Saturday, August 4, 2012

Reminding myself why I blog

There is hardly a day where you don't see a post of a blogger apologizing for being absent and not blogging. It's sort of funny if you think about it. Many of us do this in addition to our everyday lives. We juggle family, work, household chores and just plain relaxing on the couch (or getting the sleep we would need if we were honest) with blogging. So why do we feel we have to apologize when it's the one ball we happen to drop for a while?



I could tell you that I've been busy lately. Everyone is busy these days, right? Work can be demanding, chores have this unpleasant way of recurring every day or week and don't even get me started on little kids. And that is just the general life maintenance thing. I'm not even talking about birthdays, preschool summer parties or the million other things that pop up everyday.

But it's not really true.

I mean, yes, life goes on and there is always something to do. Especially if you're me. If my husband asks what my plans for the day are, I usually start a long list of things I absolutely need to do. Which usually results in him rolling his eyes, mumbling something about me always having something to do. (He might have a point there. But don't tell him I said that.)

But sometimes it's more than just being busy. We seem to all be busy these days, and always. Yet there somehow is always time for the things we really want to do.

I'm not sure I really wanted to blog.

Yes, I kept putting up posts, especially the simple things sunday ones. But it started to feel like another thing on my list. A chore. A to do.

But I don't have to do this. I chose to do this.

Because I love writing. And because as much as my sweet husband tries, he really does not get all that excited about a cleaned out closet, the kids' latest craft project or a mustard yellow scarf named Noelle. But I get excited about that. And if you know me at all, you will have noticed that I like to communicate, to share these things.

This month it will be one year of blogging for me. And it's all I ever hoped it would be. And more. It's amazing to see so many creative ideas and connect with so many creative people. Most of all it's just amazing to know that I am not the only one who can walk around with a huge grin on her face all day just because she had the perfect idea for a kids party, made a delicious cake, finally cleaned out that closet or managed to sew a gift for a friend.

I think I hit some sort of a dry spell for this little tiny blog of mine.

I realized I lost the connection with why I write when a friend of mine commented that I am so descriptive and should be a writer. Now, we know this is greatly exaggerated, but it did spark something. I am at my best writing when I really connect with what I feel and describe my world around me.

So if I start to see it as another to do, if I just upload photos and write a few quick sentences then yes, that is something I might get done in-between everything else. But it's usually not when I am at my best writing. It doesn't really feel right.

I am not going to apologize for not blogging more frequently. But I will promise to make sure what I write comes from my heart, be it a long post or a few short thoughts on a photo.

What is your secret for staying connected to your creativity, your inspiration and your reason to blog?

Do share.

Swenja

3 comments:

  1. You're so right. I'm seeing so many post of bloggers apologizing and saying they will be taking a break from blogging.
    It's hard not to get sucked in to the blogging craze once you get started. I think it would help alot if bloggers wouldn't feel pressured to posting almost daily, cause this will definitely start to feel like a chore. And what's wrong with posting once a week or even once a month? It's your blog.

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  2. Ja, so geht es mir ab und zu doch leider auch. Manchmal vergleich ich dann meinen Blog mit zuvielen anderen und denk mir dass die das doch alles viel besser machen als ich und es doch bestimmt sowieso keinen interessiert was ich da alles so von mir gebe. haha. ist bestimmt ganz normal so. wenn man sich der ganzen welt so praesentiert dann ist das manchmal doch schon etwas viel druck der da auf einem lastet. aber wie mit so vielen dingen geht es ja auch darum ob es einem spass macht und dass man nicht so leicht aufgeben soll. ich bin auch eher jemand der dinge anfaengt und sie dann nie zuende bringt. mit meinem blog sag ich mir immerwieder "du musst am ball bleiben und nicht einfach aufgeben" das waere doch zu einfach ;)

    bleib dran :)
    lg
    sophie

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  3. I know what you mean--so many "not blogging lately" apology posts. I try to avoid posting those, too. But I also know I don't have a lot of people following me who are going to be somehow miffed if I don't post for a day. Even thought I don't usually read comments on other blogs, I've seen some very nasty comments go up on some of the more "famous" ones when the author doesn't post with the frequency or on the topics that the reader would prefer. Which is sickening, but that's another topic...

    One of the main reasons I blog is because I love to write, and blogging is something that gets me writing regularly. My goal is every weekday, but usually that's a goal and not a reality. :) But writing is something that only gets better by doing it, right? So I am trying to do it more. And the very work of getting my thoughts out is helpful and shows me what those thoughts really are.

    The other main reason I blog is to keep a record of our lives, since I can't seem to keep a journal in any really regular fashion and I don't have time right now to put all our photos in photo books or albums. I want to print the blog into book form on a yearly basis, or so, to have something tangible we can look at. I haven't done that yet, though.

    All that to say, maybe I will get a post up today and maybe I won't. Ha! :)

    Keep writing!

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