Control is a funny thing. We all seek it out in different aspects of our lives, and it’s the first thing we claim to have none of. I’m the first person to agree that we have little control over most aspects of our lives. I’ve seen this lesson play true time and time again as I make plans for one thing, and an entirely different life event happens.
One of the few areas in our lives that we have some control over is our free time. For the past few months since I started a new job, I’ve been spending my free time (the weekends) rushing through errands and spending 8-12 hours of time to catch up on blogging.
After another hectic weekend like this, my boyfriend asked if I enjoyed spending my weekends this way. “Well, no… not at all. I just have to do it,” I explained.
{ image source }
His raised eyebrow told me he wasn’t buying the line, and it forced me to take a step back and really look at how I was spending my free time.
Don’t get me wrong, I love blogging. I have made some connections through blogging that mean more to me than I can say. I’ve met kindred hearts and like-minded people from around the globe… people who I might not ever have had the chance to meet otherwise.
With that said, since starting a new job and opening up a small shop, I’ve quickly realized my plate is overflowing and my happiness is suffering because of it. (Also, you should see my poor pets – holy moly, do they act up while I’m staring mindlessly at a computer screen all day instead of outside enjoying time with them!)
And in honor of keeping life simple, if it doesn’t make you happy… stop.
{ image source }
By stopping, I don’t mean I’m ending my blog or my shop, it just means it’s time for change. I’ve seen the numbers dwindling here over the past few months with fewer returned visits, fewer comments, and less interaction; I honestly believe this is because I am forcing myself to make a presence on my blog even when I have nothing to say / add to someone’s day.
I don’t want to write forced content as much as y’all don’t want to read it. And even if change can be frightening (Will I lose the readers/connections I have left? Will my blog become a ghost town?), it’s so necessary at times for happiness.
A few of the changes I’ll be making:
♥ I am not going to promise 3 posts a week anymore. What I will promise is a post at least once a week filled with real words, emotions, and something to connect with.
♥ I’m cancelling Passion Fruit Ads; in other words, I will not be offering sponsorship on my blog anymore. I will always be open to ad swaps, though!
♥ This week I’ll be sharing a Small Shops, Big Hearts holiday gift guide and I have the (overdue) November post to publish, but after that I’m ending the feature. It’s been an amazing ride over the past 6 months and I’ll miss it!
Now after I’ve typed far too many words all about a few small changes, I hope you’re still reading. The most important message has yet to be said: Thank you. Thank you for sticking around while this blog went from career girl rants to aspiring farmer posts. Thank you for supporting me through two different blogs and continuing to show up with friendly words and comfort that warms my heart.
And most importantly, thank you for sticking around through long-winded posts like this that really could have been summed up with a paragraph. You get an A for dedication and determination.
How do you handle changes?
How have you changed your blogging over the years?
