This give-away is waaay too cute to miss!Please, help me celebrate my blogiversary by joining in this springfest. Entries are accepted through 9pm EST Sunday night. Click here for a chance to win!
On another note, the ruminations of a year in blogging:
I'm going through some growing pains, blog-wise. While I enjoy sitting at my computer and randomly reading/commenting into the wee hours of the night, I do not enjoy the effects on my life that this behavior evokes. A year ago I began blogging to exercise my daily writing desire and to have a place to put my organizational tips. I loved journaling, but had no outlet for sharing my thoughts. I wanted to improve my content and writing ability. At times I think I've done that, at other times I wonder if there has been any progress at all. Can you identify with that? Did you start out with a blogging purpose and somehow get off-track? Or maybe it just morphed into something unexpected. Are you good with where your blogging has taken you?
I can't tell you how many times I've run across a new blogger and within months they are a mini-blogging superstar with buku followers. I then ask myself what am I doing/not doing that allows that to happen. I get a little green-eyed, feel the guilt, celebrate their progress, and re-examine why I'm in the blogosphere anyway. Does that happen to anyone else? I think this behavior has been the # 1 contributor to my lack of purpose. I get the "I wanna be like them" blues and then don't end up being myself. Can you relate? Anyone?
I have tried connecting with fellow bloggers (and I truly love some of you like we've known each other forever!), but I worry that my comments might be snarky while I'm just trying to be funny. I question my humility and wonder if "pride" is the theme of my blog. Just admitting those things to you, makes me wonder "How transparent am I, really?" I seem to lack self-esteem and obviously, like the rest of us who try something new, I'm in-process of finding out more about myself. I just have a blog window to view the transformation. Sometimes I like what I see, other times I don't.
I've gotten a little carried away lately with spending an inordinate amount of time in the blog world. I miss the real world. I'm sure being snowed under during the worst winter in DC has been a factor, but I really dislike excuses. I haven't been reading as much as I would like. I haven't played with my girls as much as I would like. I haven't kept up with the house or renewed my spirit with leisure activities as much as I would like, because I am vegged out in front of the computer. This is not the life I want. I want to share that REAL life with you all, but that means that I have to get up from the chair and go LIVE it. That looks differently for each of us and I am not trying to induce guilt on any of my readers. I am a busy mom who homeschools, works part-time, crafts, reads, cooks, writes, teaches choirs/band outside the home, etc. What may seem like too much time on the computer for me is just pittance for you retired ladies. I look forward to that time in my life, but it isn't right now. So...no guilt, girls! I'm just sharing what's been going on inside ME.
I went to the library yesterday and came out with so many books I had to carry them to the car in two loads. I do miss reading! I got a variety of books on topics like blogging, psychology, digital photography, creativity, and home organization. I think I'm looking for a little purpose and perspective. I want my blog to be about something, even if it's about ALL the different things I enjoy. I just want to be true to myself as I write into my second year. I want to budget my blogging time so that I actually have non-computer time to spend on the activities and people that are important to me. Then I want to come back and share. What success comes or does not come won't matter if I'm purposeful in my living and sharing of it all.
Introspection is my friend. I'm hoping that as I take a little time in the next few weeks to think about what my blogging purpose is that something creative and worth sharing will emerge. If I'm a little more quiet, you can rest assured that I won't be MIA for long. Just trying to think of ways to share my heart and life in a way that is authentic.
Thanks for hanging out with me this year. I have a fondness for each of you and you have enriched my life by our interaction. Looking forward to more sweet times together!
I can't tell you how many times I've run across a new blogger and within months they are a mini-blogging superstar with buku followers. I then ask myself what am I doing/not doing that allows that to happen. I get a little green-eyed, feel the guilt, celebrate their progress, and re-examine why I'm in the blogosphere anyway. Does that happen to anyone else? I think this behavior has been the # 1 contributor to my lack of purpose. I get the "I wanna be like them" blues and then don't end up being myself. Can you relate? Anyone?
I have tried connecting with fellow bloggers (and I truly love some of you like we've known each other forever!), but I worry that my comments might be snarky while I'm just trying to be funny. I question my humility and wonder if "pride" is the theme of my blog. Just admitting those things to you, makes me wonder "How transparent am I, really?" I seem to lack self-esteem and obviously, like the rest of us who try something new, I'm in-process of finding out more about myself. I just have a blog window to view the transformation. Sometimes I like what I see, other times I don't.
I've gotten a little carried away lately with spending an inordinate amount of time in the blog world. I miss the real world. I'm sure being snowed under during the worst winter in DC has been a factor, but I really dislike excuses. I haven't been reading as much as I would like. I haven't played with my girls as much as I would like. I haven't kept up with the house or renewed my spirit with leisure activities as much as I would like, because I am vegged out in front of the computer. This is not the life I want. I want to share that REAL life with you all, but that means that I have to get up from the chair and go LIVE it. That looks differently for each of us and I am not trying to induce guilt on any of my readers. I am a busy mom who homeschools, works part-time, crafts, reads, cooks, writes, teaches choirs/band outside the home, etc. What may seem like too much time on the computer for me is just pittance for you retired ladies. I look forward to that time in my life, but it isn't right now. So...no guilt, girls! I'm just sharing what's been going on inside ME.
I went to the library yesterday and came out with so many books I had to carry them to the car in two loads. I do miss reading! I got a variety of books on topics like blogging, psychology, digital photography, creativity, and home organization. I think I'm looking for a little purpose and perspective. I want my blog to be about something, even if it's about ALL the different things I enjoy. I just want to be true to myself as I write into my second year. I want to budget my blogging time so that I actually have non-computer time to spend on the activities and people that are important to me. Then I want to come back and share. What success comes or does not come won't matter if I'm purposeful in my living and sharing of it all.
Introspection is my friend. I'm hoping that as I take a little time in the next few weeks to think about what my blogging purpose is that something creative and worth sharing will emerge. If I'm a little more quiet, you can rest assured that I won't be MIA for long. Just trying to think of ways to share my heart and life in a way that is authentic.
Thanks for hanging out with me this year. I have a fondness for each of you and you have enriched my life by our interaction. Looking forward to more sweet times together!
5 comments:
Thank you for sharing your heart with us. As a fairly new blogger, I so appreciate your comments and heart. Although I would love to blog every day, and comment on the 50+ blogs I follow daily, I realize that reality does not allow that. I have tried to put no pressure on myself. I do not necessarily have a blogging schedule right now. God has been good to keep me blogging 3 days a week, and I am happy with that. I am guilty of hitting "next blog" in blogger and finding and following like minded people, but I am not yet experiencing pressure to follow or comment.
The most important thing I've learned is to be true to ourselves, and I believe, as far as I can tell (not really knowing you) you are doing that. I believe that if we keep God as the center of our blog, He will keep it real.
You are awesome! Thank you for allowing me to gleam from your insight.
Well most days I feel like I'm careening thru the blogosphere blindfolded...just stumbling along and hoping I don't do anything stupid.
I've tried to be more intentional in my 2nd year. It just started in January and so far I'm much better at blogging M-F. Some days its a stretch and I'm quite sure stuff no one wants to read but I am trying to be disciplined in writing.
I think a hodgepodge blog is fine...mine is that I think and I've decided it suits me. I don't want to be always serious or always travel or always food or always mom stuff...I like a mix so I've made peace with that.
My daughter started a blog and had 21 followers on day2. A few hopped over to mine but they're mostly young 20's so I'll see if they stay. I hope they do because I enjoy the mixture of ages. I try to follow blogs I'm interested in but ya can only read so many, right? If someone follows me I at least visit often even if I don't follow.
I linked my blog to my facebook page because lots of friends read me on fb but don't get onto google. I did it thru Networked blogs on the fb site. I have a few new followers there. I do know though that I have a lot of friends who comment on fb or email me or tell me in person they're reading but they dont sign up to follow. So I don't get too caught up in the numbers. I guess I started my blog because of my desire to write and everything else has been gravy.
Did you want to know all this??? Ooops. Sorry. This turned a little theraputic for me : )
I can get lost in the blogosphere, too! Sometimes it's important to "regroup" for awhile!! Take your time, we'll read you when you're ready! Cheers!
Hi Angie...I know EXACTLY how you feel about your blogging BUT when I get frustrated about my blogging I remind myself WHY I started blogging in the first place and that was to just talk about my life to whoever wanted to read and to stay in touch with some family and friends, to have a record of the things that are going on in my life. Some weeks I do better than others. :-)
We have to be careful not to get caught up in numbers, though, because that's not why we're doing it. But now that everyone has those little follower counters on their blogs, it can be a little intimidating and I'm actually thinking about removing mine.
This isn't a contest. We don't have to prove anything to anyone, not even ourselves. We just need to make sure that we are enjoying keeping a journal/diary of our lives, children, thoughts and so on.
One last thought....I started my blog when I was physically disabled and was unable to get out much. I blogged quite a bit more then than I do now BUT now I follow alot more blogs, I'm taking care of my little grandson every day and, alas, find that I don't have time to blog like I used to.
Still I want to keep blogging but have found that I have had to simplify it somewhat: not read so many blogs, not comment on comments left on my posts and so on.
REALLY my last comment....I am amazed at the family members and friends that read my blog but never comment, yet if I see them somewhere and I haven't blogged for awhile, they'll ask me why I haven't blogged! :-) My niece told me yesterday that she looks forward to my Random Dozen every week, even though she doesn't blog at all. :-)
I haven't been following your blog all that long, but I really do enjoy it.
I started blogging because of my need to write. I really don't blog about my life. I follow several different memes. This is a creative outlet for me.
I am into my second year now and am thinking I might like to blog more about my life. Maybe that could also be creative for me.
I like coming here and whatever your changes, I hope they are not too drastic.
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