Moms Actually
Moms Actually is a motherhood community that aims to redefine motherhood and break away from the unhealthy expectations society has placed on women.
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Moms Actually
The Reality of Being an Influencer Mom Ft. Brooke Ashley Hall
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Ever wondered how influencers balance the perfect image with the actual realities of life? Brooke Ashley Hall opens up about the balancing act of authenticity versus picture-perfect moments in life.
Brooke shares her personal experiences, from motherhood to the connections that ground her. We discuss:
- blended families
- the pressures of maintaining an ideal online presence
- the importance of self-care
- navigating and maintaining genuine friendships
- Internet trolls
Motherhood is a universal journey, and Brooke's story will resonates with you. She reminds us that regardless of where you start, you have the power to create a fulfilling life for yourself and your loved ones.
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Motherhood and Social Media Perception
Speaker 1I just say oh my gosh, I wish them well in hell, ha ha ha, I'm done.
Speaker 2What's up, what's up? Hey mom, what's up? Hey mom, what's up? Hey mom, what's up? Hey mom, what's up? Welcome back to Moms. Actually, my name is Morgan and I'm Blair, and we have Brooke Ashley here. We are so excited to have you. Thank you so much for being here.
Speaker 1My gosh, thank you guys so much for having me. I just think you guys are such powerful, amazing women and I'm so blessed and honored to be here. So thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2Now, if you have never heard of Brooke Ashley Hall, I don't know why not, but just brag on yourself just a little bit and let them know who you are and what you do.
Speaker 1Thank you so much. My name is Brooke Ashley Hall and I am the mother of the Beverly Halls. And I am a mother, I'm a wife. I have three beautiful, amazing, young, handsome men In my house. They are 14, 7, and 2, Braylon, Mark Hannon and Caden, and I love them so much. I always say when people ask, what do I do for a living, it's, I'm a mother.
Speaker 2I'm a wife.
Speaker 1Those are my top two priorities Online. I'm a lifestyle content creator. I specialize in aesthetic content. I like to just show the best version of myself because I notice that it helps people either with stress relief and things like that. I want my content to be a place where people feel good and that they're encouraged whenever they watch what we have to share. So that's a little bit about it.
Speaker 2OK, now, if you guys are new to the platform, this is your moment. Right here is the time to do what Blair. Press that button, which button? Subscribe.
Speaker 3Right now.
Speaker 2We are so gracious that we're actually going to give you a moment to do it. We're not even going to pass by.
Speaker 3Yep.
Speaker 2All right, so let's get into conversation.
Speaker 3But before we, do we play our favorite game? Have you wondered why this exists on the couch? Yeah, I was looking. I was like ooh.
Speaker 1OK, you're not in trouble.
Speaker 3So we are going to play a little game. It is called it's Giving Motherhood. So we are going to ask you some yes or no questions, or some either. Or questions OK Is yes, or the first option we give you OK, white is no. Or the second option we give you OK. And, as always, the first answer is the right answer. Yes, trust your gut. Yes, trust your gut.
Speaker 2So we're going to do that. Ok, well, too well.
Speaker 3And have a little conversation around it. So, are you ready? I'm ready. Ok, do you think that social media portrays an unrealistic image of motherhood?
Speaker 1Yes, oh it depends why does it depend Because you've got the realistic moms. Now sometimes you know, I feel like it's which version you're getting, Because on stories it's a little bit more of a realistic mom that's true, and then? On feed, it's a little bit more unrealistic mom. Yes, tiktok is very realistic everywhere.
Speaker 3Yes.
Speaker 1And I feel like Instagram is a little bit more curated. Yes, and it also boils down to the creator Like is the intention of the creator to be aesthetic and show that they are perfect, or is the intention to show that they are real and relatable? Because, I feel like that kind of drives the content. So I'm kind of like my answer's for answer. Yeah, I mean that makes it. I prefer answer that makes it Because it's almost like when we're dressed up on the show, but then on stories and online.
Speaker 2We are very much so in our t-shirts and buying and eating our snacks and all of that.
Speaker 1So it depends, yeah, some which version that.
Speaker 3What do we pick today?
Speaker 1You kind of changed my mind a little bit.
Speaker 2Does the biological parent have the final say over discipline?
Speaker 3I'm going to say no, where's the no one, this one, yeah, no, no, I was about to do this, but no, no, it's fair to say no. I'm a step mom. I have the most amazing kid ever, so I think there's only ever been one situation, but it was already handled, so it wasn't about me. So, I know I have that leeway if I needed to do something.
Speaker 1We all talk really well together yeah.
Speaker 3Me, her mom and, of course, her dad.
Speaker 1So yeah, that's the same in my household. My husband is my oldest son's stepfather and I feel like at the beginning of our marriage we did really kind of buck heads. I'm like, why do you? But he could also see something that I didn't see and as the biological parent, I'm always pro-child. You can't tell my child this.
Speaker 2And I feel like that was the only.
Speaker 3How'd that go?
Speaker 1It's not good Like it's not good, and I never really said that out of my mouth, but it was more so. My intentions were like don't say that, that's not. But then I had to kind of open my eyes when your kid starts doing things and you're like, ok, I see what they're doing.
Speaker 1And now I married you. You come first. Whether his biological dad is in the picture or not, you still have the say to say, hey, he needs discipline and it's out of love, and I think as long as it's out of love, like whichever parent, if you're in a married union any parent, step parent, whatever, and that's what my answer is going to say.
Speaker 2I too am a blended family and it's no one has the final say, because we should be a team. Like of course it does not start out that way. I'm not going to hold you but over time and just maturity and all of that thing, all that stuff, growth everyone should be involved, especially if we want to continue to just be and do the best for the child.
Speaker 1Yeah, absolutely, these are good.
Speaker 3So do you have any close friends that aren't moms?
Speaker 2Yes, definitely. Yeah, yeah, she was a guy. I think a bit.
Speaker 3I think, at a point when my closest friends wasn't a mom she's a mom now, but yeah, she wasn't but she was probably a better mom than me.
Speaker 2Right, I think I'm so grateful for the friends that are not moms even though, of course, one day great, so excited for you but I kind of need them to be the break. I need them to be the person to remind me who I am and that I'm not just a mom and that I can do other things. So I'm very grateful for the aunties. Ok, yeah.
Speaker 1I'm trying to count. How many friends do I have?
Speaker 3Oh, but never did we reach.
Speaker 1I didn't reach to many. Yeah, you didn't. No, no, no, not a lot has it always been that way. Most of the ones. Honestly, I don't really have any Like. I have one good friend that's from my hometown and she's down, like she's down, she's a mom, she's obviously we're about the same age and I feel like I don't know. I don't know off the top of my head, most of my friends are moms, but I don't really have that many friends to be, honest, I really like stay in my house and I stay to my husband and my family, as awkward as that is.
Speaker 1But I've just learned like sometimes friendships you know they're so valuable and I really value my friendships, so I'm very picky about which ones are there and I don't really like to. It's not that I don't like single women, because that's not. That's not what I want to say.
Speaker 1I've been single and I've been without kids, but they're just not in my season of light either, so it's almost sometimes I feel like I don't have that much to resonate with or to even speak to them about and it's not that they're wrong or I'm right or I'm better or they're not, or vice versa but it's more so to me like they're living a different lifestyle. Yeah, like what can I talk to you about? And they tend to have more time than you.
Speaker 3Yeah, well, that's true.
Speaker 1To invest into a friendship, and I know I don't and I don't want to be a bad friend either. So I'm kind of like that's a good point. It's not that I don't have friends, it's just I'm very like I'm not and I don't want to say like I'm a mean friend or like I'm not intentional about friends.
Speaker 3I say all the time, I'll say all the time I'm a bad friend.
Speaker 2You're not, she's not a bad friend, I'm just not saying that, but I know what you mean.
Speaker 3It's like you don't think to text first sometimes, or you're not like the one inviting them out all the time, like it's like oh, you exist, but it's not a bad word to you, like some people are just really good friends, Like.
Speaker 1they're just like hey, how are you doing this morning? How? Are your kids, how are you? And I'm like, oh my God, I suck.
Balancing Motherhood, Self-Care, and Social Media
Speaker 1Like I am not that friend and I wish that it could be. But like I'm balancing so much and I feel like other moms can relate sometimes Like you're just balancing so much, you can't really be too intentional and you feel like it's not a priority yes, but not almost, like it's too scary because I don't want to give you too much. And then you feel like I'm doing something wrong when I'm not giving you enough.
Speaker 3Oh, that's a good point. You don't want to do anything you can't keep up with?
Speaker 1Keep up with.
Speaker 2I have any relationship? I think yeah, with any relationship. I'm going to come back to the friend thing.
Speaker 3I'm going to come back to that.
Speaker 2Yeah, this is really good. Ok, so do you ever feel like you need a break from being a mom? Some yeah, yeah, yeah, I think the only way to be healthy like healthy, how do you say that? Healthy, healthy, that sounded nice. Healthy, yeah, it sounded good. To pair it in a healthy way, I think you need to take the break and to be able to let your hair down, and obviously you're always going to be a mom, but to take a break from mom means it would be very nice and I find that I come back a better person.
Speaker 1Yeah, exactly, especially for myself and my husband. We homeschool. We have two, one is in high school. One is in middle school and I'm like, oh my gosh, we're around our kids legit all the time. So I think it's nice, even just right now.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 3A little 24-hour break away and they'll just come back if it's very needed. I think, anything you do, you need a break.
Speaker 1Everything.
Speaker 3Something you absolutely love, something you don't like Too much of anything. You need a break Period and you're still a good mom.
Speaker 2Yes, even though you're saying you need a break does not make you a bad mom. I know mom guilt loves to just slither in, but you are still a good mom if you take a break.
Speaker 3Absolutely. You're a better mom.
Speaker 1Yes, Promise Exactly and we shouldn't shame other moms. I want a break. We should not.
Speaker 2Yes, that judgment like oh where are your kids?
Speaker 3Yes, just watching them Now. Yes, that's not you.
Speaker 2Right, not you. No, yeah, you trying to go out, or no?
Speaker 3You just want to be invited, don't?
Speaker 2you?
Speaker 3Yeah, that's why, you're asking yes, ok, would you live a completely private life if you made the same income you do now? I mean I already do. Well, you mean like a private, like you know, like public life. Influence are like people seeing what you do and most of that's done to make money.
Speaker 1Yeah, I say this all the time. I'm like if I didn't have to be on the internet. I would not Like.
Speaker 3I said that to stay at one.
Speaker 1I'm like if I could just be off the grid that's what I call it off the grid Like if I was privileged enough to just make the same money as I do as an influencer, as I do to just not and to just exist. Count me out, you never have to see my face again.
Speaker 3She's like if you don't like me, send me checks and you don't have to see me anymore, All right.
Speaker 1It's not that I don't like being on social media because, I do like it, but it comes with so much you know, there's so much responsibility and obligation and like it's a full-time job. Oh yeah, you know it's not a hard job, but it's an exhausting job.
Speaker 2Oh it is hard. Wait, it's not hard. What do you mean?
Speaker 1I mean like compared to like OK someone that's like working as a nurse or a doctor, like they have to go in and save someone's life.
Speaker 3It's just a different type of hard. But you don't think something like so. At work we say this sometimes like I think what we do can be life or death, like whether you post that post or not can really change somebody's life.
Speaker 1Well, it depends. If you're a good content creator, yes, but it can change someone's life for the worst too.
Speaker 3Exactly, and of course there's like this silly mundane stuff, but you just never know what can change somebody's life Right, and when you wake up and you show someone that you're prevailing through your testimony and your story it helps, and I think that's what keeps me on the internet.
Speaker 1It's because I'm like I know somebody needed to hear this, I know somebody else is going through this and then it makes you feel like almost the same reward as a nurse, Like when I go to work and I take care of someone. I know it's not the same, Like because I don't want people to mix it up in the comments.
Speaker 3I was going to say something with our hero, broke Ashley all said, nurses are just as important as content creators. Don't make sure to put that in the headlight. That's going to be the headlight. That's going to be the name of the YouTube episode.
Speaker 1So that's definitely not what I mean, but I definitely see the significance Because you are. I mean look at how many people you're reaching. You're not just reaching the 10 or 20, 30 people you're taking care of in a nursing home. You're reaching tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands millions of people every single day, and it is changing people's lives.
Speaker 2Yeah, so I didn't know Because I started out on social media, truly because I just like the same way, like before it got to be a job. I literally use social media because I'm like, oh, I like to keep up with my friends and people move around. I've moved around a couple of times and I don't live close to family and friends and things like that. So I'm like, oh, this is my way of communicating and showing what's going on today and things like that. My content will probably be different.
Speaker 1But I would.
Speaker 2It's kind of like when people go from working in a church to volunteering, like I'm now just doing this for fun, not like for a job.
Speaker 1Yeah, I would actually probably drive myself crazy if I was completely off social media.
Speaker 2So I can actually agree with that. Yeah, Because I'm like where is everybody at? I love people too much. Yeah.
Speaker 3I would do stories nonstop. I wouldn't post anything on my page. I'd be like that's what Gen Z does, right, Like they don't put their pages empty, just story, but that's not a private life.
Speaker 2I guess not, but you can make it.
Speaker 3You can choose who, but yeah, I don't even do that, yeah, so I'm wishy-washy.
Speaker 2then, yeah, who knows? Yeah, I changed something.
Speaker 3Yeah, you changed it for me, yeah.
Speaker 2Yeah, exactly Gint, to reveal or keep it simple and private.
Speaker 1I've had through this time.
Speaker 3I think if I had to do it one more time, I would do a gender reveal really because I didn't do any of it for both of my pregnancies. I didn't do a maternity shoe. Yeah, I didn't do a gender reveal. I did a kind of a bit. I did a baby shower for the first one, but it's like I'm so good at like playing down things and I wish I had those moments, yeah. I didn't go to prom.
Speaker 2Yeah, I can't believe it. Yeah, my gosh, we should do a prom.
Speaker 3It won't be prom.
Speaker 2Yes, we can just do a party. I mean, I can't dress up in prom.
Speaker 1I can't dress up in prom. No, it's so cute, I can't dress up now.
Speaker 3I'm like you gotta go then because you have to have the hair.
Speaker 2We can still do the hair we're gonna do a whole mom's actually prom, a mom prom, and it sounds really lame that I just said that. Actually, I was like that's so cool, we're gonna be cool. Get your tickets. There's no link in the bio, I promise, but it will be one day.
Speaker 3I mean, who knows, someone might be buying this like five years from now. You're right, you never know.
Speaker 2Mom prom coming soon.
Speaker 3That's cute. What about you?
Speaker 1You know, for gender reveals I only had one for my third baby, I think, because by that time I could actually afford one. I feel like when I was pregnant with my first, I was like 15, 16. It wasn't like like I needed to figure out how to get milk and diapers.
Speaker 3Yeah, and I wasn't even gonna throw a home. Yeah, exactly, it was like a baby shower.
Speaker 1Yeah, and then my second one. You know I get really sick too, so I don't know. The pregnancies have always been hard for me to have it be special. So by the third one I was like you know what, let's do it, because I was really hoping this one was gonna be a girl.
Speaker 3I know, and I'm glad you can admit that, because people are like I don't care. I'm like I don't care.
Speaker 1I have a gender preference like. I'm at the point where I might just do IVF.
Speaker 3Because you got all the boys.
Speaker 1Yes. So I think, like if I knew, well then, it's like if I know, then, like what's the point of the gender reveal, just to surprise the world?
Speaker 2I don't know I'd go out for the internet.
Speaker 3No, I have seen that where people do it for the internet, Not even big influencers. But where they do it to announce to their family, so it's like they find out and then they share with their family. That way I did the best gender reveal for my friend. It was the best one.
Speaker 2Every time you explain it. I'm like this sounds stressful.
Speaker 3So she found out she was pregnant. She'd been trying for a while so I wanted to make it a moment. So I got her a cake and when she cut the cake it was yellow inside. I got her, like the picture, a paint thing where they painted their hands Like the color of the gender and they put it on a portrait and it was gold. And then I got them the like what are those things? The stringer confetti things? And it was white. And I did the thing where they had to hit the ball and the stuff that came out was white. So they had to go through all these different stations to find out.
Speaker 1It was supposed to be a candle.
Speaker 3That finally told them, but it was taking too long, so I just let them look at my phone and see it.
Speaker 2Don't do all that just for her not to work out, just to get on the phone. Oh my gosh, that's very, very thoughtful, yes you have to drag it out.
Speaker 1See, she's a great friend.
Speaker 3Told, you told you.
Speaker 2I have my moment. What about you? I just want to keep it simple. I did a small gender reveal for my last one, but it was literally just for Rivers and I, but we went live on Facebook and Instagram at the time, so we literally were just outside of our home had one balloon and popped it and that was it. But it was literally just us and Zoe and that seems just so like no, it was one big balloon.
Speaker 3I just see this like sad little no no, it was one big balloon.
Speaker 2It was Zoe and Layla and we just popped the balloon and it was very special because it was our boy that was.
Speaker 3I was like was there a jumping?
Speaker 2Oh yeah, we both. It was funny, we both ran opposite ways instead of together. So, we both like screamed and both ran. We just disappeared from our camera, obviously. But yeah, I think, if I wouldn't.
Speaker 1But yeah, I think it's special when you don't have the other gender.
Speaker 2Yeah, that was a moment that you'll always remember.
Speaker 1Because it's like my first boy. So I do think like but after like a million kids, and you already have a boy and you're like what's the point?
Speaker 3Yes, and you don't want to, and especially if you don't know and you want something. I don't think you should have a gender reveal If you know what sex you want, yeah, like if you want a girl, and then you have a gender reveal and you don't know and it's another boy, it can go wrong.
Speaker 1People get angry. I was so sad, I cried and I was like should we even post this. I'm like, I can't.
Speaker 3No, I forgot the reason I didn't have gender reveals.
Speaker 2Because you waited until the birth.
Speaker 1I waited until birth to find out.
Speaker 3I'm like that's why yeah.
Speaker 1I waited until birth so I had like the actual gender reveal. I've thought about that. I thought that would be kind of cool.
Speaker 3To like wait.
Speaker 2Yeah, I didn't want gender disappointment, I wanted a boy.
Speaker 3Really bad the first time. Really bad. So I didn't want 20 weeks of being like upset. No, you would have been. Yeah, I would have been. I would have been so disappointed.
Speaker 1But now I'll tell you what that third baby boy in mine it almost like I kind of would be okay with the fourth one At this point, like if I got pregnant again. Yeah, because I'm like he's just so cute and like I'm a boy mom.
Speaker 2And like it's just cool.
Speaker 1Like I got a little tribe.
Speaker 3Yes, I agree, I agree. Okay. So teenage years or toddler stage. God, toddler, I'm talking toddlers, I don't oh well, I mean if they were all KK, I would say toddlers. I mean teenagers, but I love toddlers, it's just. Oh, she's going into the preteen stage.
Speaker 1I'm in the preteen stage right now. That's me, and that's why I'm like yes, somebody else is. Yeah, it is I'm toddlers.
Speaker 2But toddlers are really, really known women soldiers, I don't mind it. I mean, they're really nuts.
Speaker 3I don't mind it, I love it.
Speaker 2Whereas the teenager at least you could have a real, real like you know what I'm saying. That makes it worse, it does. That's why I really have no answer, guys.
Speaker 3I know, and this is the first time in Mom's.
Speaker 1Actually she's not even a baby. She's like I got my baby, I don't know. I know, yeah, the teen year. Mine's 14 now and I'm like, ooh yeah, please don't be me.
Speaker 2Yeah, on steroids, don't do that my daughter's me right now Scary. Yeah, I know she's great. Yeah, I love my kid too, I love you.
Speaker 3I always gotta finish with, but I love him.
Speaker 2Yeah, so good, I love you. She actually watches these so.
Speaker 3I love you girl.
Speaker 2But you know, just give me a little break.
Speaker 3Yeah, nice to your mom. Oh, last one, I already know her answer.
Challenges of Maintaining Aesthetic on Social Media
Speaker 2Okay, last one Girls trip, or trip with your man, your man, your man, yeah, I'm gonna go yeah, I'm in the middle, I've done both.
Speaker 3I love them both Equally.
Speaker 1That's true. Like I don't know if I could, if I had to pick.
Speaker 3I've had like amazing Girls trips, but the man yeah, I'm like Before this year it would have definitely been my man my man.
Speaker 2But yeah, it's been epic Last year we did it up.
Speaker 3If I would have known it could be like that, I think I would have done them A long time ago.
Speaker 2But you hear, so much drama With girls and, like you, gotta have the right group, the right group.
Speaker 1It has to be the right group, otherwise Did you guys do one yeah.
Speaker 3Oh yeah we went to? Where did we go? Bahamas for my birthday. That's cute, it was great.
Speaker 1Oh. It was perfect, See but you guys got the whole girl squad Good girls.
Speaker 2I mean, yeah, but honestly we had never all traveled together.
Speaker 1Oh really Mm-mm and just kind of it just worked, it just worked.
Speaker 2Yeah, it was good, it was good. I will also say middle, because I love a good girls trip, like it's just a time, it's so fun, you really get to let your hair down. But then you know, with your, with your man, you just it's just a different vibe, you get your needle sexy, you know.
Speaker 3Even when I travel With my husband, I like I mean I think we both do, we like people around, like my husband can Make friends with anybody, and that's what I love about him too, because I'm like I meet so many different people that way so we end up it turns into like A group, they group yeah.
Speaker 2Those are fun, those too, and I like them Because it's the best of both worlds. You guys can split up, the girls do their thing the guys do their thing, you come back.
Speaker 1Yeah, yeah, I love that too yeah those are cool.
Speaker 3Okay, so now that we have you here, Nice and warmed up.
Speaker 2I know that was good.
Speaker 3Best friends for five years. Allstrips soon come. Yeah, let's do it. That's so fun.
Speaker 2I wanna invite me.
Speaker 3Yeah, she's like she's gonna see Instagram, she's gonna be like.
Speaker 2So y'all went on a trip, so y'all forgot. You said I was invited.
Speaker 3Right, we got you Okay. So is there anything that you wanted to be able to talk about that you just usually don't Because of either the nature Of your platform time? Like we wanna make sure that we're just getting to know you On a different level? Like, is there anything you wanna share About yourself, your life, anything like that?
Speaker 1Yeah, I mean, I share so much of my life that I feel like there's really like Nothing left sometimes to share. But I think just that, like I do work really hard, you know, like A lot of people don't really get to see that they just see the result Of what we put out there for them and like even with you guys In this right now, like this is a big setup, this is all production. This isn't just like you know, it's a lot of work and it requires a lot of energy and just that like I feel like people should just be kind sometimes. Like the internet can be like the biggest critic and the biggest bully To even just anybody. You don't have to be famous. Like people just have something to say regardless. And I think like, just like you appreciate your craft and what you do, like you should just appreciate other people For what they do as well. And it's not like I need like a woe is me, like, oh my god, my life's so hard Cause.
Speaker 3It's not Like it's hard, but it's not. I love that. It's just like nets, but it's just like a lot of people.
Speaker 1I think that they assume, like with content creation, that it's just easy, like you just pick up a camera and you just that's why I said no, it's not, yeah, and it's like my family. Sometimes they don't even want to come over Because they know how hard we work.
Speaker 1Like they know that they don't get Even time and attention from us either. So it's like People think like your house is just so fun and like everything you do is so perfect and like everything is so well articulated and aesthetic and this and that. But it's like, no, you don't realize how many countless hours Go into these shots and like if you don't have a whole team Behind you doing it, like, and you're just running it yourself and then going back and forth With the emails and stuff. So I feel like that's really the only side To me that social media has never really seen. Share this video with faster programming.
Speaker 1My life is like it's like this, like it's not smooth as it looks when I post it, you know like there's so much more in between, and I think that that's what a lot of people don't really even know about me to be honest and I think, with you being like you said specifically, I create aesthetic content when you hear that word.
Speaker 2I create perfect content, like I create what you would imagine in your brain, the dream, and so what is it like? Creating the most perfect setup, the most perfect result, while also going through a really, really tough time in your life, or something that might be a little bit hard to grapple with, like you guys are trying to conceive right now? And you know you're your son and all those different things are not always aesthetic. Aesthetic, right, yeah. So what is?
Speaker 1that like. So it's funny you say that because that was the first time in my life where I felt like the aesthetic went out the window and I was like either my audience is gonna like me or they're not like we're gonna find out today. We're gonna find out because I'm going through some real non aesthetic stuff.
Speaker 2Yeah.
Speaker 1Like my son just died in my garage and I had to bring him back to life with my husband and pray that God was gonna keep him after two weeks after I lost my brother. So how less aesthetic can it get? And I mean you're talking about this is the highlight of my career. I'm getting 10 and 20 and 30 and 40 million views off of being aesthetic. You know like, and people hold me to this standard of oh, you have to be perfect and like, the angle has to be perfect and we're only gonna watch you if you show this part of your house or if you show me your house like, almost to the point where your house becomes your personality, instead of people caring about what they did at the beginning, which is you. And then I show you oh my gosh, I'm going through this trauma with my son. So I kind of liked it, I think. I think I don't like that.
Speaker 1My son went through that like that because people can confuse that as well and I feel like some people think, oh, she loves that that happened to her kid cause she can get views. I don't want views like that. Please be aware I was getting hundreds of millions of views before my kid ever had a cardiac arrest and I would continue to get hundreds of millions of views without him going through cardiac arrest.
Speaker 1But when he did go through cardiac arrest, it showed my audience that I am not always perfect and plus, I'm not like. I come from the hood.
Speaker 2I come from the 330.
Speaker 1I'm not from an aesthetic background. I'm very much so born and raised in a trailer. I'm very much so born and raised where my lights get cut off and I've had to be on food stamps and my mom never cooked because she was working too hard. So many jobs you know and like that is what?
Speaker 1another thing people don't know about me is like they think, now that you see this rich life and this, and that it's always oh, you're just trying to show how rich you are, you're just trying to this and that, and it's like no, this is what you're telling me you wanna see, because when I don't post this, you're not watching it and my job is to be a content creator. So if you want this kind of content. It doesn't matter what I wanna show you, it matters what you wanna watch.
Speaker 1You look at the analytics and you give more of what's saying you know what I mean, and so I feel like sometimes, like people get it lost in translation. Oh, brooke Ashley Hall is stuck up, she's full of herself. She thinks she's too good, but no, I'm not. I am full because of the people in my life and I do love my life and I am appreciative of what I have because I never had it. Yeah, you know like I'm very thankful for it, and not a day in my life would I go by and be like, oh you know, I'm not grateful for this.
Speaker 2I'm grateful every single day I wake up. I'm like holy crap.
Speaker 1I'm not on food stamps anymore. Holy crap, I'm not living in a single wide trailer with the bedroom the size of my bathroom. Yeah geez, you know like those are different, like why not be proud of that?
Speaker 3It's like you go to therapy so you can be confident in your life.
Speaker 1Right, I can still, but if you're confident people have issue with that. Yeah, and for a long time I kind of felt like people always went like this when I was down and when I was hurting and when I was in a smaller house and when I was like sharing more of just funny. But once I really tapped into my blessings, then all of a sudden it's oh, she's doing too much, oh, she's trying too hard, oh, she's too successful.
Speaker 2Now, we don't like that for her.
Speaker 1This is my job yeah, and it's like I wanna give you guys the raw and the uncut. But will you watch the raw and the uncut? Because at the end of the day, I still have to pay the bills, because I've decided to make this a career instead of first, and because this is my lifestyle, so I have to fund it Right, right, exactly.
Speaker 1And so, yeah, I feel like that is the one time where people kind of got this uncut, unraw, unfiltered version of me, but then I didn't like it either, because then I felt like people started using it as ammo towards me.
Speaker 3That's not what I was gonna ask next, because I did see some TikToks and it's like you finally started responding to people, or like the sentiment, or whatever.
Speaker 1Yeah, well, when I shared my son and I share what I'm trying to conceive and I share all these things, then it's like well, you know, you have a life-threatening hyperemesis, gravaderem disease. Why, how dare you try to get pregnant? How dare you try to have another kid when your kid has heart condition? How dare you have another kid when your kid has speech therapy and speech problems and you don't even care about the ones you have? So how dare you have more? Whose place is it that makes you not wanna share anything? Why would I wanna tell you anything about me? And as soon as I say, hey, I'm Brooke Ashley Hall and my kid's suffering with a speech problem, and you use it and say well, why would you wanna have more kids?
Speaker 3So why would I tell you any more?
Speaker 1Because you're just gonna use it like so fling, so I'm like okay, no fling, so it's like okay. I'd rather you say oh, all Brooke Ashley Hall has is her house, is her personality, because it hurts a lot less than you making fun of my children, oh you know. So I need a pause on that.
Speaker 2Yeah. I mean adults could be bullied.
Speaker 3Adults are bullied.
Speaker 2That's how kids learn it.
Speaker 3Geez, sorry, her people hurt people.
Speaker 2No, I wanna cry, I could imagine that's okay, because I think it is important to be able to show no, it's okay. No, it's okay, yeah, I think it's okay to show that.
Speaker 3I can feel emotion very easily, so I got yeah.
Speaker 2Yeah, it's okay.
Speaker 1But yeah, I mean it's okay, like people are gonna say what they have to say.
Speaker 2Well, yeah, I think people I'm saying it's okay that you get emotional because, to your point, everybody does see the Brooke Ashley Hall that is, you know, doing all the stuff and they probably think, because they're saying all these things, it just rolls off. But this is a moment to show that it doesn't roll off Like this is a human being who is trying to conceive, who is a mother, who is trying to take care of her son who is sick and you know it's a lie, and when you hear things like sorry.
Speaker 2No, it's okay, Don't apologize.
Speaker 1But like I was on live yesterday having a good time just like doing my makeup, like sharing how to be positive, and one of the comments like I try so hard not to read comments and I hate that because I built a community where I wanna hear the people but when I hear them too much, my mom always told me for every one negative thing you say you have to say like 10 positive things to like help someone and you'll hear all these good ones and then you'll hear well, when's your son gonna have his fourth cardiac arrest? You know, like no. Or they like wish death on your child that has already nearly died. And it's like why do you guys say stuff like that, like oh, that's awful, like why? And I never like share that, you know, I just say, oh my gosh, I wish them well in hell. Ha ha ha.
Speaker 2Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha ha.
Speaker 3I've never heard that before. I've never heard that before you might hear that again. Wow, so just know, this is her credit when I say it, but I might not say it. I think I stole that from Cardi.
Navigating Friendship and Fame
Speaker 2Yes, oh yes, yes, wow, wow. It came out at the right time. I needed that.
Speaker 3It's true, it's hard because you want to show something aspirational. We talk about fake it, so you make it words matter, all of that stuff. So it's like you can still go through what you're going through and present something else. Because it's like what I said on one episode I'm not about to be in bed crying every day feeling sorry for myself. Like I control my life, I control what happens from there and whether it takes me hours to make content or not, like there's 99% of my life you don't see in the appointments that I'm at and the stuff that I'm dealing with and what have you.
Speaker 3So it's like, like you said, if they aren't going to be there in the right way for the real stuff, why would you show them that?
Speaker 1Sometimes I feel like I have to withdraw. How much is too much and where is the line drawn? And that's where I get to where I'd be like I want to just go off the grid. What is it worth to have to hear this when I wake up and don't get me wrong, I have comment filters on and things so I can protect myself and I won't look at them because I don't want to see it. But it's like how much is too much? And it's not most like honest to God, I love my community. We get like hundreds of millions of views a month Like there's mostly 98% positive there.
Speaker 2My community is very positive.
Speaker 1Yeah, I will never discredit my audience cause they're so positive and they've been through me and they rode with me through that entire time and they prayed for me and they uplifted me and they've always believed in me and the core audience they know what I've been through and they know where we come from and I love that and those are the people I wake up for. But it's not to say that the ones that do talk crap don't get to you sometimes.
Speaker 1I just try my best to avoid it, but when you're getting it by the thousands or by the hundreds, like it's noticeable, it's not like just one comment. You know Like it's like. And then when people, when people piggyback it and like it, and then it's like oh my God, now all these people feel that way too, and it's just like I'm still a human. You know Like I'm still a person. I know that you hate me because of what you see and you think that it's unfair. Yeah, but yes, a projection, I don't think you can hate someone, especially you never met, Like you can't.
Speaker 3It's a reflection of what you don't have in your life or what you want in your life. It literally has nothing to do with you, but you get to feel all the effects of it, which isn't fair. But you know, hurt people. Hurt people free, people free people but in no matter how, because we learn to respond with love and positivity, because hopefully that rubs off on them. But who was it? Someone was talking about resident we talked to it still leads a residue on you.
Speaker 3Like it's still. You can pass off as much as you want, but the more it happens, the more that's left on you.
Speaker 2Yeah, yeah. So, speaking of everything that you have really described with the lifestyle and really why you don't want to always go unfiltered and uncut, I want to take it back to when we were doing it's Giving Motherhood and we slightly talked about the friendships, would you say that has a big role in it as well, with how you've elevated during this time of your career. Do you think it makes it hard for you to really have a village?
Navigating Friendships in the Influencer World
Speaker 1Yes, that has been the toughest thing for me. Friendship in general is hard, especially when I feel like you're a good person and you really value friendships and relationships. But then you blow up into success and now people are coming out of nowhere that you just you want to believe the best of them because you think that they want the best for you as well. And in friendships it's just so hard, like I prefer friendships of people that almost like I have some influencer friends don't get me wrong but I prefer friends that really don't care about it, because I don't ever want to feel like my friendship is based on my presence who you are.
Speaker 3On social media.
Speaker 1Like I never want to feel like when I come hang out with you, I have to yeah, I have to film.
Speaker 2I have to tell people.
Speaker 1I have plenty of friends that I hang out with and no one would ever know. You know, what I mean. They just come to my community, we hang out, we listen to music together. I don't ever post about it on social media. They don't have a ton of followers. They're just real, genuine people, even my neighbors. They're just genuine. Their intentions are pure. They don't have any like. I want what you want, which is I like that Like.
Speaker 1I like people to want what I want, but I don't like to feel like our friendship is contingent on what I have to offer. It's like a competition. Do you ever feel like that? Not even a competition. I feel like it's sometimes like people want what you want so badly that they need content with you, almost Like they need content with you to survive, like, and you think it's just fun and friendship. But then it turns out to be like, no, like, like it could be like, say, my dog goes viral. Right, I'm not viral, but you only want me to come over because my dog's viral. So now you need me to bring my dog. Yeah, okay, because you know my dog's viral.
Speaker 1So it's like some people, some people, fame is a drug, fame is a drug. And when people get a taste of the fame and it's not even to say like I'm famous, I'm this big hotshot, I've been seen a lot, I'm an influencer. I'm not considered an A-list celebrity, like I'm just content, I'm considered someone who has influence to a lot of people I sure am, and thank you. But like it's a drug, like you do crave it. In a sense You're like, oh my gosh, I hit a million today, I wanna hit a million tomorrow, I wanna hit more millions the next day. And people sometimes in friendships they see that they see increase, they wanna increase too. So it becomes less about a friendship and more about a business exchange. And I already have to run a business 24 seven with my husband when I have a friend.
Speaker 1I wanna be able to just have a friend. I don't wanna have to be on the clock creating content and like some of my good influencer friends, we are like that Like I have a beautiful influencer friend here, I come visit her sometimes. We don't have to create content, I just come kick it on the couch, like I am right now. We just chill. Nobody ever knows we ever hung out. I might post a story about like something that I'm there, but it's cause I like her as a friend. It's not cause, like, I need clout.
Speaker 1It's just I'm a friend. I love you as a friend. But friendships are hard because you have to pick and choose so wisely of who really wants to be your friend, who really likes you or who's pretending to like you because they really want what you have.
Speaker 1And it's hard because if you didn't like me before I had views and I was trying to get you to hang out with me before I had views and you kept dodging me and like, oh, I can't hang out here and there, but then all of a sudden you see, oh, I got views. Now all of a sudden you wanna do some.
Speaker 1You wanna have you wanna hang out you wanna get the kids together, you wanna have fun, you wanna like. Then all of a sudden it's oh, okay, okay. But I'm thinking, oh, somebody likes me. Like, wow, I have a friend. I don't really have too many friends, so this is great, like I have a friend. But like it can be hard sometimes because people's intentions, the intention behind the friendship, is what matters the most to me. I don't like beneficial and I don't like intentional friendships.
Speaker 2It's not just because we're all adults and we're going through real life, Social media and all that stuff. That's great, cool, awesome, it's a job, but like you have real life that you're going through, so you need a friend to be able to come over on the days that you're not feeling that great, or texting and saying hey girl, I know you guys are dealing a lot with the kids, or maybe you wanna hang out with just your oldest son. Let me go and take the other ones to the I don't know the trampoline park or something like that. Like you need a friend to do that type of stuff.
Speaker 1Yeah, cause I feel like there's really back to the competition thing. I don't think there's competition in the influencer world. If you hang out with influencers that are already up there doing their thing Like I don't, you don't need me to come over for you to crack some views on your page.
Speaker 2You know what?
Speaker 3I mean.
Speaker 1You don't need me to come over to crack some views and I don't need you to come over to crack some views for me. But that's the sad thing about social media is it's like it's a number game and everybody just wants numbers. Numbers are what pays the bill, so everybody wants numbers and it's like that's where it becomes hard to have friendships and why I think it's cool to have friends in real estate and I think it's cool to have investor friends and I think it's cool to have friends that don't do this.
Speaker 1Because then I don't feel like you're coming over to come do a TikTok really quick. You know stuff like that, so that's really my biggest thing in friendship. I love friends and I love the friends that I have Exactly.
Speaker 2But you are open to new friends.
Speaker 1Yes, okay, 100%, that's good, yeah, 100%.
Speaker 2Some people they get burned and then they're like no new friends.
Speaker 3Yeah, I got all that, especially how you started out, Like it's similar to me. Like you think everybody has good intentions until they don't, Because you want to be people's friends. Like you're still at like in your core when you were before.
Speaker 1I'm still a little Brooke from the trailer park that likes friends. Yeah so, yeah.
Speaker 3So your first thought is it like people want to be my friends because of views or for money Cause? I've had people? I think friends are more insulated. People like want to work with me or help me because they think they're going to get a check, so it's like. But you really think people have good cause, you have good intentions, yes, so it's like someone wouldn't just do that yes. And then when I find out they do, I'm just like I'll even be asking Morgan sometimes, cause I don't want to bring it up to them, like you think.
Speaker 2I'm like, yes, blair, I'm hurt.
Speaker 1I don't know what your husband is.
Speaker 3Yes, he's bad for me. Nevermind, I was about to go there.
Speaker 2but but yes, I'm usually the husband that I'm like, no Blair.
Speaker 3Cause I feel bad, even thinking it sometimes, cause I am not like that. Yes, I'm like uh, and you're like no. No, I want the best for you.
Speaker 2Even though I know that you're thriving and I know that you have an amazing life.
Speaker 1I still want the best for you, even though I brought it from the trenches Like I'm coming out of nothing and I literally have two pennies to myself right now and I still want to share with you, so you don't even need it.
Speaker 3Can I clean your closet? I need to make some money for my birthday.
Speaker 2I was like no.
Speaker 3No, I've already got to take something. It's really. Yeah, I get stuff like that. Yeah, see, and then you have to think about people's intentions Like they only want to take shoes. I don't want to help you or I care about you.
Speaker 1That is strange, I need some money.
Speaker 3My birthday is coming up, I was like got it.
Speaker 2Yeah, and it's not like no, I know, did they text you ever before? No, no that's weird. No See, that's yeah I don't like this kind of text either. Sorry, but I have to put that in the car. So that is weird, that's what I said to you, is it Come?
Speaker 1on. See, yeah, that, yeah, friendships can be wiggie. Yeah, they can just be kind of on it. But the thing that I think matters the most is, like you said, your intention. Yeah, your intention was always pure from the beginning, so you're always going to reap the reward of that intention. And you have to always think the people that had un-pure intentions towards you.
Speaker 3They're going to also reap the intention of that, they're going to reap what happens for you. Well, there's the ones that share the story, because you've moved on, you're like, oh, thank you, husband, and you're talking to your husband.
Speaker 1They're the ones like, man Blair, she you know, or Brooke she is, and it's just like but I'm not just at home.
Speaker 3Yeah, yeah, but you're the problem.
Speaker 2Yeah, you have gone high, high, high. You say all the millions of views, all the things. Do you ever get in the moment where you're like this, is it? Or are your ambitions still, especially as you're a mother? You're still hoping to become a mom of four and four? Four and four. I want to be a baby girl.
Speaker 3Yes, she said the girl and you're going to get your girl. You are the girl, mom is in you. Yes, there, he is Somewhere. Yes.
Speaker 2So do you ever have that moment of you're like I still have a lot of ambition and I have these things, or you're kind of like this is it.
Speaker 1You know, I position myself in a way to where I can't run out, if that makes sense. I like that, like I never get myself in a place of complacency to where I feel comfortable enough that I could tap out. I always want to feel stretched.
Speaker 3What's in game for you, like how far do you go down the content, like, do you have a goal? And like, when we do this, like this is it, or is it like this is now a lifestyle? I mean it's lifestyle, but you know what I mean.
Speaker 1I don't plan on doing it forever. I plan on moving the money around. I like being in real estate. I like big monopoly pieces. I like getting my money in hands on things that have nothing to do with social media.
Speaker 2Because in game I don't want to do it long time.
Speaker 1I like sharing but I don't care too much anymore. Like it's not as much as like. Like I like waking up every day and sharing Don't get me wrong but I like sharing real stuff. Like I don't want to feel like I have to wake up and show you 18 million different angles all the time. I like to do it. It's fun because I'm a content creator and I like art.
Speaker 3You want to get back to it being like a choice, like doing what you want to do. I want it to kind of be a choice, like I don't want to have to wake up and make like you know, make it do what. I have to do. It's when the fun thing becomes a job. So it's a job right now. Anything becomes work and you want to get to the point once you can make it fun, like just fun again.
Speaker 1So I'd say I think once our house is paid off in full and I have my baby girl and you know, we have enough reserve to just live until we die. I love that.
Speaker 3So if you have a boy, would you have one, would you?
Setting Intentions for Moms
Speaker 1go one more time. No, if you have a boy for the next one, would you? My husband wants two girls, so we're kind of considering IVF twins Okay, but I don't know That'll be the way. I have really bad pregnancies, so I don't know. But yeah, and I heard girl pregnancies are way harder.
Speaker 3Oh, my girl. See, I'm not the person to ask, I have.
Speaker 1I'm like the annoying pregnant person.
Speaker 3I just. It's like Disney princess pregnancy my daughter treated me much better than my son.
Speaker 2I know they say like girls do your. Oh yeah, her son treated me the worst of all my pregnancy, so you might be alright.
Speaker 1See, then people say that the girls give you more hormones or something like that.
Speaker 3They say that, but who's they? They are they.
Speaker 1Yeah, I'm thinking maybe the girls might give me a break.
Speaker 3Yeah, I think they will Cause. True, you had it all with your boy. So we're gonna say I did. Yeah, we're gonna say Okay.
Speaker 2Last question yes, what do moms actually need to hear? What do you think Moms actually need to hear right now?
Speaker 1Moms actually need to hear that. Oh, there's so much I could just go on and on.
Speaker 1That here like set your intention, like your intention is so meaningful and it's so powerful and like I don't know why I just learned this this week. Okay, but setting your intention and understanding, because sometimes your intention is off and when you just slightly adjust that intention it makes your day go so much smoother. Yeah, you're not so much thinking like I don't want to say evil, but you know like sometimes you can be like still mad about something that you've seen or something and like your intention for the day.
Speaker 1Or your kid did something and like it makes you like, oh my God, and your intention is like I want to get back at my kid maybe.
Speaker 2I don't know. I never really had that kind of intention about you.
Speaker 1But I feel like if you just slightly adjusted to like a learning experience or I want the best for my kid, so even though my kid spilled milk all over the floor, I'm gonna love him today.
Speaker 1Or I want the best for this person. So, even though they did me wrong, I'm still gonna work it out for good. And like I feel like just the more that you set those intentions, the more you reap back into your life better things. So like, obviously, I could go on and tell you like you're doing great, you're doing amazing, but I feel like intentions are so pure and you're so worth it and everything about you is just enough. Like you are enough to fulfill your day and to get your tasks done and to get your schedule done and to check off every box on your to-do list. Like you have everything inside of you to do that. And yeah, that's basically what I would say to moms today. Well, you said it and that was good.
Speaker 2That was so good and I'm sure that many mothers need to hear that, so we are so, so grateful for you. Thank you for just talking with us, Thank you for sharing, Thank you for just actually taking off that you know what you don't normally get to do and just relaxing with us and talking and giving other women out there just something to really hold on to, because I think again, so many women they see the quick stuff and they don't really get to hold on to the meat.
Speaker 1The substance of who you are.
Speaker 2Yeah, and so I do believe that you have inspired many women who are either trying to conceive or just trying to make it, and they've come from you know a background where you've come from, and now to see where you are, I'm pretty sure that you were inspired so many women.
Speaker 1That's one thing I have to add it.
Speaker 1Yeah, it's like no matter where you started I hope I just love that she said that, because that has always been the core of my messaging on my social media is that no matter where you start, no matter what you've been through, no matter if you don't have a father, if you started off in a trailer, if you can't get the best job, if you didn't graduate, if you can't get it, no matter what the what, if, like, you still have everything inside of you to make your dreams a reality, like today.
The Power of Possibility and Gratitude
Speaker 1Like today I'm not saying like everyone is gonna be this exact version of me or exact version of you but like you have exactly what's in you to be the best version of yourself and I just feel like that's so powerful. And if anyone could see, like, if I can do it, like it blows my mind to this day to know where I was, and the journey to get here was very, very, very long and hard, but just to know that it's possible, I think, is what people need to know it's possible. And if anyone can just give you a little tiny piece of hope to know that it's possible, please take it from me, take it from these beautiful women. Like your life can change in an instant. Like six months is enough, three months is enough, a week is enough, like sometimes a day is enough to just like change your entire life, so never sleep on you.
Speaker 2Yes, I love you girl. Thank you so much. You girls are amazing. This is incredible.
Speaker 3That's the best part is meeting just great people through doing this.
Speaker 2Yeah, I think this is literally my favorite part of what we do is we get to meet such amazing women and we usually stick around, you know.
Speaker 1Yeah, once you met us, you came here with us Super glue, like your friends.
Speaker 3It's like why is she DMing me? Yeah, like you love it. No, why did she think we were friends? Friends yeah, they thought we were really friends.
Speaker 2They didn't know that this was just like a little, you know we really stick around, exactly so.
Speaker 3Thank you guys, thank you so much.
Speaker 2Thank you guys. Thank you. Hey mom, what's up? Hey mom, what's up. Hey mom, what's up? Hey mom, what's up? Hey mom, what's up? Hey mom, what's up? Hey mom, what's up? Hey mom, what's up? Hey mom, that's up.
