What Do You Want to Do With Your Instagram?

“What do you want to do with your Instagram?”

Someone asked me that recently.

Simple question. Except it stayed with me.

Why does everything we do have to start with a strategy? A goal? A calculated result?

Wholeheartedly, I use Instagram to share what I love, what I see, what I create and what I think.

Art. Women’s empowerment. Stories. Places. Food. Things that make me laugh. Things that make me angry. Things I find beautiful. Things I’m building.

Maybe that’s not enough.

Maybe I lack strategy. Maybe I have spent too much time thinking that if I create good things, work hard and put them into the world, somehow everything else will follow.

Maybe it’s time to be a little more intentional.

Do I want my art to be seen? Absolutely.
Do I want to sell more of it? YES.
Do I want people to come to my exhibitions? Of course.
Do I want more people to discover and support Unchained Mothering? Very much.
Opportunities, collaborations, collectors, partners—and yes, more followers? YES!

So actually, I do know what I want.

I want Instagram to amplify what I create.

I just don’t want to turn myself into a “content strategy.”

Maybe the strategy needs to be behind what I do—not dictate everything I share.

And maybe I need to think bigger

Someone told me recently:

“Jessica, envision it and make it happen. Manifest it. And don’t manifest a bag of pennies. Think big.”

That made me laugh, but it also made me think.

For me, manifestation isn’t sitting around waiting for the universe to deliver something. It’s being clear about what you want. Because once you can name it, you start working towards it differently.

Right now, separately from my art, I’m looking to raise $50K for Unchained Mothering: roughly $20K to help make our next exhibition happen and $30K to start giving the organization the capacity it needs to grow.

But what I would really like is to raise $100K—to make the exhibition happen properly, develop our programs and give Unchained Mothering real room to grow.

Someone said to me:

“Start by finding the sponsor who will give you the $50K.”

And I thought:

ONE person? $50K?

It hadn’t even occurred to me to ask.

And since apparently I’m learning to actually ask: if you know that person, company or foundation—or you are that person—feel free to put us in touch. 🙂 @ Mail:Jessica@unchainedmothering.com

And in fact, that got me thinking. I might have an idea! I just need to find the strength and courage to put the plan into action.

Of course that person exists. There are plenty of people, companies and foundations capable of giving $50K.

The limitation wasn’t whether someone could give it.

The limitation was that I hadn’t even thought of asking.

And that reminded me of something funny that happened a few weeks ago.

I was manifesting flowers. Yes, flowers. 🌸

And somehow that little exercise made me think: if I’m going to manifest something, why am I carefully rationing the request?

So I started asking for $1 million—received in a healthy and positive way, while I and my family are happy, well and healthy. 😂

I told people about it.

One person said:

“Half a million would already be great.”

And I said:

“Come on! Why are we negotiating DOWN my manifestation?”

Another person said:

“Why stop there? Ask for $5 million!”

And I answered:

“Well, I’m not limiting how many times I can get the million!” 😂

But guys, this really isn’t about money.

It’s about WHY NOT?

What do we allow ourselves to do in real life?

And maybe even more interesting: what do we allow ourselves to dream of wanting?

Apparently, we limit ourselves even in our dreams.

Before anyone tells us no. Before we fail. Before we even try.

We negotiate ourselves down.

I’m all for being reasonable when I’m making a budget, signing a contract or paying a bill.

But being reasonable should not be on the dream menu.

And maybe that applies to being ourselves, too

I’ve been told my whole life that I’m too much of this, too much of that.

Maybe it’s time to stop unconsciously holding myself back, trying to be a little less so I don’t bother people.

I’m an artist. A mother. A founder. French. American. I care about women’s empowerment. I love photography, people, Paris, Miami, food, beauty, conversations. I can be preparing an exhibition one minute and wanting to tell you about an amazing galette the next.

That’s me.

Why should I choose one box?

And why should any of us?

For years, my Instagram has hovered around 12.5K followers, after an Instagram glitch where I lost about 5K followers in literally two seconds.

Yes, I want it to grow.

Not just for the number.

I want more people to see my art, come to my exhibitions, discover Unchained Mothering and connect with what I’m building. I want collectors, partners, supporters, collaborations and opportunities I haven’t thought of yet.

Some of you have told me that my energy makes you smile or brings some happiness to your feed.

I love that.

Others tell me, “Jessica, you do so much!”

The funny thing is, I don’t even post half of it. 😂 I have so much I haven’t shared yet!

So maybe this is where I am right now:

Know what I want. Think bigger. Be more strategic. Don’t negotiate the dream down. And stay myself.

Let’s see where that takes me.

And talking about sharing what I love…

This Sunday, I’m taking you to Paris. 🇫🇷

This July, while visiting my parents in my hometown, I stopped for ice cream and a delicious galette near the Trocadéro.

I loved it. So I’m sharing it.

See you on @jessicadevreeze.

And after all this talk about strategy, plans and manifestation: Man plans, and God laughs. So dream big, make the plan, do the work… and leave some room for what you never planned.

Trust the bigger picture, let go, and wholeheartedly be yourself.

With love and light, always,
Jessica

On top of the Musée de L homme place du Trocadéro Paris: “Tout homme crée sans le savoir, comme il respire. Mais l’artiste se sent créer. Son acte engage tout son être. Sa peine bien-aimée le fortifie. » — Paul Valéry

Translation

“Every person creates without knowing it, as naturally as breathing. But the artist feels himself creating. The act engages his whole being. His beloved struggle makes him stronger.” — Paul Valéry

The other quote that is one of my favorite:

The inscription is the famous line associated with the Palais de Chaillot:

« Il dépend de celui qui passe que je sois tombe ou trésor, que je parle ou me taise. Ceci ne tient qu’à toi. Ami, n’entre pas sans désir. » — Paul Valéry

“It depends on you who pass by whether I am a tomb or a treasure, whether I speak or remain silent. This is entirely up to you. Friend, do not enter without desire.”

A reminder to always look at things from another angle! I had focused on the second quote without really paying attention to the one on the Musée de l’Homme right next to it. Funny enough, together they say so much about who I am. Jessica de Vreeze