The realignment of my blog universe
There has been a slight wobble in my planetary axis this past week; we shall call it the flu. First bout with flu in years and it really knocked me, shall we say… out of orbit.
Not H1N1 thankfully. Although I will never know for sure because I didn’t get sick enough to have the luxury of having a swab stuck up my nose to name this bug. A fever of 102 kept me pretty much on my back and yes, on my arse in front of the computer too.
I ended up spending more time on Twitter because there I didn’t really have to think. I had no real energy to read or write and so this post has been simmering while my blog has been at rest.
Funnily enough, this wobble of my axis has come at the same time as a planetary realignment in my own life. I’ve been resisting this for a while, feeling too comfortable basking in the warm glow of blogging. Didn’t want to let go of my self-perceived sense of STARdom.
The big blog bang
The big blog bang — say THAT 10 times! :-)
Blogging had become the centre of my universe and everything else forgotten or given less attention to — in the dark — eclipsed (had to sneak that one in there). Juggling blogging with running two businesses became my life. In hindsight, this gradually squeezed the life out of me.
My circle grew in the sense that I had more connections, but yet my life grew smaller. The blogging cycle became a merry go round that was spinning at a dizzying speed.
In my personal experience, it became harder to be creative and come up with new ideas to write about — because I didn’t have a life outside of blogging.
I think that’s why so many bloggers find other bloggers are writing about the same things. The fun and creativity is lost or smothered by self-imposed pressures of obligation. The inner critic has a wonderful time with this, distracting you, knocking around your ASSteroid Belt.
And so, I have decided to shift my focus and spend less time blogging and re-prioritize my life. The Starship Davina is returning to Earth.
I’m going to go back to a yoga class, dust the cobwebs off my cookbooks and join a hiking group. And maybe… I’ll even read a book.
I won’t be posting to a regular schedule but I will still be posting when I feel inspired, and I’ll still be orbiting around to read my favourite blogs. And if you’re on Twitter, I’ll see you there too.
And now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to make some tomato and wild rice soup. Lots of fibre, lycopene, and vitamin B and C for this healing body of mine. You can add shrimp to make a real meal out of it — delicious!
Photo Credit: Hellobird
Can you say Big Blog Bang 10 times fast? ;-)
Evita
Hilary
Joy
Linda
Megan "JoyGirl!" ...
Patricia
Tess The Bold Life
Tony Single
vered
{ 23 comments }
Makes a whole lot of sense, and I bet you’ll have more writing ideas than ever as a result :-)
Enjoy hanging around on mother earth, see you on twitter soon!
Bravo! It’s exactly what I think and exactly what I’m doing—except for the yoga class, hiking group, and tomato soup. Kidding. ;) Seriously, every single thing you said struck a chord, because I’ve found the same true for me: as my online life expanded, my tangible life faded so far into the background, and I didn’t have anything to show for the sacrifice. …not even any posts! Just a whole lot of wheel-spinning. The more time I spent online, the drier my thoughts became. It all came to a head when I realized I was starting to wonder what I’d “miss” if I wasn’t checking things 20 times a day. Good grief. Then when my nearest and dearest friend announced her family’s move to another state, this made me realize how much life I had been forfeiting for the broader scope of the online world. What a wake-up call! It IS exactly as you described it: my circle grew, but my life grew smaller. That’s not a good trade-off. Thank you for putting into words what I’ve not been able. Love you!
.-= Julie´s last blog ..More in Love Than Usual: Celebrating Fall =-.
You’ve captured one phase many bloggers go through and which I fell into, as you know. All things good will come of this! Just throw up a few of those healthy recipes now and again, perhaps even with a yummy photo, OK?
(Cobwebs? Guess that spider spoke a lot to you on your trip!)
I agree with Friar – this is how it’s supposed to be, if not for all the “professional blogging” blogs advising us to post on a schedule.
You’re in my reader so I’ll know when you post. Enjoy that soup and feel better!
.-= vered | blogger for hire´s last blog ..Stupid Beauty Trends =-.
Hi Joanna.
I think you’re right. I already feel more relaxed and almost feel like writing again :-) See you on Twitter!
Hi Julie.
I remember an email from not all that long ago where you said this SO well. You could make a post out of that email Julie. “The more time I spent online, the drier my thoughts became.” Yes, how true that is. The thing with blogging is that it’s right at our fingertips and our curiosity gets the better of us… whether it involves the latest conversations on Twitter or newest blog post, or our stats. You are where you’ve chosen to be… you’ve got the power :-) Hugs!
Hi Friar.
Nope! That wasn’t how it was “supposed to work” — not in the beginning anyway. I was bound and determined to “MAKE IT WORK” the way I thought it “should” work, and the way I read that it should work. Live and learn. We need to make our own rules and sometimes a person has to take a drive down a certain path to find out what works. I couldn’t agree with you more — I do have a feeling I will write more now. And so it will begin again… Lord help me! :-)
Hi Lori.
I remember when you eased off blogging and look where you are now! :-) Your’s is one of the books that I’ve been meaning to read AND review for a long time now. “All things good will come of this” — I believe that.
Hi Vered.
Let’s start a blog revolution! :-) I’m about 75% better today thanks, and hopefully the soup will pump me full of the vitamins and energy I need to get over that hump. Even snuck a piece of chocolate-covered ginger this aft.
Sounds good. I don’t do Twitter, but your blog is in my reader.
Reading –I started reading books regularly several long moths ago and I’m now reading at least a couple a week. While I’m still managing to blog, it’s not the obsession it once was.
Glad you’re feeling better.
.-= Mike Goad´s last blog ..Temporary Post Used For Theme Detection (6f32e197-67bd-40a2-972a-a28c6f5e0f0b – 3bfe001a-32de-4114-a6b4-4005b770f6d7) =-.
Hi Davina – Like you, I no longer post regularly. As you say, if you don’t have time to have a life, you run out of things to blog about. I hope you’re feeling heaps better soon.
Sorry you got the flu, whatever sort. It’s no fun. I agree with Cath. Looks like we’re all going to slow down blogging and live! And recharge. Yoga and hiking both sound good. Weather permitting, I’ve been doing some walking. Not up to hiking yet.
Hi Davina,
Know that you’ll be missed here but I’ll see you on Twitter. I hope that hiking group prepares you for the Grand Canyon hike because I’m still training for it.
Can’t wait to have some of your soup so pass on the recipe please!
.-= Tess The Bold Life´s last blog ..They Said She Couldn’t…She Did It Anyway =-.
Hey! get better and better – and lots of hot soup yes indeedy…
I like your thinking and have been trying to assess what I am going to do after I get the UNICEF project finished…The book is written now I am learning the technical stuff – slowly…
I will be watching for your posts in my reader and glad to know you are still on twitter… sending hugs and some good hot tea! (or Scotch!)
.-= patricia´s last blog ..Food as a Spiritual Practice =-.
Hi Mike.
Good for you — I really miss reading books. I tend to think we absorb more from reading a book than we do reading online. There are too many links to click online that offer distractions. I think we also appreciate the content in a book more than we do online.
Hi Cath.
Thanks. I’m almost back to normal now. I agree with you completely — life feeds the blogging and not the other way around. I’m off to read your blog shortly… I see you’ve written more about your son. Hoping he’s still on the mend.
Hi Dot.
That’s great that you’ve been out walking. It’s a great way to relieve stress and calm your mind — which, in most cases, is usually the cause of the stress :-) It’s pretty much my favourite form of exercise.
Hi Tess.
Oh good. If you keep training you might be able to carry me through the Grand Canyon :-) Though I do intend on doing some training of my own. Yoga starts in the next week or so when I’m recovered. See you on Twitter.
Hi Patricia.
Thanks. I’ve been eating tons of soup and have had a huge appetite for fish the last two nights. I would have liked to have been more supportive to your ebook efforts Patricia… I’m glad you are making progress. Can’t wait to see the finished product. Yes Scotch… or an Irish coffee would have been good :-)
Hi Davina,
I sure hope you’re feeling better. I haven’t been on Twitter recently so have missed tweeting with you.
I remember someone once saying in a comment on my blog, “I have a blog, but it doesn’t have me”. (unfortunately I don’t remember who said it). I thought that was a great way of putting it. Blogging is suppose to be fun and not feel like a chore. And you’re right, when we get to the point where it feels like it’s taking over our life, it’s time to reassess the situation and reset our priorities.
I know where to find you, so I’ll be seeing you again soon. In the meantime, concentrate on getting better so you can enjoy your new endeavors.
(((hugs)))
.-= Barbara Swafford´s last blog ..If He Can, She Can =-.
Posting only when inspired is an inspired idea!
Awesome you are taking care of yourself in body, mind and spirit.
You’ve got those hiking boots — put them to more good use!!
And see you when i see you!
xoxo
.-= Jannie Funster´s last blog ..Mystery Blogger “Over The Top” Meme` =-.
Davina – I cannot tell you how much I not only agree with all you have said, but fell the same way myself.
I have found over these past few months of self-employment that blogging can literally suck up every single second of your time and like you I have not devoted time to the “other” things that I have wanted to do… why I went self-employed in the first place.
And I love how you said “The fun and creativity is lost or smothered by self-imposed pressures of obligation.”
There are moments where I do feel obligated to do this or that in blogging and I definitely don’t like that feeling… it dampers things a lot, and I am not one for obligations – I let go of them in 99% of the other areas of my life.
Davina, freedom of being is gold and sometimes our physical body needs to tell us nice and loud to pay attention, to change our focus, to get the message!
So I am still trying to establish my own “routine” and getting better when it comes to blogging, but I want you to know that you are a huge inspiration through this post. It just makes me more certain that I should also follow what I feel within and not succumb to any external pressures.
Thank you and enjoy yourself – whatever you do and whenever – that is in the end what it is all about :)
.-= Evita´s last blog ..Triumphant Light =-.
Hi Barbara.
Yes, I’ve missed you on Twitter lately too. I get unruly when you’re not around. I’ll still be making rounds — I know where to find you too :-)
Hi Jannie.
Those hiking boots will be begging for mercy when I’m finished – ha, ha.
Hi Evita.
You’re welcome! Those obligations are tricky aren’t they? Easy to pretend they aren’t there and fool ourselves into habits that zap us instead of inspire us. I don’t know if you noticed anything when you eased up on your schedule, but just making the decision itself is freeing. Enjoy your time too.
Davina — Isn’t it amazing how the Universe sends us messages and if we don’t listen, it forces us to listen:~)
What can I say, but go for it! That’s cool thing about life; it’s always offering us new paths to explore, but we have the choice between old and new. The key is know when it’s time for YOU to leave the old one and start following the new one. Sounds like you’ve made a good choice:~)
.-= Sara´s last blog ..The Journey Begins: Part One =-.
Hi Sara.
Yes it is! :-) It’s HARD too!!!! Guess that is about letting go. Even after writing this post, I’m struggling with this whole thing. Arghhh! Clearly a process that needs to unfold… and NOT overnight.
Hi Davina – you may as well have written my next post for me – I have been composing it in my head (vaguely) over the past 3 weeks since my last post. I just need to do other things!
Lerve the groovy germs.
One thing – I notice your next post is only 3 days later – what gives, huh?
x
Hiya Robin.
“I just need to do other things”… I hear you! Seems to be going around these days in the blogosphere. The next post was an interview post that had been in the works for weeks. It just happened to happen right after I wrote this one. I’m not planning on quitting blogging though… just easing up a bit. Posting will be a little more irregular and I will be out and about reading other blogs more randomly than before.
.-= Davina´s last blog ..New Lives: Stories of Rescued Dogs =-.
@Barbara – that was Natural that said that :)
It does seem to be going around, doesn’t it Davina? Last time I took an extended break I actually spent a bit more time than usual doing meaningful networking – reading blogs just because I wanted to, emailing, etc.
.-= Robin´s last blog ..Ego Is Not A Dirty Word =-.
Hi Robin.
I remember Natural. I miss her! Her posts were SO much fun. Yeah, we’re pretty good at filling in our time with other things when we put our minds to it.
Davina…I’ve been so isolated in my blog “tech resolve” and rebranding that I missed this post.
First and foremost, good for you. As humans, we get trapped in routine. Blogging is wonderful (and I intend on doing it permanently as a “part” of my living) but LIFE is even more wonderful.
I’ve been stuck inside doing so many introspective and solitary activities that I’ve become lonely in a sense. I’m doing exactly what you are…putting some things in play to control my web time and am starting a green walk program in Toronto. I’m also looking for some people to play music with and am considering some other activities to balance things out including doing crafts again – am going to bring out some soapstone that has been sitting around waiting to get carved.
Remember everyone…embrace life, it’s waiting for you.
.-= simply stephen´s last blog ..Simply Stephen Network Launch =-.
Hi Stephen.
When you stop to think about it… blogging seems to be teaching us more about what we want IN our lives doesn’t it? Sneaky twist. I have a feeling that your new activities will give you more fodder for your blogging activities.
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