However, I’ve been thinking a lot about this little blog of mine. At times, I feel like I’m at a crossroads. A point of opportunity to grow. To expand. To earn a little money. I’ve watched friend’s blogs take off as I held back hesitantly. They travel and attend conferences and get to earn money doing what they love. It seems so appealing; the traveling and swag bags so glamorous.
I’m not going to say that building my little blog hasn’t crossed my mind. It has. Many times, actually. It seems that I am always fighting an internal struggle with myself. One week, I am gung-ho about building it up. I have a list of companies to contact, bloggers to question, series to organize, giveaways to post, and conferences to attend. I’ve planned out 3 months of blog posts, packed with recipes and tutorials and pretty eye-candy.
But then, a nagging voice inside of me reminds me of why I started blogging in the first place. Not as a place with emotionless schedules, but as a place where I can share who I am. This blog was created to be my place. To vent. To enjoy. To share creativity and crafts. To narrate my everyday, simple life. A place that I was hoping to inspire others, but also to encourage myself forward. Turning Sherbet Blossom into a business doesn’t seem to accomplish my initial goal. I want this to be a casual blog where I don’t have to feel restricted in what I post. Where I can blog when and what I desire. I want my blogging to be about enhancing my life as a mother, wife, friend and person; not a spot that takes up time I should be spending doing better things.
I spent the weekend reevaluating my blogging goals and thinking about blogger anxiety. I erased that blog schedule and thought about content. I’m not sure that many will even notice a change on this blog, but I already do. No pressure. Just me being me.
Above, I've posted my long-standing blogging motto: "Blog what you live. Don’t live to blog."
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ReplyDeleteI love this post Hannah.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I've had blogging anxiety for the whole two years I've had my blog - always felt like it needed to be better; needed to be more; needed to be like everyone else's. But I finally decided to let that go and just blog. I've been enjoying it more than ever! AND since I made that realization, the posts have just kept coming. I can hardly keep up with them.
I love your blog.
You inspire me and I love reading what you write.
And thanks for always encouraging and supporting my little blog.
amen! Well said, friend!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I sometimes have the same pull of emotions - but like you have chosen to just blog for the love of it and not worry about the rest.
ReplyDeletePerfect post for me today. Thank you! (And I love your new pic!)
ReplyDeleteWell said! I personally enjoy reading your blog and getting to YOU! Good for you for realizing what you need to do to be happy. :)
ReplyDeleteGirl... I needed that! I swear... I go through the same thing all the time. I am now thinking that I may need to give it all up for a while. But... I think I like your motto... and maybe I can quit certain aspects of what I am doing but still keep up my blog as I can. I know i definitely want to get my priorities straight and it is apparently hard for me to do when I am so into making cards, submitting cards and blogging. I think I will have to step back for a while! Thanks for sharing! I always feel like a crazy person because I flip flop so much about what I want to do! :)
ReplyDeleteJust don't go anywhere! I love your blog! It's actually in my Favorites bar on my computer. And btw, I bought some pink and green felt today at Michaels so I could attempt the flower hairpiece you just featured. I'll let you know how it goes!
ReplyDeleteYou have summed up my feelings about my blog so eloquently. I sway from one way to the other so often but have to agree that I tend to come back to the same side as you.
ReplyDeleteI so easily get caught up in the amount of comments etc but then have to remind myself that I started the blog for me and for now mine will stay that way too.
Brave post Hannah and thank you for sharing your feelings with us.
xx
well said hannah. those very thoughts have crossed my mind, but i always come to the same conclusion as you. bigger isn't necessarily better. i love my simple little blog. it's my journal, a record of my happy life...and i wouldn't have it any other way :)
ReplyDeletexo
jill
p.s. i just think you're adorable!
This is a constant battle for me. You are definitely not alone! My kids are what keep me in check. I know that if I devoted any more time to the blog that I would lose time with them. They're too young for that yet. Maybe when they're older...
ReplyDeleteKeep doin' what you're doin'. It's working. :)
What a great post Hannah. I have been thinking about blogging for a few weeks now and also after a few post that I read on Hil's blog ( thank you for your email by the way)I have always felt like I need it to be better,more cakes, more tutorials, more recipes and accomplish what other baking bloggers do.I see everyone baking according to every season and here I am making a beach theme cake in the middle of winter. But I realized that I started my blog to share with other people my passion for baking and decorating cakes having a full time job and a little girl to take care of, to show that you can also have a dream, a hobby and that if I can do it, other moms too.I can't set a goal of how many times a week I post because at the end I post for myself and to share,and if someone learns a little something from me, or get inspired by my story, I know I am doing something good.I have met wonderful people with my blog, including you.I am just going to be me and keep blogging what I do on my every day baking life.
ReplyDeleteHannah,you inspire me and I love reading your blog,thank you for always encouraging and supporting me
Sometimes I feel like you can read my mind. As you know, I've been a follower of your blog for a while now and think it's fantastic...you really speak and share from your heart and that is inspiring to me. If you don't mind, I'm gonna borrow your motto...and blog by it! Thanks Hannah!
ReplyDeletegreat thoughts!
ReplyDeleteamen. I find that less pressure is usually a good thing. And I think your blog is pretty awesome just the way you've been doing it over the years :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a former lurker, but I feel the same way about my blog. When I kept getting those messages about placing ads, I thought it over, and decided that the ads would take away from what I was trying to do.
ReplyDeleteI am fine with it being a journal and stretching ME and MY creativity. I am so happy there are other bloggers out there turning their back on turning their blog into an enterprise. It's fine if that's you true goal, but otherwise, for me, it's a turn-off.
Thanks for being brave enough to post...I appreciate it.
I love your blog just like it is!
XOXO
Joni
Totally needed to hear/read this. Thanks Hannah!
ReplyDeleteI too have felt the pull to possibly open my blog up to being a business and then I always pull back because that isn't what I started it for. I really just enjoy sharing what I have made JUST for the fun of it! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on it...it is good to know there are others out there that feel the same way! Love love love the quote at the top!!!
ReplyDeleteI think there must be something in the air with all the recent thoughts on blogging. I love yourthoughts and your blog. You know this is exactly the thing that inspires me- doing it for the right reasons because you love it! Can't wait to talk about this more soon with you!
ReplyDeleteI don't know you, but you commented on my little blog once (which I love!). I really love this post! Your blog is so beautiful, and you could so easily make it into anything you want it to be. I love that you are sticking with your plans though, and not allowing it to take over everything. "Blogger anxiety" is just overwhelming, and it makes me crazy! I have a gluten-free blog that I do, and it really started taking off, and it was too much stress. My family is way too important to me; I would feel awful if I neglected them to blog!
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, aside from my big long rant, I just really love what you have to say :)
Brilliant post Hannah! Stay true to yourself and your heart. I can't imagine what other professional bloggers are like, but I think you've got a pretty good following.
ReplyDeletexoxo
Hannah! You are my hero, always have been, and you always remind me of why with posts like this. I have totally been feeling the same thing, and even as I'm rearranging and cutting down, it's always a trick to find the right balance. You are so brave to post this. thank you.
ReplyDeletep.s. congrats on the new domain!
i love this motto! I've had a post in mind I've been wanting to write- and you've inspired me to finally do it.
ReplyDeleteYes,
By all means, BE YOU and blog what YOU want! Your blog is always great(:
amen amen amen. sometimes, I swear, I share your same wavelength. No wonder we had babies a two days a part. :) JK! hA!
ReplyDeleteAnyway, funny that you are going to you are transferring to your domain name--I'm in the process of doing the same thing! Man, all the forums and DNC codes---it's a trick! Good for you to go for it!!
And, especially on the heels of Alt and all the great things I've read about people going, I've come to the same conclusion as you. I don't want my blog to be an obligation. It's just like your AWESOME little print says (by the way, you should sell that, and make it a small dimension (4x6) so people can put it RIGHT next to their computers.) :)
Basically, I'm a bliss fan for life. You go, girl. Good work. ALL around.
I totally agree. Thanks for the reminder. Sometimes I think about making it more of a money-making opportunity, then it makes me realize that I do this for fun... and when it turns into work, it usually isn't as fun!
ReplyDeleteI ♥ your blog.
ReplyDeleteisn't it funny how us women are even competitive in the blogging world? i think we all feel at times like we need to be better, look better, do more, be "cooler." but i'm really trying to concentrate my energies on being a better mom. spending more time with my kids and LESS time on the computer. i know that is what truly makes me happy. not sitting in front of a computer screen more than i already do. i need to do LESS of that! i always try to remember that i don't want me kids growing up and feeling like all they ever saw me do was sit at the computer (other than working out)! thanks for this post!
ReplyDeleteamen! Thank you for sharing. You took the thoughts right out of my head!
ReplyDeleteHannah - I've never visited your blog before, but I noticed you're following mine (thanks!!) and I love what you've got here, especially this post. I have felt exactly the same about my blog (and etsy shop). I feel I'm a lot like you ... 3 young kids and life pulling us in so many directions.
ReplyDeleteHannah,
ReplyDeleteIt is great to find like minded blog friends. I have cleaned my sidebar earlier this year to reflect the simplicity I want for my blog. Easy documentation of one's life is wonderful - maybe not for the world, but definitely for our family. You are bookmarked! ♥
you said everything I feel.
ReplyDelete