Awkwardly Conquering Motherhood, One Cup of Coffee at a Time

“Awkwardly Conquering Motherhood, One Cup of Coffee at a Time”….this tagline has sat at the top of my blog for some time now. When I first thought of it I was like, “Hey, that’s totally me!” But I wasn’t sure what it meant for my blog. I think I finally have that answer, though.

Normally on Saturdays I do my sip n’ share segment. “Saturday Morning Sip N’ Share” is a time and chance for me to get a bit more personal with my readers. I’ve been doing it for a few months now and I really like it. I think my readers do, too.

Don’t worry, Sip n’ Share isn’t going anywhere. But on this Saturday I’m going to dig a little bit deeper than normal. This one is going to be a bit longer, so you’ll definitely want to grab that cup of coffee and get cozy. Let’s chat!

“Awkwardly Conquering Motherhood” and What That Means for Me

When I first created my tagline the word “awkward” seemed to be the only choice, the right choice, that really fit in that descriptive spot. A lot of people may not agree with me, but one of the first descriptive words that I think of when I think of myself is “awkward.” Yes, I totally feel like an awkward person, even at 35ish years old. I have felt this way for a very long time.

But now that I’m a mother, I feel even more awkward at times. I’m sure part of it has to do with my own insecurities. But a lot of it just has to do with the situations that I have been presented with in motherhood. If we start from the beginning, me becoming a mother was totally unplanned. That’s right, my first child was not planned at all. I was a full time student in college at the time. I also happened to be a Food and Beverage Manager at a resort in Ocean City, Maryland. My plate was FULL, and then we went and added a kid to it. It was one of the most awkward and uncomfortable things to have to tell both my parents and my in-laws that we were going to have a kid. Awkward or not, though, I’m so glad I have that amazing kiddo.

Fast forward a few years…I’ve mothered through the COVID pandemic. Talk about awkward. As a mom I’ve watched strange illnesses make my oldest kid sick. I’ve battled mental health on my own level, plus on a whole other level with my kids. And of course, there was the big move last year. I love Charlotte and I’m so glad we landed here. But meeting new people can be so awkward!

So yeah, “awkwardly conquering motherhood” seems appropriate. And while I may be awkwardly conquering it, I’m pretty sure I’m also doing a pretty good job. The other thing, though? I’m pretty sure there are so many other Moms out there that just feel so awkward in motherhood. Putting that big, shiny label at the top of my blog lets them know that they’re in a good place. It’s a place where it’s totally okay to be awkward.

Awkwardly Conquering…Blogging?

Blogging has been quite the journey. It is almost like metaphorically birthing another baby. As it grows, you learn and you grow with it. Meg Flint the blog is my metaphorical baby. And as it has grown and changed, I have awkwardly grown with it. Why awkward you may ask? Because every time I change something or make a major shift part of me is like “Here we go again…”

When you have even the smallest amount of the public eye on you, change can be hard. As a blogger change can mean that I lose readers…something that never feels good even if you don’t know them personally. Change can also mean a lot of stress for you personally. I myself have changed and grown so many times over the course of my life, but I never had hundreds of people watching as it happened. Knowing that you have to change, that others may respond negatively, and knowing that your livelihood could change because of it…it’s a lot. And yes, it can be awkward.

A year ago these moments would’ve caused me to say, “I’ve failed. Failed, failed, failed.” But now instead I say, “I’ve learned. Yes, I’ve learned.” So of course I tell you this because lately I realized I need to narrow my focus more. My focus has been all over the place (I guess you could say I really don’t have focus then). So here I am again telling myself “I learned,” and am realizing that I need to make some changes for the growth of my blog.

One Cup of Coffee at a Time

The second part of my tagline, “One Cup of Coffee at a Time,” really hasn’t meant much for my blog. It’s cute, it mentions something I love. But it really hasn’t served much purpose.

But for a lot of moms coffee equals life. Or at least it feels like coffee gives them life. For me, coffee is more than just the drink that gets me through motherhood. It’s part of my origin story, part of my history as a granddaughter, a sister, an employee, a student, a friend. Coffee has been a big part of my life since I was a kid (read my coffee origin story here).

So lately I’ve found myself asking, “Well if I put that in my tagline then how can I incorporate it more into my blog?.” That’s a really great question, and it’s one that’s got me thinking a lot lately. Obviously it pops up in recipes and in the videos/reviews of restaurants that I share. But for me personally it is so much more than that. And so I want it to be more present in my blog and in my writing. I want it to be something that connects the people within my community.

Coffee is such a big part of motherhood, and it’s such a big part of my family. And let’s be honest…there are a TON of coffee shops in and around Charlotte. I can think of so many other ways to include coffee in my content. So going forward, you can expect to see a lot more of that in my blog. If coffee is going to be a part of my tagline then it deserves a bigger spot in my community!

The Shiny Stuff Can Be So Distracting

We all know shiny stuff can be distracting. You see ads all over social media and the internet that tell you that you can “make money quick” or that you can “work from home for only a few hours a day.” Those ads are shiny things that can distract you and get you off track real quick.

Fortunately I didn’t fall for any of those specific types of ads. But as a blogger, terms and gigs like “influencer” and “affiliate marketing” can be shiny, distracting objects. They’ve definitely distracted me lately. Most people start a blog with the hopes of making a career out of it. If only it were that easy. I’m not going to lie, that’s part of the reason I started my blogs (past and present). I want a way to make money while staying at home with my kids. Sounds great, right?

But then I was listening to The Blogging Millionaire podcast the other day. It’s a great podcast with lots of knowledge about blogging and personal growth. In the particular episode that I was listening to Brandon was talking about how he had lost focus when he first started blogging. He began to try to influence rather than serve. That really hit home. Our readers, although most we don’t know personally, become part of who we are and obviously become part of our community. They matter, and not because of the money. When you get into blogging and you’re passionate about it, you also become passionate about your readers and what they need from you. The money is great, but the readers are so much more important.

I’ve been trying to influence rather than serve. That has to change. And the shiny stuff needs to go away.

Going Forward

I, Meghan Flint, promise to continue to Awkwardly Conquer Motherhood, One Cup of Coffee at a Time. It is my commitment to show up for you each time I post an article. I promise to write more about motherhood. Coffee, food and local content will continue to be present for you. My Etsy shop will continue to grow, offering more family-related printables and other items as they are created.

Beginning today, Septemeber 9, 2023, I will no longer be doing “Mama Runs on Deals & Coffee.” I do need to bank that name for later, though, because it is catchy! If this is the main reason you follow me then I apologize. But I have to be true to my blog, my heart and those that are here for the reasons why I initially started this blog. “Awkwardly Conquering Motherhood, One Cup of Coffee at a Time” at this time does not mean including deals in my focus.

If you read this the whole way through, thank you. You guys are the best, and I seriously mean it when I say that I wouldn’t be here without you.

Cheers my friends! Until next time…

-Meg