I just love when a post idea comes at 10.49pm, the day before it needs to go live. To set the scene, I've just come back from a blogging event (it was a Next shindig, by the way), I know there's a blogger next door with a bedroom full of props (hai Lucy) and I'll probably spend the following day doing blog-related things. Can you tell I'm not bored of saying that word? My 7 year blogging anniversary came and went on Monday and I wasn't really sure about whether I should commemorate the day. Ideally I'd be launching a snazzy new layout, breaking exciting news or just eating a lot of celebratory cake on my lonesome. Instead, here's a post full of some musings. Even though I've been updating this little corner of the internet for a period of time akin to secondary school, I haven't fallen out of love with it. Ever. In relationship terms we'd be rock solid, hopefully settled in our new home and popping out a few kids (OK, this analogy has gone a little too far now). It's a little bit bittersweet to look at others who started when I did and see what they're doing now. Some seem to be mini-empires and others have thrown in the towel entirely. Since I seem to be nestled somewhere in between, I thought I'd share the reasons why I'm still renewing my domain, jotting down ideas in a million notebooks and taking pictures of myself looking a bit smiley with a balloon (10 points if you can spot the remote).
The ideas
You may have guessed that I'm a bit of a creative person. My blogging story post sums it all up, but in short, I've always enjoyed brainstorming, drawing and writing. I attempted a friendship bracelet business in Year 4 (it lasted a day), came up with magazine ideas, band ideas, not to mention all the stories that never got finished. Fast forward twenty or so years and I'm really good at pitching ideas to myself. It just happens, I could be reading something on a plane that sparks something off, going through something personal or even just talking to a friend. Having my own platform is a little bit self-indulgent really, especially when I'm trying to write for other outlets and get used to their tone of voice. It is nice however to have somewhere to come back to that's just me through and through. I'm not sure whether my mind will stop making these random connections eventually or if it'll just evolve into something else. Let's wait and see!
Connecting with people
I know I sound like a broken record every time I bring this up, but I do love making friends on the internet. I'm still coming across people even now and wondering 'How did I get through these twenty-eight years without sending you crazy expressions on Snapchat?' and thanking my lucky stars. It's true that some of these friendships can be a bit transient (the 'friends for a season' poem springs to mind) and I guess it can be similar to growing apart from the people you went to school or worked with. Sometimes I'll meet someone at an event who gives me an amazing piece of advice and then never see them again. I just accept that these things are meant to be. On another note, I also enjoy getting comments, snaps or even the odd e-mail saying that something has helped. It's easy to go on a downward spiral every so often and think 'woe is me', but then I remember that by nurturing IWYTK, I've gained an audience of pretty like-minded people. I feel like we'd all get on like a house on fire!
The Uncertainty
It's definitely a challenge to keep up with all the new platforms, improve your skillsets and motivate yourself to produce content when there's always an article saying something like 'NOBODY IS READING BLOGS ANYMORE, NOBODY CARES'! I haven't the foggiest as to what the future holds when it comes to blogging, but that's one of the most exciting things about it. For me personally, I can have amazing opportunities and experiences followed by periods of time where my diary is looking a bit empty and I have to find other ways of propelling myself forward. I do seem to have this weird sort of sixth sense that is telling me to keep going and every year I seem to get a nudge in a different direction to what I expected.
So here's to (hopefully) another seven years! This has been the longest things I've kept up and one of my only constants, during a decade full of ups and downs. I'd love to know if you're still in love with blogging, whether you've been doing it for five years or five minutes. I'm brainstorming content for 2016 and hoping to demystify and reassure things a little. It's okay if you want to take pictures of pretty things on marble or talk about the issues you're passionate about. We're a diverse bunch and that's one of the best things!