As a parent, I’m always trying to find ways to connect with my teenagers and so I decided to start using the app BeReal with them. BeReal will daily, at any time of day, notify you that it’s time to “be real”. When the alert comes on, you capture the photo from both directions on your phone. Typically it’s a picture of me and then what I’m doing (the sofa or computer at the office, the TV if I’m sitting on the couch, the mountain if I’m on a hike, the person sitting across from me at dinner, etc).
I’ve been doing this for about a month now, and I have learned quite a few things I wanted to share:
**It really does help me to be more connected to my fifteen year old son (my seventeen year old daughter isn’t interested). It’s hilarious to see the various ways my son takes his BeReal including super close up on his friend’s face or pictures of his feet. Believe it or not, seeing a picture a day of my few friends on the app with no other communication between us, does connect me to them and lets me see images into their life.
**I was lucky enough to go on a vacation and was proud to do my BeReal at whatever time it notified me to take a picture. I noticed being home and back in my routine that I am not wanting to do the BeReal when it asks because I’m either in my office, on my couch, or in my bed. But there are other times where I do want to capture what I’m doing such as game night with my family, going on a hike with a friend, or all the various other activities that do get plugged in there somehow.
**I think this app is really quite interesting around appearance because if you’re posting on Instagram or Facebook, you post the pictures you love and that you feel great about. You also have the ability to edit, filter and change the pictures to show exactly how you want others to see you in that moment. With BeReal there are pictures of me sweating in the middle of a work out, just waking up or just going to bed…not my cutest moments.
So this isn’t a commercial for BeReal although feel free to check it out as I have no skin in the game. I have often said that my children are my teachers and I’m constantly learning things about them, and my self and life in general and this BeReal experience taught me a lot. As we are exploring our intentions, goals and vision boards for this New Year there is something to be said about being REAL in an authentic way. We all strive to be our best selves and yet true acceptance of yourself, and all the ways you walk through your life is so very important too.
Just some thoughts from me to you. Be Real!
