Blogging: The good, the bad, and the straight up ugly

Eeek! It's been more than a few days since I've been able to get back to the blog. Part of that is due to a very busy, very chaotic week. Part of that is due to the fact that my brain is spent (it's research paper grading time!). And part of that is due to the fact that I just didn't know what to write about. 

I've been wracking my brain all week trying to think of a solid, worthwhile blog post. I toggled between things like possible titles for a book about pregnancy (Everything's Annoying and I'm Sorry in Advance: A Pregnancy Journey) to home decorating (how DO you style a bookshelf well?!). None of it gelled, so alas, I waited. 

And that got me thinking about all of the things I love about blogging and some of the things I don't love too. 

The Good

• I get to write! Not since college have I really gotten the chance to write this regularly, and I really do enjoy it. 
• I get to write about whatever I want! I don't have to write based on assignments or word counts. While this blog started as a journey to my first half marathon, it's morphed into something I really love where I get to write about all the things in my life.
• It's a great way to connect! Whether it's with old friends, new friends, or complete strangers, I get the chance to communicate with so many other people. I've even met some of the people I've connected with through the blog (Hi, Sherry!), and that has been so fun! 
• I've gotten some great opportunities! I get to work with some awesome local businesses and business owners. I'm all about shopping small, and I love that I get to do some promotion things for them! 
• I can do it anytime, anywhere! Whenever inspiration strikes, I can blog it via my computer or an app on my phone. I love that it's flexible! 
• It's something I can do with Baby P here. Although I'll have a six-month maternity leave from work, I still want to feel like I'm engaged in something. Blogging will be perfect! 

The Bad

• Blogger's block is a real thing. There are days (weeks?) where I've literally had ZERO ideas what to write about. I've actually Googled "Blog post ideas" just to see what other people have come up with! 
• You can't always say everything you want. Sometimes I would LOVE to complain about something. Maybe it's a tough situation I'm dealing with at work. Maybe it's just my very strong opinion on something. But I feel the need to tamper those items because I want to stay as professional and unbiased as possible. 

The Ugly

• Not everyone will love you. The beauty of blogging is that so, so many types of blogs exist. And not everyone will love yours. 
• Not everyone will love what you write. I haven't really experienced this (perhaps because I try to stay away from controversial topics), but people can be SO rude! And since they can hide behind anonymity, people often feel the need to say whatever comes to mind. Can't we all just be a little kinder? 
• Trying to think of creative posts that will be popular and well-read is tough. Sometimes I write a blog post that I think will DEFINITELY be a winner! I figure I'll easily get a few hundred hits on it. And I'll end up with 49. It can be disheartening to see that something wasn't so well received.

But even those bad and ugly sides aren't enough to overwhelm all the awesome things about blogging. Thinking about starting a blog of your own? I'd love to chat and share some things to think about as you're beginning! Feel free to get in touch with me!