Hey there, friends!
It’s hard to believe we’re already stepping into a new year. I’ve been feeling reflective lately, so I thought I’d share a bit about my social media journey over the past three years—the highs, the lows, and all the sweet moments in between.
Let’s rewind to February 2023. My daughter was just a month old, and I was home on maternity leave for 12 weeks. It was the first time in my life that I found myself completely alone during the day. My friends were all busy working, and I was the only one in my circle with kids at the time. I won’t lie, it got lonely after some time.
So, I started making small videos. Nothing fancy—just hopping on random trends and including my daughter in some. Honestly, I wasn’t aiming for anything big; I was just trying to have fun and pass the time. Then, something cool happened: a lash brand sent me a free product to make a video about. Someone wanted me to create content for them? I thought it was the coolest thing.
Fast forward a few months—I went back to teaching for two months and kept making videos here and there about topics like my breastfeeding journey, going back to work, and postpartum life. Nothing super serious, but enough to keep me connected. When I transitioned to being a stay-at-home mom, that familiar loneliness crept in again. That’s when I started vlogging my daily life with my daughter.
One of my favorite projects during that time was “Champagne Goals.” I’d write three goals on champagne bottles and vlog my progress toward achieving them. My first goal? Work out four days a week for four weeks. Once I hit that goal, I would pop the champagne! My second goal was a bit bigger: reach 10,000 followers on TikTok. I was sitting at just 1,200 followers, so it felt pretty ambitious. But I posted a ton, and one day, a video of me leading worship went viral, hitting about 1 million views, a big number for me!
Just before that, I had another video do well—a deeply personal one where I shared my miscarriage story. Documenting that journey of loss and healing became a cornerstone of my content for a while. I shared videos about my grief and how I navigated motherhood after loss.
For about a year and a half, my content reflected worship leading and healing from motherhood loss. As time went on, my content shifted. I got pregnant with my son and openly shared my anxieties about the pregnancy, especially after my previous loss. I vlogged about preparing for life with two under two. By then, my TikTok audience had grown to around 30,000 followers.
Then, life changed in the best way possible. I opened The Pink Flamingo Play Cafe, and suddenly, my videos started gaining more traction. Maybe it was because a play cafe felt like such a unique concept. Whatever the reason, my audience grew, and with it came opportunities.
It’s funny looking back. For two years, I was an influencer, but also not? Then, I start a full-time job, and bam—the influencer life finally comes knocking. Isn’t it funny how life works? I’m reminded that God works in mysterious ways. His timing is always perfect, even when we can’t see it.
Today, I’m still learning and growing, juggling motherhood, social media, and running the play cafe. I’ve come a long way since those lonely February days, and I’m grateful for every step of the journey—even the hard ones. If you’ve been following along, thank you for being part of my story. Here’s to another year of growth, connection, and maybe even a few more popped champagne bottles to celebrate success and achievement!
Warmly,
Rachel
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