I’ve been thinking a lot on this topic lately. Validation. Purpose. Meaning. What is my goal for Take-Hart? What does my blog have to offer? What do I have to offer? Where am I going in my life? All questions and feelings that anyone who has ever put themselves “out there” can relate to. I put a lot of myself into this blog. I write about my life, my marriage, my personal interest and take on fashion, my friends & family, my accomplishments, my failures, – this place is me. Lately I’ve been visiting other blogs and feeling that silly sense of, “My blog doesn’t measure up to this blog because [insert silly reason].” I hate that feeling. Because none of those reasons are what I should be using to measure the worth of something I’m so passionate about. But it’s so easy to do! We look at what someone else has and just want it- disregarding their hard work and effort that got them to where they are. Not to say I haven’t worked hard on my blog, but there is always room for improvement (and I have plans for this)!
I feel the same about my personal life as well. It may sound crazy but this blog has taught me how to work toward a goal and how to set my eye on a prize. I used to be very “instant success/overnight sensation” or bust. But I’ve stuck with blogging regardless of comments or followers- even when I’ve felt like I was walking in place. My lack of ability to focus on a long term goal has kept me from doing a lot of things that I would be done with by now if I had just stuck with them. So it feels really good to be able to say that I’ve overcome a true flaw in my personality, or that I’m at least much better about it!
I decided I wanted to share these thoughts with all of you because I feel that some of you may relate, and that’s part of what blogging is all about- right? Relating to one another and building a little support system. We all need to quit measuring ourselves and our creations against other people and their accomplishments- just do your thing for you! Be a genuine quality person, for you- and the things you create will reflect that. This is my reminder, and I hope it helps you as well!
I definitely can relate. I don't want to have hundreds of readers, if I did I'd never be able to email each commenter back which is something I like to do. But I would like my blog to become an extension of me. For example, I've been reading you for so long that I feel like we are more than just internet friends. Who doesn't love more friends?!
I'd love to have as many readers as I end up with, but I know what you mean about wanting o be able to comment back to every single person. I still struggle with this at times and I don't get a ton of comments!
I feel the same way about reading your blog- especially now that we've met! You, me, Emmy, and Kalen aren't really internet friends anymore. We're just long distance friends who keep up on the internet! (or actually Kalen and I are just bad at being real life friends.. LOL ..but she sort of has an excuse for being busy!)
I felt the same and had to just stop reading blogs I felt sort of a compulsion to compare to – because then I felt I couldn't do anything they did and was constantly trying to measure up!
Exactly- I am the same way with wanting to do something that someone else has already done. But a very successful friend of mine has reminded me over and over that you can take almost anything that's been done and make it uniquely yours if you just try. 🙂 So I've been trying to remember that lately!
You aren't that much older than me, but you've met the love of your life, gotten married and purchased your first house. I think thats pretty amazing! Don't worry about the blogging thing, good things take time and eventually you will get to where you want to be 🙂 I always liked posting on xanga because if your blog gets featured you can get several hundred comments. I also like blogging on sparkpeople.com because I joined over a hundred teams and everytime I write something my blog is shown on the side panel of each group and I get heaps of visitors, resulting in five to twenty comments on each entry with no effort. Just keep pushing forward and think of clever ways to bring more people in by saving time. imfaceplate can also be really useful if you invest the time, but I had to add over 7000 people and that took over a week straight of doing nothing else!
I know that you're so right, and thanks for the reminder. I definitely know that I'm blessed to be where I am in my life and I'm super thankful. I suppose I've just been thinking about my purpose more in terms of education.. a good job .. or a job that I actually LIKE. I love blogging and I'm passionate about it. I have fun trying to build it up and make it better. It would be nice to have a job that I felt the same about!
I definitely agree with this. There are way I could sell out and get more visitors and comments and hits but that isn't me. I could write entries like other people do but that isn't me. The one thing I have always loved about blogging and my blog is it is always an outlet for ME to write about ME, and I don't want toc change that for popularity's sake. If I ever become super popular, it will be because people like what I do with my blog, my style. Keep doing your thing cause that is why we love you!
Yes, yes, yes. And that it is where I hope that I've struck a good balance. I used to write on my blog almost as if it was my diary. That wasn't a bad thing, but I wanted more structure and for it to be a place where I could create something vs. just dump my daily ramblings all over the place. I never had a goal or a reason.. I just felt very all over the place and it stopped being fun for me. "Hi guys. I went to work today… oh and I brushed my teeth. We ate a few meals, too. Okay, Goodnight!"
I think your life is more interesting than mine, so your daily thoughts are much more blog worthy! 😉
I used to feel the same way. I would always think thay someone else's blog was better and that I should be like them, but then I was like, What the hell? Why would I want that?! I stopped reading blogs for a while so that my blog was just me and no one else's thoughts, and I LOVED it. Now I brought my blog list that I read from tons to a select few and i love it! It also saves me a lot of time which allows me to write more…about ME!
I've done the same thing- I have a core list of blogs I read regularly. I visit other blogs and comment now and then but for the most part I stick to my main group and add a few in here and there!
This. I don't have any real words of advice, just that I really honestly do love your blog and you are so beautiful and post great things. Please don't stop or change – it's so nice!
Thank you, Claudia. Very sweet to say, and I'm not going to stop anytime soon! That's for sure. I love it too much.