Pinterest: inspiration or intimidation?
The other night, when I finished that one crazy intense workout, I knew I had something glorious waiting for me:
Dinner at the madre’s.
It usually takes a little while for the hunger to kick in after a hard workout, but the second I walked in the door, I was ready. The entire family was over to celebrate my stepdad’s birthday -the Pilot brought Oliv so they were at mom’s by the time I got there- and as usual, mom cooked up a huge feast. Steak, tilapia, sweet potato wedges, salad, beans, fresh salsa and tortillas. I pinched up my tilapia with corn tortillas and salsa to make fish tacos, and it was perfection.
And then there was this:
An ice cream cake made with an Oreo crust, and layered with fudge, caramel, ice cream, whipped topping and all things that are good in life.
I was just going to eat it- sometimes dairy and gluten are worth a bit of a stomachache for me, and this was one of those times- but then madre brought out these from the freezer for me and Kyle (he’s lactose intolerant):
Chocolate coconut milk ice cream, layered with fudge, caramel and dairy-free whipped topping. I die.
That’s true love, right there.
Mom makes awesome desserts, and her earthquake cake ended up being a huge hit on Pinterest -she thought it was so cool when I told her people were pinning her cake like crazy. Dessert the other night reminded me of the earthquake cake, and also got me thinking about how Pinterest could possibly be a source of motivation or intimidation.
Before heading upstairs for the night, I like to spend a little bit of down time, usually watching trash TV and pinning things on Pinterest for a few minutes before reading in bed. I have a lot of different boards and love adding to them, but very well know that many of them (ok, 99%) I’ll never do. I actually have a board called “Crafts I’ll never do” because let’s be real: I’m not crafty. And that’s ok. But that doesn’t stop me from appreciating the people that are crafty, and from pinning their projects for a random surge of inspiration and copious free time that will never happen.
Looking at Pinterest, it’s easy to become overwhelmed and even possibly like you’re searching for unrealistic perfection.
I’ll check out the main page and think “ok, first you have to make a Grilled Greek Pizza (I just made that up but it actually sounds really good), host a fabulous dinner party, then make this for your kids’ room, and decorate for the holidays, and do this silly workout that someone with no fitness credentials or experience whatsoever made up because here’s a picture of a fit girl with nice abs, and organize your house, and pick out fall styles, etc. etc.
I love Pinterest as a fun way to share ideas, but I can definitely see how it could be intimidating instead of motivating. For example: baby’s first birthday party. I started looking at ideas for Liv, and even pinned a couple, but let’s be real: I’m not going to hand make all of the favors or fill up the venue with expensive and lavish decorations. It’s a first birthday party! And if you look at the ideas on Pinterest, it’s pretty easy to think, “if I’m supposed to do this for a 1st birthday party, imagine what I’m supposed to do for a 16th birthday party! Yikes.” For Liv, all that matters is that the room will be filled with the many people who love her so much, whom we’re so fortunate to live close to at this time.
Are you on Pinterest? Have you ever felt overwhelmed by it, or only motivated? Have you made something you’ve pinned? I’ll use the style ideas for outfits pretty often and also love pinnable quotes- sometimes they’re exactly what I needed to hear.
Here’s to a happy and healthy Thursday! I’ll be filming that arm burner for ya tonight, too 🙂
xoxo
Gina
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Great point about the Pinterest workouts. Some of them seem to be really ridiculous and promise even more ridiculous results. And I agree that Pinterest is can make your life look even more imperfect than it already is. So basically, I just use mine to pin pretty photos of places I like, things I want to save up to buy, and recipes that have stood out to me. I try to stay away from any crazy crafts because they will not get done. Oh and it helps that the husband found my shopping list board and used it to get me gifts because he never knows what I want 🙂 win-win!
I’ve made a lot of stuff that I’ve pinned actually, and it’s all turned out great! I don’t feel overwhelmed or intimidated by pinterest…I think with social media the thing to understand is that most peoples lives aren’t exactly like they are portraying them…you only see what they show you, if that makes sense?
I feel the same way! I go to the Food section and suddenly I’m whipping up a 5 course meal for just me and my fiance… He is of course very confused when he gets home and I immediately start showing him food and crafts and party ideas. I love Pinterest but sometimes I need to step away before I launch myself into a million activities and crafts.
I feel the same way! I go to the Food section and suddenly I’m whipping up a 5 course meal for just me and my fiance… He is of course very confused when he gets home and I immediately start showing him food and crafts and party ideas. I love Pinterest but sometimes I need to step away before I launch myself into a million activities and crafts.
I love Pinterest, but there are times I just have to walk away from it because it makes me crazy with all its unattainable perfection. I struggle a lot with insecurity, and it has definitely led to me feeling down on myself at times. I try to only pin things that really are reasonable ideas I might actually incorporate into my life or inspire me and roll my eyes at the rest. I browse the Health & Fitness category a lot when I get bored at work, and have found some great ideas there, but on the flip side, I do not GET all the pins of uber skinny, perfect-bodied women in barely any clothes that people seem to find motivation from. I stare at those and all I get is depressed. I try really hard to have a healthy perspective of what my health and weight loss goals should be (I have recently lost 40 pounds, aiming for 20 or so more), and it messes with my head to see all those pins because it’s NOT my goal to look like that, but I see it so much that I think it should be. Clearly I have issues 😉 but still, one of the downfalls of Pinterest for me.
I love your site, Gina! I discovered it fairly recently, and it’s been a great resource for me as I journey on through balancing mothering/working/trying to get healthy.
So nice of your mom! Dinner looks great.
I am on Pinterest, though I tend to use it more as a guiding light. It’s the look and feel of what I’ve pinned that tends to inspire me. If I’m feeling like pigging out, a few seconds looking at all the fresh deliciousness I’ve pinned has me more excited about the kinds of food I actually want to eat. If I’m about to go shopping I’ll just quickly browse my clothes board etc. I don’t ever tend to cook from recipes, just take flavor combos etc (such as your 3 A’s pizza!) and run with that… What I do find about Pinterest though is how quickly it makes the year gallop – there’s already Christmas stuff on there!
Your mom is so sweet to make separate desserts for you! Love it! I totally agree that pinterest can definitely be intimidating! Especially all the organization stuff! Who is actually that organized?! It’s great to get ideas but I do have to remind myself that nothing needs to be copied to a T! I do get a lot of recipe inspiration on there though but it is definitely addicting!
I enjoy Pinterest, and have tried a bunch of recipes that were amazing! But, like you, I think I mostly Pin things that I would love to try, but probably never will! It took me a while to figure some of it out! I was having such a hard time trying to get to the instructions or recipe for what I was seeing! Finally someone told me to click it again…and what a difference it made!
I love the ideas I have gotten through Pinterest! And a few of those recipes were just amazing, and we make them over and over!
pinterest = intimidation (all the way!). I love the idea, but my pinterest account is pretty bare bones. guess I’d rather do a whole lot of nothing on the internet rather than actually be somewhat productive – haha. by the way, your madre sounds awesome! that is incredibly sweet that she makes up “special” goodies for you and your bro.
I love pintrest and actually do quite a bit of things, but I change them to meet my needs. Healtify food, get ideas, some crafts. There is plenty on my boards that I don’t do but I feel like I have tried enough. I follow the healthy living blogs I read on pintrest so I can save recipes I like! It’s fun and my short break sometimes from schoolwork.
I enjoy Pinterest as inspiration, but I have to admit, sometimes it’s nice to just unwind and look at pretty things. For me, Pinterest provides that. I love looking at the pictures of outfits and home decorations, and while I may or may not use them as inspiration for something of my own, I think they are just nice to look at. My favorite things to pin are future nursery ideas, baby outfits, maternity and newborn photos. I actually have had A LOT of people ask me if I’m expecting because of what I have pinned on Pinterest. (I’ve been married for 2.5 years, so my husband and I get this question a lot, regardless.) I contemplated renaming my board, “No I’m not pregnant, this is for the future,” but decided I don’t care that much. Bottom line – after a stressful day, looking at pretty baby things, and thinking about the future children I hope to be blessed enough to have, makes me happy!
For certain things I LOVE pinterest (i.e. food) and others are a bit overwhelming and even depressing (i.e. decor) knowing that I don’t have the money it takes to make my house look like that. But, overall, I think pinterest was a great idea!
I’m a HUGE fan of Pinterest. I use it all the time and it totally helps me organize stuff I find on the internet and/or blogs. Recipe ideas, workouts, stuff for the home . . . etc.
And I totally make stuff I pin, too! And if I like it, I then move it to another board that I labelled “recipes I’ve tried and liked”. 🙂
Pinterest makes me feel inadequate!!!
how’s little bella doing nowadays?? what pinterest is really missing is more pics of that little cutie 😉
It’s true. For the most part, pinterest is intimidating. Some of the recipes inspire me to make some thing like them, but not the exact recipe. But the crafts I will likely never do. Oh and the “in my dream home” pins are truly dreams. I’d love to live in a house with rooms perfectly decorated/color coordinated, but likely I’ll be too busy adventuring, running, cooking, living life to make those rooms a reality. ANd I’m okay with that. 🙂
I do love it though for wedding scheming. Not sure if I’ll do any of the “crafts” but I like to look at an overall theme and determine what pieces I like and might be able to take away from that in some way. Like a certain centerpiece, color scheme or lemonade stand.
I LOVE pinterest… i’ve made quite a few things from pinterest, all food I am NOT crafty haha :). I have had mixed results, but to be fair I dont follow recipe’s very well, I love doing my own thing and using recipes as inspiration so in fairness it might not the pins that are the issue more my ‘hmm i think this will work’ ideas 🙂
I use Pinterest. At first I pinned probably 50 things a day, but then I started using it to pin only the things I found online and wanted to try, not things others wanted to try that I thought looked cool. I try to do at least a few pins a month (recipes, DIYs, etc.) but it just doesn’t always happen.
One of my favorite blogs is pinstrosity.blogspot.com
It’s all kinds of pins tried and, erm, failed. It helps me stay sane because MOST of my pins are nothing like the pinners’!
I actually reference my “fashion” board quite a bit for ideas, but I’m also planning a wedding for next October, and as I looked through stuff I’d pinned for that, I realized I was seriously setting myself up for disaster. Those cute signs (“choose a side, not a family” for pre-ceremony seating), glasses with chalkboard paint on the base so your guests can mark their own, altar decorations and SO MANY STRING LIGHTS AND MASON JARS … it all looked great, but I started to think about the logistics of getting all that stuff in place and I started to freak out.
I guess it’s all about what you want to use it for … I’m trying to be mindful of that as I pin wedding stuff now 🙂
I used to go in pinterest all the time, but now I just do it when I am really bored. I like the idea of it, and the fitness quotes and exercises do motivate me, but a lot of it is repetition. It’s a fun tool, but I like other social media such as twitter and FB a lot more!
I use Pinterest as an online recipe board — and only pin items that I would actually make. And a coworker of mine has started holding informal “Pinterest parties” once every 1-2 months. Everyone brings a food item from a pinned recipe, along with the makings of a pinned craft to work on. It’s a lot of fun and keeps the Pinterest boards from being another of those “things you never work on.”
That is such a great idea. Sounds fun!
I feel the same way about Pinterest! I am so glad it came about after I was almost finished planning my wedding. Something about it makes me so anxious and overwhelmed – especially since I am NOT a DIY-er!
I LOVE and LOATHE Pinterest all at the same time. I love it for great inspiration and admiring beautiful thing, but I hate it at the same time for making me feel like I NEED this new outfit, or am not the perfect mother because I am not doing this, that, and the other. I just try to keep it all in perspective and use it for the great and fun tool that it is, but not more than that 🙂
I’m slightly obsessed with Pinterest, but I’m realistic about the ideas too- some of them are so cute but I’d never do them, or be able to do them! Especially the wedding ideas 🙂 I have made a couple recipes and crafts though. My rainbow dry-erase calendar made with paint sample colours has been so useful!
It just makes me want to exercise 1/2 the day and eat desserts the other 1/2. 😀
You have such a wonderful madre! 🙂 I LOVE pinterest and am not crafty so probably won’t attempt the more complicated diy’s. But I love, love, love all the wonderful recipes that I’ve found off there, both indulgent and healthy. But I do have to say that although you may not feel you’re crafty, I think you did a great job on making Olivia’s name letter blocks to hang on her wall. They definitely wouldn’t have turned out so cute if I would have tried it.
Pinterest is very overwhelming, i used to pin stuff all the time but would never do anything with it. I think the most use i got out of it was when i was planning my wedding, to get cool ideas without buying magazines. Lately, i never get on there though, unless i want to find a specific recipe or something.
i have pintrest…..and am overwhemed by it. i don’t think i logged into it in over a month! confusing and intimidating. i understand the whole inspiration bpard thing, but I feel like i should be doing it all and can’t get anything done in my already busy life. that and i have nno idea what i am doing when on pintrest. yikes.
I have two different recipe board on Pinterest — one for the things I’ve actually tried (and loved!) and one for the to-do list. It’s fun to move recipes over to the “tried + true” board…maybe that’s motivation enough for me. 🙂
My heart absolutely melted when I scrolled down and saw the picture of the individual desserts your mom made you and Kyle! *Sniff* She’s the kind of mom I hope I am being for my 2 kids.
I love Pinterest! I’ve never considered it to be intimidating. Those things that I don’t find appealing, I just scroll past, and the majority of what I pin are things that can help me in real life. I have made many many things that I’ve pinned; mostly recipes, but also crafts, and I’ve used several for inspiration for other projects as well.
The only part of pinterest that intimidates me is the home design/decorating. When I see some of these rooms it makes me want to start (and complete) a home project right away! I try just not to look at those categories/boards anymore because I get obsessed!
Unrelated, can your mom adopt me : )
Oh, Pinterest…how I love/loathe thee. I can relate to you with the pinterest intimidation. While I consider myself crafty, these people are taking crafty to a whole new OCD level…and I’d love to be one of them…if I had the time! Haha…my cousin, Ruthie, is SO crafty and I love seeing the things she makes…her blog http://www.ruthiehart.com actually has a homemade wreath post today…she’s fabulous with that stuff! I, on the other hand, love to try things, but would rather “craft” food 😉
Love your point about people with no fitness credentials making up workouts. That bugs me to no end!
and they’re things like: 50 burpees, 50 jump squats, 100 pushups, 50 box jumps, 100 sit ups, jump rope for 5 minutes, do this every day
That Coconut Ice Cream mixed with Fudge looks so good! I just made cute doily invites for my friends bridal shower from a Pinterest idea but for the most part I don’t like to have too much expectation because my kitchen will never look as good as the ones on there!
Pinterest is definitely overwhelming when you think of it as as list of things to do. Instead of becoming overwhelmed, I try to look at it as inspiration and as a way to unwind by looking at pretty things. I can’t tackle everything I find on there, but it’s fun just to look. Sort of like window shopping.
I love Pinterest and it can be addicting! I’ve found some great recipes and ideas for everything from fashion to gardening. But I agree—there is just no way I will be doing some of the things on there. Some of the workouts are insane and not realistic, and some of the crafts are for people who have a lot more time on their hands than me.
Since I’ve been logged on, I have to say that if you are using it for ideas and not as a comparison to your own stuff/life/house, then it’s wonderful. There are some creative people who make me say “How come I never thought of that?”
PS–my mom also makes a very similar cake to yours and she just made it for my brother’s b-day. MMMM so good!
i am so with you about pinterest – sometimes i love it because it motivates me to try a new workout, get my butt out the door, make a new food, or take a fashion risk. but then other times it makes me feel incompetent and like i should be doing so much more than i already do. whenever i start to get negative feelings i stop using it, take a step back, and tell myself that whatever negative thoughts i’m having are totally stupid.
What a kind mama you have! And the fish tacos sound divine.
I love this post because I think it’s one of those that looks at the “other side” of Pinterest! I frequently pin things that I know I will never make – I just don’t have time to do crafts – but I don’t find discouragement from that. I do sometimes wish that I could pull off or buy some of the outfits I pin but I try not to do too much wishing I “had” this and that because well, let’s face it, I want to be grateful for what I have and what I can do!
Thank you, Gina, for putting out those great workouts and all your healthy tips for a balanced lifestyle. I know what you mean about some of the questionable fitness stuff out on Pinterest.
I, too, have a love/hate realtionship with Pinterest. When I start to feel bad about myself, my house, etc., then I know I need to take a little break. I have gleaned some great stuff on it and need to remember that and not throw the baby out with the bath water so to speak.
The thing I really have a problem with is people stealing other people’s stuff and claiming it as theirs. That has happened to some people I know and it makes me CRAZY!!!
Love Pinterest!! I don’t ever feel overwhelmed because I don’t ever feel like I have to do any of the things I pin. (Which when it comes to crafts I don’t.)
One of my favorite things about pinterest is how easy it is to find great workouts and motivations to stay fit! Any time I have a rest day from running and want to do some cross training I just hop on and pluck something from the magical Pinterest tree to get my sweat on. It’s perfection!
I think I use Pinterest differently than most people. I don’t spend a lot of time randomly pinning things. I usually go on there when I’m looking for something in particular. Example: I went on there to find a recipe when I had a bunch of lemons that I needed to use (I pinned and made a glazed lemon-blueberry loaf, which was amazing). I also made a board when we found out we were having another baby girl for nursery ideas, and I used a bunch of those ideas! I love Pinterest and definitely don’t find it intimidating at all!!
I always joke that Pinterest makes me feel fat, poor, lazy and messy. Haha. Oh and poorly dressed.
Pinterest has done more for my excitement in the kitchen than just about anything. I LOVE looking at recipes, seeing photos of things, reading about them, finding out about new blogs and recipes I never would have come across otherwise…I love it! I use it as inspiration (I can never just follow a recipe as-is, I always have to tweak and mess with things…haha!) but yes, love it!
And your cake sounds to-die for good!
Pinterest is great for ideas…especially to try new foods and recipes. I have made so many recipes from pinterest that I have made for myself, parties, and holidays. To be honest, I am not sure what I would do without. It has pushed me to be creative out of my comfort zone in terms of cooking and fashion. Once in a while something might be considered intimidating, but if someone else can make it or wear it, I can too! Plus Pinterest makes those sleepless nights and long waits at the doctor’s office so much more enjoyable 🙂
I’m so overwhelmed, but still obsessed, with Pinterest! I was just thinking this morning that I should just start a new account because I have so many pins and when I DO want to find something from it, it’s hard to even do so!
I have an unrelated question – would you do a post about different oils? I have been eating popcorn kernels popped on the stove in vegetable oil, and while it tastes just like movie theatre popcorn, I know it can not be good. I am so confused with oils, mono saturated fats, whatever-fats and so on! I just trust your opinion! 🙂
I have joined pinterest, but I don’t think I have actually created any boards. I hope that answers your question. Just operating the site is intimidating. Haha. I do like looking at everyone else’s pinterest boards though and think, “Wow that’s really cool, maybe I’ll get started on that someday….” 🙂
I’m glad it’s not just me who feels like I will never accomplish half of what I pin! But I will say for wedding planning it has been fabulous. It’s where I found my wedding cake design and engagement and wedding hair styles!
I am constantly overwhelmed by pinterest….especially by recipes I want to try! I have about a gazillion dessert, breakfast, and dinner recipes pinned for safekeeping. And every once in awhile I’ll look through an old board, reach the bottom, and remember something I wanted to be eating a year ago. Sigh. Overall though I think Pinterest is great!
I love that your mom made you & your brother individual desserts! SO sweet!
One of my girlfriends and I want to start a site called “It Looked Better on Pinterest”. We have both had our fair share of Pinterest FAILS. Makes you feel like “whyyy didnt it come out as prety as hers!?”.
I’m getting married next summer so I pin inspriational stuff for the wedding, too. There are a lot of cool DIY ideas, but sometimes I’ll get bogged down staring at these PERFECTLY accessorized brides standing in their super extravagantly decorated reception halls and think….HOW will we ever compete with that?! And the reality is that its NOT a competition, at all. But sometimes Pinterest makes you feel like it totally is.