Life Beyond Blogging

Hello each and everyone of you who takes time to stop and read this post. I really appreciate you.

I have had something of a writer’s block recently, that coupled with a post I recently read on teta lizza has prompted me to write this post.

There are no food recipes. Sorry. Hopefully though, there will be some tips to help all bloggers? There really is Life Beyond Blogging!

Let me explain.

I started this blog over a year ago as a way to document recipes I try, or create and also to let off steam about the various health issues I face – it’s here if you want to read about it!!

I have loved every minute of blogging. The challenge of creating, then documenting my bakes and recipes.

I never, ever expected anyone to read this blog. Yet the sense of accomplishment I feel, when someone leaves a comment, well it is literally ridiculous.

It blows me away every time. Although encouraging others is what I set out to do, I never believed it would actually happen.

Sometimes though, this past week being an example, a combination of life, health, writer’s block gets in the way of me posting as regularly as I’d like. Oh and the odd hospital stay!

Nobody has absolute control over their life. Stuff happens – life happens. We all have a Life Beyond Blogging.

And it’s ok to take a breather. It really is.

When I was hospitalised for 2 weeks over Easter, because my body started having seizures (yeah thanks for that body!), I lost all control of my life.

I couldn’t see my family first thing in the morning, I’d be wiped out for hours whilst my body jerked and jolted about, I even had to tell a nurse when I needed to pee!!

As for blogging, I just couldn’t. I was (am) struggling to come to terms with what the heck was going on with my body and I’m sorry, but blogging about what I was going through wasn’t even on my radar.

And do you know what? That’s ok.

Life happens.

We get sick, work goes mental, family circumstances change AND a gazillion other things happen and we can’t always bake/review/photograph the sunset – you get my drift?

We a have a Life Beyond Blogging and that’s exactly how it should be.

I know for professional bloggers – those who make a living from their blog, that this can be different, but I don’t think any blog should become all consuming.

If our entire focus is on capturing moments via our iPhones, are we actually living, present in that moment? Or will we have missed it and just have a photograph/video as a memory?

Kind of like going to a concert and watching the whole thing through your phone, so you can record it. Doesn’t that lessen the experience and point of going to the concert in the first place?

I enjoy my blog A LOT! But sometimes it’s good to step away, through choice or because of circumstances. If it becomes a burden then I know for me, it’s time to look at my priorities.

That doesn’t mean not being committed to blogging, rather, that balance is important in all aspects of our life.

I haven’t written a ‘personal’ blog for a while. This has definitely got the words flowing again.

My advice to me and you – hey we’re in this together, is, when your blog becomes a source of persistent stress, stop. Just for a moment and give yourself a break. Remind yourself of why you started blogging in the first place. Then if necessary take steps to make blogging fun and enjoyable again.

Maybe reduce your posts per week, take a complete break until you have something you absolutely must write, like in the beginning of blogging, where your chest/head – relevant body part, would explode if you didn’t get it written down and posted.

I’ve read so many, too many blogs recently, that start with an apology for not having posted for a while. It makes me feel sad. Most bloggers understand the difficulties of keeping up with a regular blogging schedule.

Cut yourself some slack. Don’t beat yourself up because you haven’t posted in a while. Live a little and take time out to laugh. Enjoy yourself!

There is Life Beyond Blogging and if we forget that, our blogs will be shallow reflections of a life not lived!

This post has helped me, I hope it helps you?

Sammie xx