Have you heard the quote “Comparison is the thief of joy?” It’s been on my mind a lot lately as I’ve been contemplating my place in the Blogger world. Our lives are pretty uneventful right now, which has its pros and cons. Regardless, I’m finding blogging inspiration few and far between these days. All I’m doing is reading other blogs and making feeble attempts to grow my own. And I’m finding that rather than serving as a source of joy in my life like it used to, blogging has morphed into the thief of my joy. I’ve spent money I don’t have to try and bribe people who don’t give two shits about what I have to say. I’ve felt less than stellar about my lack of cute outfits, my lack of bumpdates, my lack of a perfectly DIY-ed home. And I’m having a hard time remembering what I ever wrote about. What has kept me coming back to this place?
I’ve been considering taking a blogging hiatus for a little while. Which makes me a little sad, because I hate that something that used to make me feel so fulfilled just doesn’t anymore. I hate that I’ve become more focused on numbers than just doing what I love. But mostly, I hate that what should be an opportunity to delight in the lives of other ladies putting themselves out there for the world has become an ugly competition to me. I hate that comparison is stealing my joy.
 |
| This face pretty accurately sums up where I am right now. |
I'm going to pray on this for a little while. I'm going to pray that God helps me to find contentedness and peace with my story and my voice as a blogger. I'm going to pray that when I view the stories of the amazing network of ladies I've gotten to know, I'll be inspired and not plagued with feelings of inadequacy. I'm going to pray that somehow blogging will stop stealing my joy.
Eh... we don't need more posts on cute outfits, bumpdates and perfectly DIY-ed homes. There is plenty of that. And if it makes you feel better I NEVER have a cute outfit, I hope to never need to do a pregnancy update again and my home will never be perfectly DIY-ed.
ReplyDeleteWhat we do need is more bloggers that are gutsy... bloggers who aren't afraid to share beyond the cute outfit, bumpdate, and DIY. YOU are a rare blogger because you aren't afraid to show your guts.
Don't worry about growing your blog... just let it become whatever it becomes. We weren't all destined to be famous bloggers... and that's ok because if we were all famous then none of us would really be famous.
Just be you and let your uniqueness win your readers.
I agree w/ Laura. We have ENOUGH of all of that stuff. And really... some of it is just too much. My fave blogs are ones that talk about REAL things, real concerns, things that matter. Not to say that i don't read the pinterest-inspired posts, b/c i like those too...sometimes. But not all the time. I much prefer the ones where you talk about what hurts or what God is showing you or why life sucks or is amazing right now. I just like to get to know people - not just what they wear but what they are going through & what God is teaching them through it. And you are one of those bloggers! You are honest! And hopelessly in love with your husband (which i love!). :)
ReplyDeletexoxo
Oh how I have been there, AM there at the moment. I took an unplanned hiatus recently of just a few weeks and it was nice to step away for a little while. I too, have struggled with finding and then losing my 'voice' out in the blogophere and it hasn't helped that I just haven't been in great place spiritually or emotionally, and the thought of spewing all of my Debbie-downerisms drained me too much to try.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the above two comments, it really has to be for you first and foremost, and then like Melissa said - real is where its at. Seriously, enough already with the cutesy this, and the themed party/dinner/etc.etc. GAH!!! I am SO GLAD that I married/had children and raised them pre-internet/Pinterest/social media. I can see how it might be maddening to feel like you can't just put out a store-bought cake and some balloons and call it a birthday party for four-year-olds.
Be real and be you because you do that best of all and we obviously love that because here we are! :)
I can't tell you how many posts I see like this and it kind of makes me sad. There are so many amazing ways that blogging has changed over the years but the downside is this thing I'm calling blogger burnout. Putting pressure on ourselves to be the funniest, the most creative and to get those numbers dammit!! Think back to when you started the blog and it was only for you. That's what ultimately will keep you here.
ReplyDeleteA few months ago this happened to me. I did a major overhaul. I cleaned out my bloglovin feed, twitter and instagram of everyone I was following "just to follow" or who were actually not very nice ladies who were "popular" so I had just followed for months. I made a promise to myself that I would stop posting about things I didn't really care about and I realized that having sponsorships and Ads was just stressful and I didn't like it at all - so I cut them off too.
ReplyDeleteI can honestly tell you that the joy of blogging came back. I have made a lot of new blogging friends, discovered blogs that encourage me and make me happy (like you!), and have changed my feelings back to what they used to be when I started out.
And I wasn't just BSing you - I literally found your blog on my hunt to find new blogs that made me happy in the blogging world again - also, you look like Emma Stone, who happens to be my doppelgänger as well. xoxo
Kaitlyn
I agree that it is discouraging when you don't have a lot of followers or comments on something you've spent ages thinking about and writing, but whatever. I have to remind myself constantly that I write my blog for my own benefit, and if anyone else likes it, fine, if not, fine.
ReplyDelete(sooo much easier said than done though)