I started this blog to chronicle my adventures remodeling and redecorating our home.
And one year later, what do I have to show for it?
Sadly, not much.
The kitchen, the entry, the front porch, the powder room – all those projects were completed in the six months leading up to the blog’s launch. In fact, completing those home improvement projects were the impetus behind starting a blog …
Since launching the blog, my son’s room was remodeled. And my master bedroom vaulted ceiling was painted. And that’s where my home improvement projects started …
… and stalled.
Somewhere along the line I got caught up in the whirlwind of blogging. The link parties. The features. The traffic. The social media.
It turned into an obsession that found me killing myself each day. Linking up at too many parties. Visiting hundreds upon hundreds of blogs each week to leave comments in the hopes they might visit me … and comment back. And maybe just maybe decide to sign up for my posts by email … add me to their RSS reader … like my FB page … or follow me on Pinterest … or Twitter …
It was exhausting.
I’m exhausted just typing this. And reading this.
And it came with a price.
A price that has taken its toll on my family. A price that has taken its toll on my home (which is a disaster zone, by the way). A price that has taken its toll on my business. And a price that has taken its toll on my mental health.
So I’m taking myself out of the race. Jumping off this merry-go-round …
… though, quite honestly, it feels more like a Tilt-A-Whirl …
This doesn’t mean I won’t continue to blog. I’m just going to blog, well, much more quietly … and on my terms.
Any and all blog posts or promotions or link ups or blog reading, for that matter, will need to be preceded by the question:
At what price?
Any and all future blog posts need to contribute first and foremost to the bottom line: The improvement of our home … and our life.
Period.
This may be blog suicide. My numbers will surely dip. My comments thread will shrivel up and die.
But that’s a price I’m willing to pay to regain my sanity. And my joy.
P.S. Writing this post has brought me more joy than I’ve felt in weeks. In lifting the burden from my shoulders, freeing my soul, and opening my heart, I’m reminded of why I love to blog …
I am sorry to hear you won’t be blogging so often, as I have enjoyed reading your blog since I found it a few weeks ago. That said, I wish you the best with your decison and respect the fact you are doing what is best for you. Take care and good luck.
I felt this coming, Linda. I applaud you for doing what you know is right for you. I am so happy to have met you, and I too feel caught up in the whirlwind. Hugs and much love to you,
Jessica
Just a suggestion – maybe you should become a life blogger. One who only blogs when you feel like it – when you want to truly share something that makes you happy. You are experiencing burnout. All good bloggers do. A great start is a break of at least a month. Then – only if you feel like it . Don’t pigeon hole yourself only into blogging about renovating your house – it is darn pretty as it is. I will stick around – as I am sure your other followers will 🙂 Take some time for you. When I first started blogging I did it every day and burned out and took my blog down – a year and a half’s work – never to get back. This time round I only blog when I feel like sharing. Much better and now two years later on my second blog it is more like a diary of whatever grabs me.
Oh Kelly!! You have to do what is right for you and your family and we are not going anywhere! 🙂 We will be here to follow along with your journey!! 😉
I read blogs, don’t have one, and don’t want to even attempt it due to my fear of what you just wrote. I’ve “watched” several of the blogs I enjoy turn into something other than what I tuned in to them for, which is typically to see what projects people are working on and figuring out how I might adapt them to my situation. You can actually see how the focus of the blog shifts to accommodate the desire to grow, attract followers, make money, etc. I’m glad you’re jumping off the merry-go-round and I’ll certainly continue to follow you. Congrats, take a deep breath, and hug your Sponsor and the kids!!!
Thanks for sharing your feelings. I totally understand. I’ll still follow you and will happily read any and all posts that you get the time to write.
I love this post! Thank you for being honest, and for staying true to yourself. I personally prefer smaller blogs because I feel the content is better. (not that yours hasn’t been great of course) I will continue to follow, and comment and enjoy the posts I see. Best of luck on your quieter life.
When I first started I felt the same way. My blog is growing at a snails pace but I am okay with it. I am doing it for me. I do the projects around our home that I can and can afford to do. I do not really post about all the kids stuff, recipes and etc. anymore because I do not want that to be what my blog is about. I am working on sticking to why I started doing it in the first place and that is organizing. Good for you on realizing what is most important to you. And by the way, your son’s room is amazing. I never caught that post. Glad I did today!
Linda I could hug you!!! I know how you feel.I have been killing myself to get things done around my home.Not because of my blog but because I want them done!!! In the mean time I am also painting and shopping for my business which also takes up allot of my time.And of course the most important thing my family.So yes I too am falling behind keeping up with my blog my numbers are falling.But I guess that is the way it has to be.I am not a super human.I can only do what I can do.I wish I had an assistant to help but I don’t .And I can’t afford to pay anyone.I want to do this because I like it.And sometimes we need to take a step back.I am still going to blog.But I am not going to make myself upset or stressed because of my numbers 🙂 I will still be here ready to read when you are ready to blog!
xx
Anne
I think this blogger burnout is in the water – I’ve heard of several of my favorite bloggers going through the same thing and I’m taking active steps to immunize myself. 🙂 I like cheapchick’s recommendation to just blog when you want, about whatever you want. I’ll be here as long as you’re blogging, happy to read whatever you want to write about, whenever you want to write it! If there’s anything I can do in the meantime, let me know! I love your blog but I enjoy our little online friendship even more so please don’t disappear for good! 🙂
I can see where you are coming from. I look at some of you ladies are turning out posts so often I don’t see how you can do anything else. I love reading your posts and will continue to follow whenever you have something to post. Dashboard will keep me in formed so I won’t miss what you post. Take a deep breath and enjoy the coming holidays,your home and most importantly your family.
Hi Linda, I can understand where you’re coming from. Just the other day I mentioned to my husband that I might be over this “blog thing.” I stopped doing link parties months ago (and my numbers show it). I’m tired of coordinating home projects with blog posts and trying to get content out 5 days a week. I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished with my home, but when I look at the far that t I’ve been working on it for 9 months, I’ve completed not nearly enough. Blogging takes up a lot of time! I am thankful for all that I’ve learned through blogging and for all of the great people I’ve met, but I’m questioning its true value to me at this point in time. I want to spend more time doing projects and less time talking about them and I want to focus on building my business, all things that take a backseat when blogging is at the forefront. I will certainly continue to read your blog and don’t fault you for taking a step back. I think it’s admirable considering all the success you’ve had. Good luck!
The two of us–skipping off, just like you said. There is nothing more important in life than the happiness (and sanity) of just “keeping it real.” One of the nicest things anyone said about me when I first met her (she, too, has gotten off the Tilt-A-Whirl) was that I was “just like my blog.” I felt like I was getting away from that in my blog. I am taking time to breathe and create and WRITE, which is why I started the blog to begin with! Write what you want, when you want…and enjoy life! (But you must e-mail me regularly or my feelings shall be hurt.)
Linda,
Just wanted to know that I will continue to follow along because you know what??? I understand exactly how you feel!! And you know my take on it, right? I mean you know exactly how often I have new posts up… haha! So my dear, enjoy life, enjoy your family (because the kids won’t always be at home…. yes i too feel the pull of that one), and blog when you want… and ONLY when you want!! I’ll be dropping you a line from time to time to see how you are doing because I must say I do enjoy the correspondence… So enjoy yourself! ENJOY your family! Take care now!
Well Linda, you just gotta do what is right for you. Blogging can certainly be a downward spiral. It is interesting – and challenging – the impact it has on your creativity and your productivity. I can live with you posting less frequently, because I visit (everyone) less frequently than I would like! Stay true to your heart and gut – do what you think is best. I think that you are not necessarily different than a lot of us – who question what the heck we are doing in this (blogging) world. Good luck! I might get to come back to Chicago in December, maybe we can hook up for lunch or coffee.
I hear you and add to the price the guilt I feel that I don’t comment as often as I want on the many lovely blogs I visit. It isn’t humanly possible. My last post was the first in months that I linked-up to other blogs because I know how hard it will be to respond to the email that will be added to my inbox.
I am blogging less and trying to find a good balance. Hope you find just what works for you 🙂
thats what I’m afraid will happen to me. I have a blog and haven’t posted since April 19th. Just remember some of us do read that have nothing to do with linky parties. I have asked myself should I do them and have even tried but I don’t know if I want a following who is only following hoping I will follow back. I guess thats how I found you but thats not why I read. For one, your on my blog roll and two, I have grown interested in what you working on next I’m crafty myself but sometimes I think I work in a bottle you know what I mean. Its nice to draw ideas from other people 🙂
I have been feeling exactly the same way for the last month. The joy has faded for me and I feel tired just thinking about blogging… sigh. But unlike you, smarter woman that you are, my participation has been increasing instead of diminishing. Maybe that is why I’m feeling so overwhelmed. Let me know how things go for you, I may be following suit.
Love ya!
you know how i feel- i am committing blog suicide as well, but i am so much happier NOT looking at numbers, NOT linking to parties, NOT worrying about it. i knew i couldn’t give up blogging entirely because i LOVE my friends i have made way too much and i would miss those connections… but frankly in the grand scheme of things, who cares how much traffic i get? i just need those people i have already connected with and they will stick around. and if they don’t then we weren’t friends like i thought and hoped anyhow. i am still here and will still read and love you for you and your honesty and style, too. and i am glad i am not alone. 🙂 and now i want to hold you hand and sing kumbaya or maybe just high five you. or have some wine with you. whatever it is, i definiteyl feel more emotionally connected to you at this moment than ever before. kumbaya, friend kumbaya. 😉
Linda, girl, I can so relate to this. I think because the internet and social media is so limitless, it is hard to know when to stop. You always feel like you can be doing more, and responding to more comments and tweeting and pinning and before you know it, it is just not fun anymore–and it should be fun. You just take some “Me” time and think about where you want to go from here–we will all be here. 😀
On the one hand I’m sorry to read this because, really, who doesn’t like a good daily dose of Linda?
On the other hand, the people who most deserve a good daily dose of Linda are those kids (who will be gone before we know it) and that sponsor-guy.
So for that reason I am proud of you.
Don’t be a stranger, though, because the one thing you *have* to show for this are a lot of people (beyond the kids and the sponsor) who have really enjoyed getting to know you over the past year.
xox
Elena
I have felt the same way Linda. I found that I had to cut back-I no longer post on weekends-looked at my analytics and only link up to the five or so parties a week that actually bring me traffic, cut down on commenting. And you know what? It helped a ton. And if there’s not a post for a few days, so be it. In the long run your family is the most important thing. I do hope you don’t stop blogging completely as I enjoy reading your blog and loved meeting you ever so briefly at the conference. I say take a break, relax your schedule and hopefully it will bring you joy instead of stress again in the future!
Linda, you are awesome! You are brave to do what so many of us feel like doing so often! The more I blog, the more I wonder how others do it! lol Because I don’t blog every day and I still don’t have time to do what I should be doing!
Someday I’ll start on a new house…..a “fixer”, like I do. That is my true love…..beautifying ugly houses, and when that day comes, I’m not sure how I’ll blog. I think about this often. There truly won’t be the time. I’ve decided that if that day does come, I’ll simply post when I can…..maybe after I’m finished with a new room.
I love what you do, so blog about it when you can….when you need some other DIY nuttos to share it with! I’ll look fwd to seeing what you get to create, with the time that you won’t spend on linky parties! lol
….and thank you. Your bravery helps people like me know it’s ok to put it down and not link every night!
–Katie
You go, Linda! I don’t have anything brilliant to say other than, good for you for following your heart. Isn’t it incredible how quickly this rollercoaster moves? Though exhilarating, getting off is when the calm returns and the world turns right-side up. Good luck with all the projects in your home… BIG HUGS!
I’ll be sad that it won’t be so often, but there has to be a balance….. we are still here for you. Be true to your self and your family and you will be much happier!!!
Hi Linda,
You are exactly where I too find myself. I have decided to just blog when I want about what I want and if I don’t have followers hanging in – it will just be like when I started – it was an outlet for me to document fun things I have done and/or created. My house is a diaster zone of epic proportions mostly because I have chased the next great blog post – so rest assured I will continue to follow you and read what you have to share when you want to share it.
Hugs to you!
Peggy @ The Painted Pear
It IS a crazy Tilt A Whirl — I’m constantly evaluating my time spent online and the toll it takes on my real life. The bottom line is that our families come first. I have a teaching job, too, and that has to factor in as well. And I find myself longing to just plant in the garden, paint a little, and read a good book on my back deck in my “spare” time. This year I’ve prayed a lot for balance and don’t think I’ve gotten there yet. Best of luck on your journey to find it, sweet friend! I’ll look forward to your next post in my inbox — whenever that will be. And stalking your Etsy shop for Christmas gifts. 🙂
xoxo, Heidi
Linda, I totally understand. I love blogging but have had to cut down my posts to three times a week rather than every day. I just felt like it was getting to be too much. I don’t think people realize how much time goes into the blog and link parties etc. It is so nice you can be so honest and candid. Hope you enjoy this weekend with your family x
You’re stuck with me.
We need this type of honesty and realistic expectations. As my Navy husband would say, “Good on ya’!”
Linda, thank you for your bravery. To me you are a hero. You are staying true to your authentic self and clearly you are respecting your priorities. Nothing is worth losing peace of mind, peace of soul, contentment and happiness. In Mary Oliver’s poem “The Journey” a portion reads, “You knew what you had to do, though the wind pried with its stiff fingers at the very foundations–though their melancholy was terrible…the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds, and there was a new voice, which you slowly recognized as your own.” Linda, it’s time to exhale. Take care and be well.
Good for you Linda. I blog to keep my family updated when we travel and I have a hard time fitting that in sometimes. I could never understand how people can blog so often and attract sponsors and link to and host parties and have a life. I’m a subscriber to your blog and I’m not going anywhere.
I’m a reader of blogs, not a blogger, so perhaps my perspective is just a little different. Yours was the first blog I ever read, and it got me hooked. I’ve found that I’ve become more interested in blogs that share their stories, their lives. I’m not so interested in projects anymore. And I’m not at all interested in the link parties. When I open a post and it’s not about that writer, but rather the link party thing, I’m out of there and don’t read a word. Readers are like bloggers in that we’re all busy women and don’t have a lot of free time. So, I admire what you’re doing and, as a reader, I’ll enjoy your blog when you have time to write your story.
Best,
Karen
The best thing I NEVER read was info on numbers, on traffic, on how often I’m *suppose* to post. By the time I did read that stuff and found out I was doing it all *wrong* I was pretty content to be a rebel because that was what worked for me. I knew I was in trouble with the blogging stuff one day when I had to clean my totally messy house….. and I enjoyed it!
You know there are lots of us who understand this post, and we’re here when you are no matter when that may be. I’ll bring the cheese to go with Cassie wine.
Bliss
I don’t know or care about blogging metrics, but I’m confident that if you post what you love when you feel happy and expansive about it, your people will find you. I started reading you when I stumbled upon one of your house projects, and THAT is why I subscribe. I don’t care if I get your blog in my inbox every day, or once a week, or only when you’ve completed one of your beautiful home updates. I can only speak from my experience, but to be honest, I get grumbly about linky-parties and cannot delete them fast enough. You won’t be able to count on me for many comments (this is my first ever for any blog), but you have my wholehearted “Hurray!” for your decision, and I will look forward to your posts with more eager anticipation knowing that they will be coming from your heart, not from your need to “get in” with the cool kids of social media. I’m pretty sure when you love what you’re posting, we will all love it, too. Woot-woot for you!
I completely agree with Bliss. I don’t pay much attention to the numbers surrounding my blog, either. I post when i want, what I want. I make no money at it and I’m okay with that. I only want followers that really like and “get” what I do. At first I thought I was doing it all “wrong”, too.
It’s your blog, I say do it YOUR way and you’ll be happier. Maybe not richer or more blog “popular”, but you’ll be happier!
I applaud your decision – even if it means less posts for me to enjoy. You MUST put your sanity and your family first. 10 years ago blogs didn’t even exist and we still accomplished things and our families were grateful for it. Go enjoy life and please check in once in a while! Dawn
I’ve been wondering if I should write a post like that for a while to explain why I didn’t post that much last year. I hate the competition that can exist among some blogs. I felt I was not up to the level they wanted us to have… I felt quite miserable with my very slow, very modest small house renovation and I stoped posting, partying, commenting… I’m back this year but at my very own pace: I post whenever I have time, I party whenever it’s raining outside and I have nothing else to do! I visit other blogs (like yours) over tea every morning, but if I’m in a hurry, I just miss some posts, so what? I only have 10 suscribers and I’m perfectly happy with it! Enjoy your new blogging-way-of-life, I sure enjoy mine!
I really appreciate you posting this, Linda. It made for some great conversation at our house this morning, as we continue to wrestle with questions about how to make a good home/life. We both need creative work to be happy and healthy individuals. Finding balance among all the creative things we want to do (and the things we have to do) is harder than holding onto Warrior 3 in my yoga class! (Yeah, yoga would be one of those “have to do” things.)
I’m sorry to hear that you won’t be blogging as much. I love to read post about what you are doing. I’m the type that doesn’t comment very offen, but love to hear about what is going on. Personally I’d rather hear about what is being done on a blog then having all that other stuff you were talking about. Good luck with whatever you are doing 🙂
Okay, Linda, I feel better about my decision to stop blogging over a year ago. Actually, it wasn’t a conscious decision. My mom was visiting for a tea party/baby shower for my first grandchild and I didn’t want to be plugged in to my computer while she was here. Then I realized that I and my guests had enjoyed the party and that was enough for me. I do think about blogging again on my own terms [do I want to share a recipe/my garden/a day with hubby today?] cuz I really enjoyed the connection with other bloggers. But for now I’m happy to visit and leave an occasional comment.
Enough about me. Listen to your heart. Love your husband and kids. You never know how long you or they will be around. blessings, k
Girl, I only just found you this minute as I’m looking for board and batten ideas and paint colour on Google. I just had to comment. I have a craft blog and about a year ago I gave up caring if anyone visits my blog. I post once a week and its perfectly at my pace. I pretty much don’t even read blogs anymore. It’s quite freeing to have control of your life and not care about who is reading or visiting. So the big question is……do I paint my laundry room charcoal above the board and batten? Lol. I love the charcoal!
Good for you, I dropped out in March & still havent gone back, we will see!
Enjoy getting your life back, Im sure you will!
Taking care of yourself, your family, your home have to be first. I had great plans when I started blogging after months of reading, but I cannot physically do it. I have too many health limitations. I’ve gone to exactly one blog party because the hostess provided exact code for WP. I have a lot of projects I’ve made that haven’t even made it to my own blog because I forget to photo or forget to put into computer, or whatever.I enjoy the parties, but have found myself skimming or skipping some because I can only look at the same crafts so many times, ya know? I thoroughly enjoy your blog style, writing and project/products so I’ll be here when you post. Good for you!!!!
You go girl. Hats off to you! I have done the same!! Welcome to real life!
Linda, good for you….I have always wondered how exhausting doing a blog must be. I am not computer savvy enough to do one. I know how hard it is for me to take pictures of my before and afters never mind getting them on the computer…and then to write about it..and so on. You need to take care of you and yours first and foremost. I will wait for your next post.
j.
How great of you to admit this. I don’t have a blog but follow several. It all started with me wanting to learn how to use Annie Sloan chalk paint. I was hooked and started following faithfully so many blogs. So many of these blogs have turned into something I don’t want to be no part of. They say they are stay at home moms but I think what that means is their children are parked in front of the TVs while they search the Internet all day. I think it means the vingett they post looks great but the rest of the house is a mess…..and the worst of all is how some of these great blogs have turned into nothing more than a money making venture. They are trying to sell us something every day instead of teaching and inspiring us. Good luck to you. I will continue to follow. It is about time someone gets honest about their blog!!!!
You Rock Linda! I think lots of us out here go through this at some point. Yes, the numbers drop when you don’t post as often. BUT – it’s just a number! I’ve quit being so obsessed over seeing those number grow. yes, I still like to look at my stats – it’s fun to see where the traffic comes from when it does pop up for some reason. If I really don’t feel like blogging I don’t. I even missed my Sunday post this week – and I really didn’t want to miss one. But I didn’t have the energy to do it because of other stuff going on and I decided I just didn’t care – it wasn’t important enough. Your family definitly needs to come first – I still have some work to do in that area – I like blogging and sometimes I do still put it ahead of doing something my kids want me to do with them. I support your decision and since I follow you by email I’ll still be coming over every time you pop up in my inbox! God Bless you and your family!
What an incredibly brave post to write and to share. You have always been a bright spot for me with your blog and your thoughtful comments, your support and your friendship. I am sorry that the joy you have brought to all of us has come at a high cost. Yes, the hopes to grow a blog and link up and get featured and make your presence known in the world of blogging IS exhausting. We all feel it and now because of you, your bravery and your honesty, we can all admit it, maybe, in turn, we can all slow down and embrace the life that is before us and remember that blogging should just be for the simple pleasure of it. I am glad you feel as if you have found a bit of happiness, a return to life as you once knew it. I followed you before and I’ll continue to follow you on your journey, not because you have been featured, not because you have giveaways, not because you have link parties…simply because I adore you. I love reading what you have to write, your perspective, the way you weave your words together. So, I’ll remain a follower and a friend no matter when you find yourself free to blog.
Can I join your support team and you sure do have one. So proud of you as another human being, Mom, woman, etc.
I make alot of things I see on blogs, I’ve been so inspired by all I see, but ….I didn’t want to have my own blog. I know myself only too well. I spend way too much time reading all the wonderful blogs I’ve signed up for but I have the time and the interaction has been good for me. I love seeing what you gals do, hearing about your lives, your children.
When my kids were young I was the Mom that didn’t have my kids in everything that came along for them to join. I worked full time with 4 kids, being me that was all I could handle, I got alot of flack for not being willing to run constantly, but that’s ok, to each his/her own. We couldn’t afford for the kids to be on teams, etc. We thought it was more important for us to go to the beach or camping or whatever else on the weekend as a family, have fun, relax. In the summer if I wasn’t working I’d take a truck full of the kids and their friends to the beach and we had such a good time. After our kids grew up, we hung out with them and alot of their friends at our kids houses. at the beach, at the river. Those “kids” were always telling us how much they wished their parents would do what we did. That meant so much to us.
I’m not faulting other Mothers that choose to run their kids here and there, it just wasn’t for me and I knew it. It’s not easy to be yourself when the pressure is there to run, do constantly. Only you know what kind of Mother and wife you can be and what’s best for your family.
You still have a husband who needs you also and wants to be with you. You need to keep that relationship going so when those kids grow up you still have feelings for each other, something to talk about, do together. You can’t do all that and be whom you need to be and what your family needs from you. Maybe some women can but if we’re honest, can we? With kind of quality for anybody?
Since I’ve been reading blogs I’ve learned so much about young women now. It’s been wonderful to see so many of you crafting, rehabing furniture, sewing, having b/d parties, fixing up your homes.
We only have one life and it’s our right to decide how we want to live it.
I’ve met” so many warm,nice giving, friendly young women and very talented. From what I’d seen before blogland alot of that kind of thing had gone by the wayside for doing all the other “stuff”. I’ve so enjoyed the friendships with alot of you. Just cause I’m older (72) doesn’t mean I can’t learn from you gals and I sure have. I learned so much from my own kids. I’d marvel at them, how do they know all this?
Good for you Linda. I”m so glad to see so many others giving you support for your decision. Maybe you’ll want to have an income producing blog later on when your kids are grown up more. Only you can know what’s best. It’s so easy to get caught up in the craziness and feel like you “have” to do this or that.
Good luck and I’ll look forward to receiving your blog when you can post one. We’re still here and we’re each other’s cheering sections.Forgive me for being too windy.
Linda I read this the other day and now I’m back to comment. When I became “addicted” to blogging and making projects and it was taking too much time out of my life, I also made this decision. At What Price is the perfect title for this post. Yes, I can do it all and yes I can fit it all in but at what price? I have also made the decision not to do any more sponsor posts, not to build or create projects just for my blog… As of December 1st I will be out of saved posts… and I also will only be posting when the inspiration hits! Thank you for writing about what I was thinking.
Susan
YES!! That’s such a good philosophy. Cheers to doing it all on our own terms. 🙂
No one will fault you for setting priorities. Personally, I will miss your regular witty posts, but as a mom with grown children who probably tried to do too much, I commend you for recognizing the limits one person can accomplish.
Good luck!
Step back, regroup and focus on what you want. After all, if we don’t have fulfilled lives, what do we have to blog about? Looking forward to seeing some more of your fabulous room renos – you go girl! Here’s to doing what inspires you!
Kelly
You will be so much happier! After taking the summer “off” from commenting and visiting 100’s of blogs a day, i just never went back. Now I read the blogs I actually like (like yours:) on my reader, only occasionally comment, and just have fun with my own blog. My kids actually get to play with me, the baby learned how to crawl and now I can keep an eye on her, not just the computer, and my husband is a million times happier that every day isn’t a link party at 5pm so we don’t have any dinner:)
Plus, don’t forget your Etsy shop, which is rocking and rolling!
Jessica
Good for you! You will be much happier on these terms…trust me, I’ve been there. It’s so much better to live, than to live to blog 🙂
XO
I just recently discovered your blog, as I just recently started blogging as well. I completely understand what you are saying. In the past three months (of me trying to be ‘serious’ about this blogging thing), I have so many stolen moments with my children and my husband. I really want to pursue this blogging thing to potentially have a modest income and help me ‘get it all done’, but I worry about the toll it will take on me and my family. Thank you for sharing this honest approach. I was tickled to find your blog, as my motto is very much similar to your ‘It all started with paint’. I am sad to hear that you won’t be updating so often, but am happy to know that you are at peace with your REAL life. Good luck to you. I look forward to future posts.
Kudos to you Linda. Go make your home and life beautiful and share what you want! Take care, laura
I started following your blog because of your “blogging is ruining my life” post. So you posting when you can certainly won’t throw me. It was so helpful to me to see where all this had taken you and to know that I needed to figure out what I wanted before things got super involved. I am so glad to hear that you are taking space again to live your life. It took me a while to scroll down far enough to leave a comment, so apparently all your blogging mayhem has at least generated you about a billion new friends. I think you will be glad you worked so hard here in the blogosphere, and will be glad when you get back to your real life. Cheers for good choices.
I’ll keep this short, my blogging friend. Here’s the bottom line for me. My family and sanity are top priority. With that said, I have defined the one thing I want to do with my blog. It’s short and simple. I only write when I’m able to meet the one objective I’ve set for my blog. What does that mean? Well, one post per week. Lots of projects that I’ve completed that are waiting to make it to a post. But that’s okay. Have fun and do what you love. Barb Blair with Knack Studios inspired me to grow my biz slowly so that it synchronizes with my personal life and doesn’t sap the life out of it. Have a great day.
What a thought provoking post! Really everything we do in life should be measured by the yardstick “At What Cost”. I’m sure those words will be running through my mind as I’m up at midnight trying to keep up with all my favorite blogs. The important thing is to make sure we get what we pay for with our time. You will always be a huge inspiration to me, whether you blog everyday or once a month!
All the best!
~Lynn
Linda..you have the perfect attitude…When you come to the “twilight” of your life…you will think about the memories of home and family…not blogging…Your message is one for all of us to ponder…I blog for “fun”…I am so happy that I have come to know so many wonderful people such as you…and this is what it is all about…the friendships and sharing..and most of all caring…I will always be here looking forward to what you are up to…!…You certainly have your priorities in order Linda!!!…
You are putting first things first and knowing what is important – family. Good for you. I think lots of us (me included) could do a little more active parenting and house cleaning, and less blogging/pinteresting/facebooking…..
Yes, I completely get you. I blog once a week and comment on the bloggers who I regularly enjoy and can genuinely relate to. My pride would prefer that I were more popular in the blogosphere, but really I blog for me and the few people interested in my home life who I don’t get to talk to in real life as often as I want to. So I’m ok with the blog as a tool for communicating, keeping projects moving a bit and knowing I do have a few readers who love me 🙂 I think that’s a fine reason to keep blogging.