How do you define blogging?
The blogging world is an interesting one. There are people who blog for the pure joy of it all, who love to have their words pouring out of them and have everyone possible read them. There are people who blog because they love the idea of sharing their thoughts on products, and want to do reviews and giveaways and have that be their focus. There are people who use their blog as a platform to launch into other things- a project, a business, a career.
When I started blogging years ago, I thought it was fun. I loved sharing the sometimes random ramblings of being a wife and mother, my thoughts on the latest playgroups and what it meant to me to be a mom. I loved the sense of community, the people I connected with, and the sheer fun of tweeting into the wee hours of the morning.
Until I took a job in this space. Then, that position turned into more, and then more after that, and then even more. At that point, I learned the difference between being a blogger who works on their blog, and a blogger who works. This position changed my life, and nothing has quite been the same since.
Eventually, my role evolved and I moved on to some other roles. I made adjustments to fit my family, to fit my skills, to fit me. I put in countless hours of work, gave up many hours of sleep, and dedicated myself to finding my path.
This past year, my business partner and I launched our own firm. We have worked harder than I have ever thought possible, and the collective work we had been doing for years finally started to pay off. We are pursuing bigger projects, working on some great things, and what started as a hobby is turning into a career.
Which brings me back to my blog. I love my blog. I still try to make time for my blog, for visiting others, to tweet just for the simple joy of it. But no longer does work mean working on my blog. Work means a full time company with full time clients, with deadlines to reach and goals to meet. Blogging has evolved from my focus to my platform.
On the other hand, my blog is still my space. It is still here, waiting for me. I may not be around as much as I once was, but that place of fun and space to write out what I think still sits here. The people I love to read and connect with are still out there- and sometimes still come here. The connections that evolve from blogging go so far beyond the screen- they really can change your life. As I have navigated through this space and watched others do the same, I am starting to realize just how precious that is. At the end of the day, when I’m done working a full day and spending time with my kids, I can still come here and just write what I feel I have to say. No matter how inadequate I feel, or how out of any great league I think my blog may be, or how much I think I need to improve. (Um, which is a lot).
Blogging is many different things to many different people. But when you have a true love of blogging, at the core of it all, it is something that remains true while the rest of the blogging world evolves. Because no matter what changes may come, it is still YOUR space.
And there’s not much more valuable than that.
Welcome to My Front Porch Swing! I'm Ashley, a Georgia Mom of 2. I work from home running social media promotions, particularly representing small businesses. You can almost always find me on Twitter and devouring as much about Social Media as I can. Follow along as I navigate life as a work at home mom and wife while striving to find a balance. Note the word "striving"
