Heads up! Real talk ahead. My friend Erin Ziering stopped by to be on my podcast! I wanted to talk about her new show on the Tellie App, but we quickly got sidetracked on a bunch of topics that have been top of mind lately. In LA there seems to be an abundance of fabulous events. Every week someone is having a party, hosting a panel, screening, unveiling, brunch or meet and greet. Honestly, it's overwhelming sometimes but we go because we want to network and support our friends. That's what's important! But a lot of mom influencers/bloggers feel the pressure to attend ALL of these events, usually without getting paid, to promote whatever brand is hosting. We are usually offered a few products or free tickets to something in exchange for free social media coverage.  I understand businesses want to have launch parties, or special events - as they should! That's not what this is about. This is about what these events are doing to us as a community. Things get competitive real quick when people feel like they aren't on this invisible "list" for PR companies and brands and their fabulous parties. Some bloggers feel the need to go to every event, pay or not, because they don't want to be left out. I totally get that! On the flip side, there's FOMO - Fear Of Missing Out! Erin talks about hosting an event recently then getting a ton of messages from people who were upset at not being invited. The feeling of not being included is so hard to process that people get upset or feel less-than when they don't get invited.  Trust me, I have felt the FOMO many times before. It sucks when you see people seemingly having a blast and you weren't invited. It's hard not to be jealous, or angry when you're not included in a good time.  Keep in mind, social media is usually just the highlight reel. No one shows you the part where their kid threw a fit at the party, or they broke a heel, or spilled In and Out burger on their shirt (true story). The thing is, events, brands, and people shouldn't define you and what you bring to this space! Should I say it again for the people in the back? Going to events and feeling "popular" feels great on the surface. But ask yourself, why am I sharing my life online in the first place? Why do I go to movie screenings or blogger junkets, or the latest candle release party? Is it to feel popular? Create engaging content? Support a friend? Connect with a brand? Maybe you connect with all of these reasons. Either way, there is  no judgement, or singling anyone out in this episode. Just a couple of friends discussing trends we see and questioning how we can be better, work more effectively with brands and bloggers and grow our own platforms in the process. I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode! So don't forget to leave a review on iTunes or in the comments below.