most of them being moms since that’s pretty relatable to my current life stage) and I think how amazing it would be to have an audience. How amazing would it be to have however many followers who care about seemingly small details of my life, like where I buy XYZ or what my self-care routine looks like. How amazing would it be to be looked up to and be able to give advice or tips to really make a difference in others lives?!
As I get caught up in these thoughts, I’m interrupted by one of my kiddos asking a question or trying to get my attention.
Then it hits me. I guess I already do have people that I have the power to influence, just on a smaller scale.
Two groups of people come to mind. First is a small group of people who care about the details of my day, ask countless questions about all aspects of my life (so many questions) who look up to me, and faithfully follow me (quite literally, they follow me around 24/7!): my kids.
I may never have a sizable audience on social media, but I do have 4 children under my care who I have to ability and opportunity to influence. How I interact with my kids, teach my kids, discipline my kids, and care for my kids all helps shape who these little humans will grow up to become. That is the ultimate influencer role, and honestly is a lot more impactful than any interactions on social media.
The other sphere of influence that I also realize I have is my friend group. My close friends are a small number that pales in comparison to any real, true social media influencer. But I have friends who I interact with regularly–they allow me to influence their lives and I allow them to influence mine. We recommend anything and everything to each other, from books to podcasts, nursing bras to comfy leggings, and tips on surviving bedtime and prioritizing date nights. As friends, we value each other’s opinions, experiences, and perspectives.
So maybe I’m not a social media influencer mom. I’m not getting sponsored posts on my feed. I’m not getting countless DM’s asking for my skincare routine. I’m not anywhere near hitting 10,000 followers. But I can say that I am a mom who has influence.
And to the mama reading this, you, too, have influence. You influence your children and also those moms doing life around you. It may seem like a small role, but it is not. Real relationships matter and you have people looking up to you. Forget the influencer life and instead embrace your role as being an influential mom. You’d be surprised at how the little things you do can make a difference in the lives of others.
