I’m going to bare a smidge of my inner bits today and admit that I am prone to bouts of self doubt, low self-confidence, and your basic run of the mill inferiority complex. It’s something that I’ve always struggled with. That I am constantly working on. It is a challenge that I hope my children never face. I do so want them to be confident. In whoever they become…if only they can be confident!
Choosing to start a blog was easy…actually starting it was not! You see, prior to jumping into this beautiful community I had only brushed the outer most edges of it. (I still think I really haven’t met a fraction of the amazing talent out there!) After starting this blog and beginning to meet some of you I began to see the true immensity of the talent of this community. The community of mothers, crafters, artisans, teachers, writers, etc.
It is both beautiful and breathtaking. And there is no end to it! Each blog I discover through one of you has it’s own blogroll…and each blog on the roll has it own blogroll….! It’s incredible! Now I have to admit that I love a good blog hop! Sometimes it is just what I need….it’s kind of like chocolate for the crafter…not that it replaces chocolate..it’s just another form of it!! Lucky crafters! I have found that a good perusal of the creative blogs that I love can inspire and uplift, the way only likeminded people can. However, at times, those perusals can leave me completely overwhelmed by all that I am not making, all the time others seem to have, and all the time that I do not!
I see snippets of others lives through their blogs. Just as others see snippets of mine. They see the snippets that have brought me joy. The snippets that I want to remember forever. The snippets that have inspired me…and hope that they inspire you. It would break my heart if my little space here brought anyone feelings of inadequacy and grossness! I know the same must be true for all those bloggers out there whose beautiful blogs terrify me at times!
I wonder at times if I’m alone in my thinking. I have often thought I was alone in much of my interests till I met this amazing community! It is fantastic to not be the only weird vintagey crafty one!!!
So…all the sharing of inner bits aside…I have realized several things and made adjustments to my blogging life.
- Blogging about the creative life I share with my children can easily get in the way of living the creative life that I share with my children…at least while they are very young. So…I never write while my children are up busy and playing…if I don’t write at night…I don’t write! So if you find this space quiet you can know that we’ve been much too much fun creating!
- Reading the blogs of other amazing mothers can’t get in the way of my being the mother my children need. So…blog reading needs to happen at night too, or the rare moment that my children are on their own and content. (This is difficult as the computer seems to be a magnet for mayhem for the littles! Oh how my little man likes to push the power button!)
- Creating for my family is what led to blogging…and blogging should not lead away from creating for my family. So I work very hard to keep things in focus and create for those I love because I love them and forget about tutorial requests or the fact that I have visitors each day that may want to see this or that…it can wait a bit!
You may have noticed a trend among these bullets. It’s all about focus and balance. Focus on a creative life. Balance in regards to a blogging life. Though, oh my, do I love this blogging life. I wouldn’t trade meeting and being a part of this community for anything. It is a truly beautiful thing and it has brought such inspiration and joy to my life. I hope it has brought you joy as well.
These adjustments have worked wonders. Though it is an ever changing process…as most things are…I believe I’m on the up hill of really utilizing and enjoying this community. My circle is small. I focus on my family. I focus on my home. I focus on our journey towards creative lives. I keep myself in check. I limit the number of amazing things to be a part of for the sake of the little dears I spend my days with. I limit the number of projects I begin for the sake of my sanity…and in turn the sanity of all those around me! I limit the time I spend blogging for the sake of my creative endeavors. I limit to achieve more. And I have!
In case you are worried…I have no intention of going anywhere! I love to share our life and creative days with you. I hope they inspire and uplift and never leave you discouraged or overwhelmed. It really would break my heart to know it.
Thank you friends. Really…thank you!
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