I've recently taken a bit of a sabbatical from blogging. Did you notice? Did you miss me? No, probably not. That's ok though...we are all busy!
I started blogging in 2008 because I'd found a few blogs out there that I thought were fun, funny, light-hearted, everything that I wanted MY blog to be. I joined an awesome blog community. Some really great gals started reading my blog and I felt like a sortof friendship was formed. I read their blogs too and found other great people through them.
Then I got a little blog obsessed. I found myself constantly thinking about my next blog and feeling sad if I couldn't think of anything funny to blog about. I started following people because I thought it was the thing to do, getting obsessed with how many people were reading me, commenting, etc. I'd stay up late every night reading blogs, commenting, moving on the next blog. Then there was a little "episode" that I read about on someone's blog where she and another blogger were in a terrible argument and disparaging things were said by each other about each other. I started thinking...what in the world is going on? These people didn't even know each other in real life... and they became enemies over a BLOG?
I felt myself becoming disenchanted.....falling out of love with blogging. I felt like it was taking over my life. Isn't that crazy?! Yet as I was reading a few other blogs here and there I discovered that other people were feeling the same way. I realized that blogging is a "soft addiction". You know, like checking your email a hundred times a day even though you JUST checked it 2 minutes ago? Or checking your phone to see if you missed a text in the 45 seconds that it took you to go to the bathroom. Or dreaming about vanilla creme donuts from Dunkin Donuts.
So I took a little time off. I un-followed a few people. I only read the blogs of the people that I really cared about. I decided that from now on I would only follow people that I really felt a connection to. That I felt like we could be friends if we ever met in person. And I would go back to blogging for me...not for what others might think. I try to keep my blogs light hearted and fun. I don't really think anyone wants to hear about my problems, mostly because they are inconsequential and minute compared to some of the things that other people have to deal with.
I am a happy person and have a great life. I am surrounded by friends and family that love me. I have a job that I enjoy most of the time and keeps me in a comfortable life style. I have a roof over my head and a huge yard that I get to play in and create flowers and vegetables. I belong to a wonderful church and am loved by a Father in Heaven that has accepted me for my flaws and forgiven me for my sins....of which there have been plenty.
I am going to work harder on balancing my blogging life and not let it invade my real life. Because there is so much in the world that I want to do and see...... Life should be an adventure, not to be wasted sitting at a computer and dreaming of the life that we don't have.
I agree with you on this. I have a love hate relationship with blogging, also. Some days I love reading and commenting, other days not so much. And stressing over what to blog about? Been there, done that! :)
ReplyDeleteStacy, you have just summed up my thinking for the past month. I did the exact same thing and even thought about shutting my blog down. Like you, I un-followed some people and tried to get my mind back in a place that "hey, this is just for fun."
ReplyDeleteGood for you girl! (And, I did notice and miss you!)
I totally and completely agree! Blogs have become some freakish little cliche community, and it's just darn silly. We need bumper stickers that say "I Don't Blog for Comments" or...something like that. I like your new look, btw. It screams that summer is just around the corner!
ReplyDeleteyep.. seen this happen with lots of people & I have to watch myself that I dont get caught up in it... if I feel like "I HAVE to post something" - that's the time to stop & say, "is the world going to end if I dont?"... dont think so! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to get wrapped up in, that's for sure. As soon as it becomes a "job" to blog, then it won't be fun anymore... so I try not to let it control me. If I don't have anything to blog about, I just don't do it. No biggie. Something WILL be blogworthy eventually. The last couple of weeks, actually, have been kinda slow round my place. Like I said, life is happening and I'm enjoying it. You do the same, sister!
ReplyDeleteAnd - fyi - it looks GREAT in here. Love the design and layout.
I love your honesty and sincerity. It's refreshing.
ReplyDeleteI think that balance in life is definitely necessary...and I was the same way with blogging before Z arrived...now I just can't motivate myself to come up with stuff that's interesting enough to read!
ReplyDeleteI've missed you though, and I know we'd totally be friends in real life! :)
OMG! I had to come & see this for myself. We do have the same XXXX. Shhhh!
ReplyDeleteand.............I too took a sabbaticle from blog~blog~land for pretty much the same reasons. I mean really, who is going to feed the kids, clean the house, do the laundry, go grocery shopping, step in for some XxX time with hubby if I am too busy blogging?
Coincidence? I THINK NOT! ;)
I'm glad we both made it back.
I'm starting to think we all go through this "soft addiction" part of blogging. I've gone through ups and downs with it and I've been in the "blogosphere" for a few months!
ReplyDeleteI have found, however, that the blogs I enjoy reading most are not the "fluff" blogs that seem to have no real content, but the ones that lay it all out on the line and really express their feelings.
I'm kinda taking a blogging sabbatical myself. I've had the funny knocked out of me for some reason. Perhaps it's the weather?
ReplyDeleteI did want to thank you, though, for turning me onto Jerseylicious. We recently got the Style Network and in one episode it's my new absolute favorite show! Olivia is totally me at 21, and Tracy is evil.
I love you. I totally understand the pressure, is it because we're so funny or we just think we are? :) I am honored to be a part of your real & blogging world. XOXO
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more! I'm currently on a 2-week blogging sabbatical. Not because I don't like it, but because I'm having too much fun with my kiddies and Hubby this lovely Spring Break! :)
ReplyDeleteStoppin' by from SITS!
I have to step back once in a while and get a breath too. Blogging, Twitter, Facebook, email can all start to take over if we're not careful. Kind of like idol worship. You seem like you're in a better place now. Great blog!
ReplyDeleteAwww, i noticed you noticing me not blogging :O) HA HA!! Yeah, sabbatical here too...Truth is, i'm not satisfied with my blogging...i have a kagillion things i could write about but no words seem to pop into my head to get it all down. And i'm just soooo super busy and it's been REALLY nice outside. Soon, soon i'll get back to it, and it'll be better than before. Glad you're doing well, and we are not the only ones going through this!!
ReplyDeleteDon't ever feel like your blog is wasting time! You make many people smile and laugh (including me) and that counts for alot! (But I do know what you mean about getting too sucked into the computer instead of real life . That happens to me sometimes too. . . especially in the winter!)
ReplyDeleteWhenever I feel like I am taking too much time on my blog, I just remind myself that I'm doing family history and then I realize that I'm actually doing something productive. You probably blog for different reasons than me - but you could look at your blog in the same way. Have you ever printed your blog into a book? It would make a really cool and interesting journal for you to keep! I don't scrapbook and I'm not a consistent journal writer, so I print my blog off year by year and it becomes my version of the family scrapbook.