Instagram and Facebook.

Whichever way you say it, they are now a duo. Facebook app users have already started to see some of Instagram moved into their Facebook timelines. Also Instagram went down for a considerable period of time causing people to flock to other networking sites to blame Facebook, as this never happened before.  Meanwhile Apple are going to offer photo sharing with photo stream with the iCloud.

Photo sharing is big business. Facebook has always had that over sites like twitter and with Instagram’s filters it could be quite a coop.

How your facebook timeline has changed;

Just take a look through the top apps in Apple store and you’ll see a heavy sway to more photo apps. This is good for everybody and with Instagram users on the up it’s only going to get better it seems. Obviously there are still some areas that need to be ironed out once Facebook have officially closed their deal on Instagram. My main areas are;

- Will photos from Instagram automatically be fed into Facebook, will their be an option to disable if so.

- Will Instagram need a Facebook account to log in. Just like google, Facebook can claim more account holders possibly.

- Will Instagram’s filters be imported to Facebook photos automatically?

- Periods of downtime never happened before. Yes there are millions more users now but downtime is never going to get those who haven’t yet got an account sign up. Stop downtime!

Ultimately the question still remains – could Facebook ruin Instagram?

Glossy mags, A-Z celebs, the journo’s opinion, Facebook photo stalking, peer pressure…..it all boils down to one thing, self esteem. As a mom of teen girls I’m especially aware of the pressure they heap upon themselves. She’s so pretty (prettier than me??), She’s so skinny (skinnier than me??), She’s so….. What? What are you going to compare/contrast with. Height? Weight? Clothes? Colour of hair? How many likes for a photo??

I was THAT teen, I’ve tried awfully hard NOT to place these issues onto my kids and yet it seems like the natural order of things. So how do you “up” your self esteem? How do you pass on positive self esteem? How do you ensure positive self worth, when the trashy mags all dictate “what’s hot or not!!” (on that note, I don’t buy any. They are not so hot in our house!!). I don’t need a magazine to add to my teen girls confusion thanks. I’m tired of seeing magazines pick who they want to build up then crush again. Been played again and again, It’s not a nice trait. Bully-esque springs to mind. It sells though, so it seems that the readers love it. Maybe that’s what makes their self esteem a little better, the “at least I’m not as car-crash as she/he is”. If so, is that not an awful way to feel better about yourself?

self esteem:
n
1. respect for or a favourable opinion of oneself
2. an unduly high opinion of oneself; vanity

Now the first definition is what I would have said, the second definition had me reading it over and over again. It’s almost, to me, derogatory!! An unduly high opinion of oneself; vanity. Almost like having self esteem in oneself is somewhat vain, big-headed and not necessarily true. Oh my, even the dictionary is making me question myself.

So I thought some more, questioned what in fact I wanted; for me, my girls, society. I then got the dictionary back out and looked up self-respect.

Self Respect:
noun
a proper sense of one’s own dignity and integrity

Synonyms
pride, dignity, self-esteem, morale, amour-propre (French), faith in yourself

Ahh, this is more like it, this what I’m looking for  Self respect, self confidence, self worth, self esteem…… It’s all about focusing and accepting you for you. NOT what you think you should be like, what others think you should be like nor what the press says.

I read a lovely article in Psychology Today about self esteem re self respect, it hit the nail on the head.

I quote:

To esteem anything is to evaluate it positively and hold it in high regard, but evaluation gets us into trouble because while we sometimes win, we also sometimes lose. To respect something, on the other hand, is to accept it.

The person with self-respect simply likes her or himself. This self-respect is not contingent on success because there are always failures to contend with. Neither is it a result of comparing ourselves with others because there is always someone better. These are tactics usually employed to increase self-esteem. Self-respect, however, is a given. We simply like ourselves or we don’t. With self-respect, we like ourselves because of who we are and not because of what we can or cannot do.

I couldn’t put it better…..

Personally I think we are lacking in self worth and positive self esteem, especially women.

I see, hear and read judgements/bitching/opinions that make it hard for anyone to have or be allowed to have a good opinion about themselves, without them appearing vain, or in the majorities view, delusional. Why on earth would we sing our own praises?? Why not??

If you can’t sing about your own beauty “flaws and all”, who else will? It’s ok to love yourself, like yourself, accept yourself. Have self respect for yourself, be quietly confident in yourself

Like everyone around me, I have “good days and bad days” BUT that shouldn’t affect my self esteem or my self respect, just my mood. I am glad we are not the same, wouldn’t the world be boring if we were? Plus, pardon the phrase, but isn’t beauty only skin deep?

I’ve blogged about beauty before and the inner shell is so much more important than the outer one to me. I described it like a Christmas bauble and a marble. The Christmas bauble is all shiny and attractive but empty on the inside. The marble is clear, the beauty from the inside radiating out…..

I wonder if to have better self esteem for ourselves do we need to take a step back and stop judging others. Stop being so harsh about ourselves, accepting “flaws” as part of the whole picture. Maybe when we actually stop trying to change ourselves we will see how we affect others and realise our own self worth…..

So self respect is in fact the key. When we have self respect, the positive self esteem, self confidence and self worth will follow. And, in my humble opinion, that can only be a good thing.

To wish you were someone else is to waste the person you are.

Professional storage options can be applied to the organisation of the home in a number of different ways. While many choices are available for homeowners who want to use simple boxing and shelving solutions, it is worth considering more heavy-duty items. Larger, more professional storage solutions are particularly recommended for maximising space within garages, lofts and basements, while making the most of high ceilings. Going with professional storage solutions for the home also creates greater opportunities for personalisation and specification, as well as increasing health, safety and security.

1 – Lighter Materials

For basic home storage, most homeowners can rely on plastic cases, cabinets and shelving options. It is worth spending some time to research whether these can be tailored from a local manufacturer, as well as checking whether items can be bought in bulk. Many manufacturers of storage containers will have a cheap inventory of materials that can be used within the home for simple organisation.

2 – Heavier Duty Storage

It is sometimes necessary to invest in larger and heavier forms of storage equipment within and around the home. Steel stillage containers, which have collapsible walls and gates, are particularly recommended for storing gas bottles and flammable liquids. At the same time, garages and basements can benefit from stacked systems for shelving different materials. Hanging rails and racks can also lift items away from view in a secure way.

3 – Storage for Different Rooms of the House

Different rooms of a home will require different storage needs. Lofts can benefit from storage cabinets under beams, while wine cellars and basements can be used to store barrels within steel stillage pallets. A garage may also use a hoist to position cars and motorbikes above a floor space. Having this space can improve health and safety within a garage by removing obstructions, and by clearly tying down or securing potentially dangerous or heavy items.

4 – Personalisation and Specification

Choosing a professional storage expert for your home needs can also mean that you can be much more specific about the size and materials used for containers. This option is particularly valuable if you need specially reinforced containers, or need to install shelving that can take a certain amount of weight. Manufacturers of shelving systems can test load weights before purchase. In addition, you can make the most of decorating and painting containers and shelves by sending out instructions beforehand.

5 – Tracking and Moving

Professional storage companies are recommended for any moves. Roll cages, totes and steel stillage containers will increase the safety of your possessions, and will help to speed up the process of the move itself. In addition, many manufacturers will offer item tagging and tracking systems, whereby you will be able to monitor and catalogue the movement of your possessions from place to place. Professional storage companies can also provide comprehensive health and safety surveys for the home, and offer detailed breakdowns of what materials will work best for a particular situation, and can suggest the best way to use particular types of containers.

Christina Appleworth reviews the benefits of professional storage equipment for home use, from pallets to roll cages!