While starting this blog has been the best thing I’ve ever done, blogging really isn’t like a ‘normal’ hobby or career. It’s all consuming and never ending. Blogging can often be perceived as a perfect luxury lifestyle full of shiny new things and none stop fun. And it can be. But it can also be really hard work, lots of late nights and not having enough hours in the day to do everything you need to. When we start blogging we do it because we love it. We blog because we want to, not because we feel pressure to provide new and engaging content for our hundreds, thousands or millions of readers, or to please PR’s. But quite quickly blogging can become all consuming and almost like an addiction. And I find that when I’m going through a low point with blogging I feel intense pressure to start liking it again. Social media is a noisy world and being part of the amazing blogging community means you’re surround by people who are experiencing highs with their blogs – so the pressure is there to love it if you currently aren’t. So here a three reasons why it’s perfectly normal to not love blogging all the time:
There will always be highs and lows
Like anything in life, there will be times when you absolutely love something and times when you don’t – that’s perfectly normal. As long as the highs outweigh the lows then you’re on the right track. If they don’t then maybe think about taking a break? I find I start to not love blogging when I put myself under too much pressure and for me taking a break always helps to reignite the passion for blogging
The haters will always hate
As bloggers we’ve all been there, you’ve put up a great piece of content that you’re really proud of and then along comes a troll to try and ruin your day. And it;s so easy to let that person win and ruin your day and make you doubt yourself in your ability as a blogger. But you can’t! The haters will always hate and you just have to rise above it and just ban or block them from your feed so you can’t see anymore of their negativity.
It’s OK to say no
Although it might not seem like it sometimes, the only person who has control of your blog is you. And while it’s incredibly exciting when a PR gets in contact about working with you things can get out of control quite quickly and before you know it you’ve agreed to feature a post on bins, or sheds or something else that has no relevance to your blog. It might seem a little taboo but it’s OK to say no to projects or collaborations that don’t work for you. After all, by you saying no, you’re given the PR a chance to present the opportunity to someone else who might appreciate it more.
Do you think it’s OK to not love blogging all the time?
Absolutely think it is o.k not to like blogging all the time. Im the same as you when it gets intense at home i ease the brakes on with my blog. I also find that doing my blog helps me to focus on something else and also makes me feel relaxed too!! Its a constant balance. Xx
http://Www.naybeautymua.com
It really does feel like a constant balance – well said x
I completely agree, I actually think it’s almost unreasonable to expect someone to love blogging (or anything for that matter) all of the time.- it’s just not realistic. I also think it’s absolutely fine to say no to things, when it comes down to it with PR situations I feel like you just have to do what feels right to you and trust your gut.
Good advice! x
Really great post. I totally agree with a lot of your posts. I got an invite to a hardwood floor press day last week haha. Blogging is a strange old world, but I think everyone has a little bit of a love hate relationship with it x
Thank you x
Great post! I agree, I got asked to write about wedding dresses and my blog is more towards food and travel. I had to say no but it was definitely a learning experience communicating with the PR of the company.
Thank you x
I totally agree with this post, especially with regards to PR, I was once sucked into a PR nightmare and I’ve been really careful and guarded ever since.
Rosy | Sparkles of Light Blogr
Oh no, that’s not good, working with PRs can be tough sometimes x
Incredible post, I agree with everything here! I blog solely as a hobby as I work full time and it’s amazing how much my blog consumes my life!
Stephanie xxxx
Thank you lovely! It is all consuming but I wouldn’t have it any other way! x
Hi Stephanie, how are you? A great read, sometime it good to step away from blogging – however it my lively hood so it harder for me to step away.
http://www.annanuttall.com
Thank you, relying on blogging as your livelihood must be hard to walk away from it at times! x
I totally agree with everything you wrote in this post! I work full time so blogging can easily take up all of my spare time so I definitely go through waves of loving/ hating it. I think its normal and healthy to!
It is normal! Thank you x
I absolutely do, it can just be too much sometimes you know? And there’s always a little bit of guilt because whatever soarw time you do have you know you could put it towards your blog but really you just want to watch your favourite reality show with some popcorn. Great post, love your blog x
ALittleKiran | Bloglovin
Thank you x
I agree with the other comment that you can’t be expected to love something all of the time even if you love it most of the time. Highs and lows are perfectly normal. We’re only human after all. 🙂
Beauty Isles
My Mommy Years
That’s true, thanks for commenting x
Hi Stephanie!
I think that it’s great that you’ve brought this up – it needs to be talked about!
To be honest, even though I quit my 9-5 to focus full time on my blog and on my social media managing company, I really DON’T love blogging all the time. It’s super competitive, shallow, and frankly, I’m kind of sick of seeing the same boring photos of mugs on marble over and over and over again.
BUT, the great thing about having a blog is that you have the ability to CHANGE all that (or at least what you can). Yes, if someone is going to be a troll they’re going to be a troll, but it’s YOUR creative piece of the internet and I think that’s pretty dang cool ;).
x
It is cool! Thanks for commenting x
“I really DON’T love blogging all the time. It’s super competitive, shallow, and frankly, I’m kind of sick of seeing the same boring photos of mugs on marble over and over and over again.”
How I sympathise, which added a whole new level of pressure about how I manage my blog to be stubbornly different. Sometimes I’m just entirely uninspired and tired.
Hi Stephanie,
Nail on the head! Sometimes blogging feels like homework, and when that happens, I step away for a while.
You’re right about PR companies – they’re very hit and miss. I find the the smaller ones want their piece up immediately before you’ve even had the chance to test the product, and the big ones get very antsy i.e. you’re dropped like a stone, if you post something negative. We can’t love everything!
The ‘big’ blogs are very cliquey, which would be OK if they didn’t all post exactly the same thing – at the same time.
I find it hilarious to watch a vlog and see the other vloggers filming in the background. That happened in a really nice restaurant last year, 3 very well known bloggers, each filming their ‘segment’ around the table.
I like blogging, but it’s not my livelihood – I really feel for those trying to compete and keep their blog fresh. I’m also amazed how clever and technical bloggers are, there are some beautiful looking blogs around.
Great post! X
I agree — there will always be highs and lows. It’s part of life, not just blogging. At the same time, it makes working on projects you’ve worked on even more valuable and rewarding.
Abby | Life in the Fash Lane
Yes, blogging can become tiresome. I have been blogging consistently for nearly two.years yet still feel new to the scene.
Joining twitter opened my eyes to just how invisible my blog is. There are lots of cliques and groups of established bloggers who seem to only connect at this level – fine if you are part of this. Not fine if you are on the outside.
For now I will continue to improve my blog and connect to the followers and readers I have. I only post once a week – anymore and it will feel like a chore.