I am the Audience Of?

Curating Attention

I started this newsletter the week of Thanksgiving & have much to be thankful for.

• Friends to talk to

• A spouse to lean on

• Family to call

• Books to read

But there are things I’m not thankful for

• Eyeballs glued to devices

• Words spoken in haste

• Wasting time

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When I look through this list, I notice a pattern of audience and attention, and two questions emerge.

1. Who is Our Audience?

In a world of social media and lingo like followers, likes, and engagement it’s easy to forget our real life audience.

Family, friends, and fellow souls.

I forget that the little people in front of me are watching and learning.

As a stay at home mom, I have a fair amount of freedom with my choices.

I could go out or stay home. Make lunch or enjoy takeout. Watch a show or read a book.

As I consider these choices, and heavier ones, for myself and my family I’m reminded of 1 Corinthians 10:23.

“All things are permitted, but not all things are of benefit.

All things are permitted, but not all things build people up.”

When my toddler is whiny, my flesh wants to yell out, but that wouldn’t be building him up.

When the baby wakes up from a nap early, I want to huff and puff, but that’s not beneficial to our family.

I want to make choices that will build up others knowing that the most important audience member loves me and wants the best for me.

2. Who Wants us to be Their Audience?

When I swipe up and unlock my phone, I have dozens of options.

• Check messages

• Update the budget

• Purge photos

• Scroll through Instagram, Facebook, etc.

None of these are inherently wrong, but it’s frustrating when social media algorithms suck me in.

They want my attention.

They want me to be a captive audience.

But what do I get in return?

Perhaps a hit of dopamine, but sometimes I walk away disappointed.

My phone has been a frustrating Pandora’s box. Little by little, various ideas creep in.

Instead of being a casual audience of content in 2025, I want to curate what I give my attention to.

These are some things that have helped me pay attention to the noises that whisper and shout mantras.

Reads

1. Caregiving with Grit & Grace, by

   Jessplusthemess
   . An encouraging devotional for anyone who cares for others. Jessica weaves her personal story with scripture and eternal truths.

   

2. Meet me in the Margins, by Melissa Ferguson. A light read with a twist. Her novel focuses on the publishing industry and includes some quirky characters. This has been a fun alternative to scrolling for me. (:

   Wishing you and your family a great finish to 2024, and peaceful start to 2025!

   

   This post is part of a blog hop with Exhale—an online community of women pursuing creativity alongside motherhood, led by the writing team behind

   Coffee + Crumbs. Click here to view the next post in the series "Whisper."