Blogging from the Heart

When I was a newbie blogger back in March of 2011, I was so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.  My head was constantly filled with subjects I thought would be fun and interesting to write about, and I routinely had a week's worth or so of  blog topics all lined up and ready to go at any given moment.  I knew I had almost no regular followers, aside from my husband, one of my sons, and a smattering of relatives--but I didn't mind that at all.  Comments?  What are those?  100 people checked out my post today?  Break out the champagne--it's a new high!  I knew String of Pearls would never become a super-blog, but I didn't care.  I just enjoyed the process of trying to fashion an essay every morning that might resonate with my loyal posse or with anyone who might happen to stumble upon it on their journey through the world wide web.  I used to pop awake in the morning raring to go, like a little kid who remembered she had a  brand new toy to play with.  I would put on my coffee (first things first, of course) and I'd sit down in front of my laptop almost giddy with excitement.  If I hadn't posted anything by about 9:00 a.m. at the latest, I'd feel like a slacker.

Like I said, I knew almost no one was reading my blog--that in some ways it was the proverbial face that only a mother (or a ridiculously supportive hubby) could love--but still, blogging filled some sort of need in me that I didn't even realize I had.  I know a lot of people who say they feel just awful if they miss their daily work-out and it sort of ruins their day (and I've tried to be one of those people, but I've found that there are many days when I decide not to exercise and I feel really, really happy about it); well, that's kind of the way I feel about blogging.  When I haven't been keeping up with my String of Pearls daily, I feel a little sluggish and out of sorts.  (My husband, my daughter-in-law, and my baby sister have told me that they kind of feel that way, too, when they stop by the old blogeroo and see nothing new posted.)

I've had plenty of legitimate excuses for missing days recently (like the months of almost constant travel  my husband and I have been doing as of late, to visit with our beloved kids and grandkids and to cheer on our beloved Irish), but I still feel lousy.   I've missed more days of blogging this month than during any other single month in the 32 months I've had this blog: 10 days already.  This just will not do.  So here it is, post #850 (Yikes, 850!  You must be bored by now!): a post about why I haven't been writing enough blog posts lately!

Most of the best bloggers (the ones who actually have hundreds or thousands of followers and make an impact on the lives of countless faithful readers) say that you should try to post something every single day.  I agree--and I've really tried to do that, up until recently.   Most of the best bloggers also either host or participate in blog link-ups with other bloggers.  And that's where I think I got myself into trouble.  After I started linking up with much more well-known bloggers, I found myself trying to come up with posts to fit a certain theme instead of just writing whatever was on my mind.  I caught myself comparing my blog to others' and finding it wanting, and that would kill off a lot of my creativity and motivation.  I became too interested in checking--multiple times throughout the day--to see if more people were stopping by String of Pearls than usual on link-up days, and to see if anyone new had left a comment.  It became almost like a little addiction for me.  And I started to lose the joy I'd started out with at the beginning, when I was really writing mostly for myself.  When I was finding my "voice" as a blogger.  

That's not to say that I haven't enjoyed linking up with fellow bloggers or that I will never join a link-up again.  I really like being involved in Housewifespice's "What We're Reading Wednesday," because if there's one topic I love to talk about, it's reading.  I look forward to the book recommendations I find there and I appreciate having the opportunity to promote the works of some wonderful author e-friends I've "met" on-line (and knowing that through the link-up, more potential  readers/consumers will be reached).  I also plan to join the fine ladies at Fine Linen and Purple this week for an installment of "What I Wore Sunday"--something I haven't done in a dog's age--because when I saw the outfits my two-year-old twin granddaughters had on for Mass this morning, I decided that such cuteness must be shared.  So look for that fashion extravaganza tomorrow.

Okay then, I have set a goal for myself: to become a daily blogger once again--to write from my heart, without any concern about stats or comments or becoming a household name.  To get back to my roots and blog for the sheer joy of it.  Wish me luck!