Ah – modern day abbreviations (also known as slang). YOLO, BAE, MCM, TBT, and FOMO only to name a few.  Since I am technically in the millennial generation, I should know what most of these mean. But to be honest,  I sometimes need to use The Google to look them up. I recently learned a new one when I was at the Advancing Women in Agriculture Conference (of all places, I know) that I am really digging right now:

FOPO – Fear of People’s Opinions

Do you suffer from FOPO? Scared if what people might think of you? Say about you? Me too. Or at least I was…
When I started my FarmWifeyBlog Instagram page back in January 2017 followed by my blog, I didn’t quite know what my voice would be. Was I going to be an agricultural expert? A GirlBoss at juggling my work life/home life/social life balance all while looking fabulous? Or was I going to be the perfect farmwife/housewife who always had a clean house and something yummy cooking in the oven? To tell you the truth, I had the expectation of myself to be all of those things, both personally and online (Hellooo anxiety attack waiting to happen!).
When the Farmer and I got married merely a month before I started my page, there was an overwhelming consensus of uncertainty from my family and friends as I started my new life on the farm. Of course, there were very few people who spoke to me about this directly because who wants to be the person to drop that bomb on a newlywed? It was more like quiet whispers I would hear here and there. Fast forward to today, my loved ones openly discuss the disaster they thought my farming life would be. But honestly, who could blame them? I was starting my new married life on a 1000 acre grain farm with a smelly feedlot in my backyard with no previous agriculture experience. It was a whole new world on top of being someones wife. The pressure I felt my first year of marriage was overwhelming but has led me to the place where I am today. As hard as it was, I wouldn’t have changed it. I’m a proud farmher/farmwife on a 1200 acre organic grain farm with a feedlot of happy smelly cows in my back yard along with some farm cats and the random bunny. And let’s not forget our city dog transitioned farm dog, Charlie 🙂

So, how does FOPO play in to all of this you ask? Well, let’s go back to the beginning of my so called FarmWifeyBlog persona. When I started my Instagram page I only told one person, the Farmer. I started the page to connect with other farmwives and women in agriculture to help figure out what I was supposed to be doing. I didn’t expect my peers to understand what exactly I was going through so I kept it to myself, for the most part. At this point I have not openly shared the page, or this blog, with people I know personally (i.e. I have two Instagram accounts, one personal on FWB). Why? FOPO! But as time has gone on, I have realized that the FarmWifeyBlog is not a persona, it’s who I am.
I am a woman in agriculture. I am still learning the ropes and don’t claim to be an expert in any particular field. I am here to share the things that I am learning and my personal experiences. I no longer hold those ridiculous expectation of myself to share only the perfectly curated version on my life with strangers on the internet. I look to continue to share my real story. My story of my struggles and successes of my physical and mental health. My journey into agriculture and where I fit in. The things that I like and want to share with people. My hopes, goals and dreams. Most importantly, I want to share this world with everyone, including my friends and loved ones. So as of today I have amalgamated my personal and my FWB accounts and will be hanging out over on Instagram as the one and only, FarmWifeyBlog. 🙂
Folks, one last thing I want to leave you with… It is literally impossible to make everyone happy. If you’re doing the best that you can, then that’s enough. My Dad has always reminded me that opinions are like bellybuttons and that it takes all kinds of kinds to make this big world go around. So whether we’ve known each other for years or we follow each other on Instagram, I want to thank you for tagging along with the day in the life me, Katelyn. I hope we continue to enrich each others lives in some way, no matter how big or small that may be.
Much love,
K. (atelyn) 😉