Last spring, I quit Instagram.

{Gasp.}

Okay, so it was not old turkey, "Peace-out—I'm never-coming-back." It was more like a week-and-a-half breakup.

Do you ever just get so tired of cranking out material that you know...It's Time...? Yeah, that was me.
To be fair, the odds were stacked against me. I attended a speaker conference, and when I returned, my family came to Florida to visit. I also hosted a small retreat in my home with my business mentorship gals. And, my submission for a new Empty Nest book was due. (More on that in a moment!)

It was a lot. So, I quit fighting the circumstances and took a break.

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Is it time for a break?

Maybe you've been there too (or maybe you're there right now). Just overwhelmed with #allofthethings and paralysis analysis. If so, you may be wondering:

• When should I take a break?
• How long should it be?
• Will I lose followers?
• What about consistency and losing ground?

And...How do I come back?!

Honestly, I recommend a quarterly break, especially if you've been consistently posting for a while. Give yourself the freedom to sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride (frequent flyer here).

We can't expect to be "on" all the time.

When I took my break, I went dark. (And nobody was hurt during the non-Reels of the non-Instagram week-and-a-half.) It was a good choice. I'm glad I did it. I needed that break. Maybe you do too.

Give yourself permission to take a week (or two, or three or a month, if necessary). Have a start-back date in mind, and tell somebody so you'll be accountable!

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Podcast episode: When to take a break from Instagram

​When to take a break from Instagram, Episode 38, highlights a coaching session with Brenda McDearmon of @brendasbigadventures who accidentally took a break and found herself on an extended hiatus.

You'll hear encouragement and advice for what to do next. After that, check out ​episode 39, How to Come Back to Instagram​(one of our most searched episodes on Google)!

You CAN take an Insta break, but don't worry, because when it's time to return, you CAN regain your Insta-groove.

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Empty Nest book comin' in hot!

​This Reimagined Empty Nest, produced by the amazing Michelle Rayburn, is a compilation of 21 Empty Nest authors (including yours truly) and just launched on Amazon! This book shares inspiring experiences that will support you to embrace change a little easier and discover who you are beyond parenthood.

(It's a great pairing with my own book, Empty Nest Awakening: Weaving the Threads of your Passions into Purpose, also on Amazon!)

The Book launch party starts soon, and you can win stuff! Click here to join the Facebook page.​

Michelle will be on the podcast in August, sharing her processes for writing and producing books, so stay tuned for that new episode!

Back to those Insta-breaks, do you take them? Hit reply and let me know. Thanks for being here, and if it's your first time reading the AOM Insider, WELCOME! You're getting the good stuff. :)​
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Capturing Joy in Marketing, Ruthie

PS Have you checked out our Empty Nest Entrepreneur retreat? It's in St. Pete, Florida in September, check it out here!​

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