This April I will have been blogging for seven years. Seven years! That’s considerably longer than I’ve held any one job, which is interesting. (To me. It’s interesting to me.) For the bloggers who began this journey around the same time as me, I think many of us have gone through similar stages:
Beginning blogger: *whispers* I’m, um, a blogger? I guess?
Blogger with some experience: *shouts* I love being a blogger! Here’s my card!
Seasoned blogger: *says with confidence* I’m a writer/artist, and I have a blog!
Veteran blogger: *says with resignation* Yeah…I’m a blogger. HEAVY SIGH.
Many of us seem to be gathering in corners of the internet, grumbling about this trend and that, railing against the forces of evil (Fine. I mean Facebook.), and generally telling those pesky kids to get off our lawns.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that. But as we begin this new year and I head into my seventh year of blogging, I’m feeling something different. I’m feeling hopeful and even peaceful. Contentment may even be close behind.
Over the weekend I was holding Adrienne and feeding her some dry breakfast cereal. If you must know, I was alternating cheerios with Reese’s Puffs because they are delicious, because she is adorable, and because I am weak.
But that’s not the point.
I held my hand out to her with one puff on it, and she gave me five. Not five puffs, but “gimme five!” five. It’s a new trick and an understandable mistake, since my hand was held out like I wanted her to give me five. However, it meant that puff went flying and landed on the floor.
You may find this shocking, but my floors aren’t the cleanest thing in the world, so I quickly grabbed a handful of new puffs to offer her.
But no. Oh no. That determined (as we’re calling her, because “obstinate” and “bull-headed” seem a bit premature and, well, not nice to call a one-year-old) little girl insisted on dive-bombing herself to the floor to get the not-so-clean puff.
As I wrangled her in an attempt to keep her head from banging into our hardwoods, I thought, “Good grief, kid! Why on earth would you want THAT ONE when you could have something so much better [aka, cleaner] up here?!”
And then I thought of all the times I’ve done the very same thing.
This year of blogging, for me, will be about getting back to the reasons I began blogging in the first place. I started this blog to write and to find community. And while that’s remained the most important in my heart, I’ve gotten distracted by the new, the shiny, the bigger and the better too many times.
In short, I’ve dive-bombed off the couch for the dusty cereal when the fresh, clean snack is right in front of me.
So, my plan is to get back to basics. What does that look like for this blog?
More and less, I hope.
More posting to encourage and inspire (and entertain).
Less posting to meet deadlines. Less posting that requires disclosures.
More posting after giving my words time to simmer and take shape.
Less posting just because I haven’t posted anything in a while.
Regular (weekly? maybe.) posts where we simply chat about life.
Hosting Works for Me Wednesday and sharing tips for a real, imperfect life.
More talking about books and TV, because you seem to like that. (And so do I.)
More honesty, more humor, more heart. (And always, always, more alliteration.)
And I hope we’ll have more conversation. Let’s talk, huh? I love hearing about your life – or favorite books or recipe ideas or feelings about our favorite TV shows – more than I love telling you about mine. I love learning about you and getting to know you and sharing life with you.
That’s the state of this blog, this year. Will I do all this perfectly? No. Of course not. After all, we’re not about perfect here. But these are my goals for this blog, and I’m looking forward to Year Seven being a little bit different than the last few.
A few of my friends have written wise, well-researched and well-thought-out posts about the state of the blog in general and the state of their individual blogs. Good reads, all.
State of the Blog Address, 2015 – The Art of Simple
How to Stay Sane on the Internet – Chatting at the Sky
What You Can Expect to Find at This Corner of the Internet – Chasing Blue Skies
Let’s have some of that conversation now.
What would you like to see more and less of here?
And if you blog, what’s the state of your blog?
{Photos by Kristina Servant and Stacy Spensley }
I am a fairly recent reader so I am pretty happy with how things are… I love your “keep it real” approach. I feel like when I read your posts I can actually hear YOU and that is so refreshing. Keep up what you are doing!
Thanks so much, Rebecca!!
Sounds like a good plan to me! I have been blogging about that long too, and I know what you mean… some days I feel like just closing up shop, but I sat down yesterday to write a post and ended up sketching out a rough calendar for the year and writing almost everything for January — WHOA. So apparently I’m not as “done” with blogging as I thought I was!
Haha! I know what you mean. I was talking with someone about my book – and its deadline, and she said I should set up rewards for myself when I reach certain goals. She said, “I don’t know what motivates you, but for me it would be watching a movie in bed.” And I thought, “Oooh, I should finally let myself work on all those blog projects I haven’t had time for!” Huh. #blognerd ;)
Looks good Mary! And congrats on the 7 year mark! I thoroughly enjoy your blog and I have recently cleaned up by subscription to others but yours is staying. =) Besides I am very intrigued about your book… and am looking forward to it too.
My favorite part of your writing is your storytelling. The real in the now life and how it relates to God or encouragement or whatever. Don’t stop.
Someday I wish to start a blog too. We shall see. I turn 50 next month. Anything can happen after that. LOL!
Be Well, Lina
I’ve cleaned up my subscription list, too, Lina. It’s nice to have a fresh start, I think! Thank you so much for your kind words. I love telling stories, and this blog is a great outlet. :)
Hi Mary,
I’m in your camp, and I’m not so sure we have many who are with us, but I detest Facebook and will never ‘like’ it! I think it is another media ‘enemy’ to the human race, especially to our younger generations. I’ve been badgered to ‘get on board’ by daughters, sister-in-laws, friends and enemies (oh, wait I don’t have any enemies…but may now after this little comment about Facebook). :) I think Facebook is a waste of time…and I hear from friends how hurt they have been by ‘friends’ and even relatives’ comments. I know we can be offended anywhere, but why go looking for it… I only read blogs by Christians that give encouragement, help others to walk the ‘narrow way’, and share ‘good news’ with us. We can choose to comment or not, and to encourage not only the bloggers but also those who may read the comments. I enjoy these blogs that are encouraging, give life-giving comments, verses etc. like yours. I have grown a lot in my walk with Him as I ‘listen’ to Him as He speaks through the blogs I read. I of course, read the Word on my own, receive messages from pastors, and spend time studying for our women’s bible study which I am currently leading. I try keep it in the back of my mind every day that only what we do for Him will last. With that in mind, I have an easier time of choosing the ‘best’ things of every day. Thanks for encourging me through your blog, making me laugh, sharing yummy recipes and good books (I am a book-aholic).
Write on!
Susan, I’m so glad you’re here! I’ll admit that I love Facebook on a personal basis (and don’t let the junk get to me much there), but having a business page and trying to connect with readers there is a constant exercise in frustration. Anyway, yes, I completely agree that filling our hearts with Truth and encouragement is a good thing! Thank you for putting this blog on your list! :)
Hi Susan,
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
I understand why you detest Facebook, and it’s not my intention to try and get you to even think about liking it. I am in a “big” family, and I ave found Facebook help me keep up with nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews and cousins that I didn’t know I had until I find their pictures posted on Facebook. I copy and paste them in albums which are in folders in Microsoft Word. Most of them live out of town.
I, too, am very particular about what I read on my Facebook page so if it’s not encouraging, I immediately delete it. If I read something about someone in my family and I can help the situation, then I will comment positively. I have enjoyed some great testimonies on my Facebook page.
I enjoyed reading your response to Mary. I am not a blogger yet, but I may become one after I find and read Mary’s “back to basic” points of blogging which Kristen Strong mentioned.
Susan, you have a blessed day in Jesus!
Mary, I love this so so much. And I found myself nodding over and over with your “back to basics” points of blogging.
And what you wrote about the stages of blogging? DYING. Love it so so much. Because ya–you nailed it.
Keep on keepin’ on at this delightful space, friend. You are needed and appreciated! xo
Oh thank you, friend! Here’s to a year of basic, beautiful blogging. (I told you – I love alliteration!) :)
Hi Mary … yes, it’s good to sit back at the beginning of the year and figure out where you’re going. I did that in a bit of a trailer {like at the movies}, introducing a few new features like a once a month Dear Linda Q & A, and blogheart, a monthly post where we’ll be talking about what’s behind all the stats and comments and goes to the heart of why we blog.
http://creeksideministries.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-creekside-2015-trailer.html
It’s good for me to have a vision … and my tribe can feel free to hold me accountable if I don’t deliver on what I promised! I like that!
;-}
Linda, I love the new ideas you’re implementing on your blog! So smart!!
I was hoping “more posts on books and TV” would make the list!
Ask and you shall receive! :)
Oh so glad you’re doing this. The reevaluating thing, the blogging thing. You are a gem, and I’m so glad your blog brought us together. And the posts in which we all just chat about life? Those are my favorites. xoxo
Yes, I’m so thankful blogging brought us together, too! So many blessings from this crazy world of blogging!