Remember that old game show called "
To Tell the Truth" where a guests would try to convince the panel of celebrities that their story was true?
Well, that's not what this post is about.
But I am going to be honest with you - no tricks, lies, or other such nonsense.
Just a few weeks ago, on April 22nd to be exact, this little piece of the world wide web celebrated
two years of blog-dom. It went by unnoticed at the time...because I was busy doing bloggy things and didn't really care too much that my blog had a birthday.
To tell the truth, it doesn't matter really. I mean, it's kind of cool I suppose, but it doesn't matter. At least to me, anyway.
I sat down the other day to reflect on this lovely little spot on the internet, and as my head filled with one idea after the next, I hit the brakes and came to a screeching halt.
To tell the truth, I feel like a chicken with my head cut off most of the time. Running around like crazy, posting when the mood hits, trying out different ideas, starting (and stopping) linky parties or series posts, all the while wishing I had it together.
I'm not sure if it's because I will be celebrating my 35th birthday in a few weeks and I'm hitting my mid-life crisis (God help us if that's the case!) or if it's because maybe I'm just now reaching some semblance of maturity (again, God help us!), or what's going on. All I do know is that I feel like I'm finally there.
To tell the truth, I am finally content. For the first time in my entire almost-35-years, I'm completely content with my life. I feel good most of the time. Do I have it all figured out? Hell no! Am I ecstatic about every aspect of my life? Hell no! But I am content. I'm good. I'm at peace.
And because of that contentment, I feel like I am finally figuring out some direction - for my life, my career, and my blog.
To tell the truth, for the past two years, I've been throwing ideas at the wall and waiting to see which ones stick. I've pulled bits and pieces of things from other blogs that I love and given them my own "flavor", only to later realize it's not working for me.
{My first attempt at a linky party}
Blogging is hard work, y'all. For real. It takes a lot of energy, time, creativity, patience, balance...but it's so worth it. After two years of blogging, I have come to realize my voice.
I'm DONE.
Not with blogging! I just mean that I'm done trying to do things that work for other people, and trying to please everyone.
My biggest goal is to one day meet you (yes, you! Hey! How are ya?!) and hear you say to me, "Kirsten, you are exactly like how I thought you would be."
{I'm weird, y'all. And Southern - crazy combination.}
Why? Because I aim to be completely genuine, open, honest, and real. And I want that to come through with every single blog post I write, every photo I post, every comment I reply to, every everything. I don't want to leave any doubts as to the kind of person I am. {Not that I've been someone else this whole time, you see. I've always been me, but I have a tendency to leave out some of my finer qualities...like sarcasm.}
I've done a lot of thinking, and journaling, and thinking some more...and here's what I have come up with for this little blog of mine (and yours - because if you're here, that makes this part of your life, too! Thanks!):
- No more What I Wore Wednesdays or Saturday Snapshots. I'm not a fashion blogger. I love my clothes, but to tell the truth, I don't have a ton of clothes and generally wear the same few favorite outfits over and over. How boring would that be every week? "So, here's what I wore this week....the same thing I wore last week!" And as for the Saturday Snapshots? It's just too much - because I co-host Shine on Friday on...well, Friday. Yea. Done.
- No more haphazard posting schedule. I'm a planner by nature. It's seriously just in my blood. But for some unknown reason, I have the hardest time planning my blog posts, so they tend to just pop up whenever I get an idea, or finish editing pictures or something. Nope. I need to organize my editorial calendar so I can actually have a method to my madness. It's for my own good, y'all.
- There will be MORE blog series posts that involve YOU! Because that's what I love. I blog for the community. If I'm not engaging with you, I'm blogging for nothing. So look for more interactive posts and series coming very soon.
- There will be MORE cross promotion. What the heck do I mean??? Well, I am horrible about only posting my own content on my social media sites - Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google +. I promise, promise, promise...cross my heart, that I will post more of other people's awesome-ness and random funny stuff and other non-Hey-I'm-Kirsten-and-I-just-made-this-so-come-check-it-out stuff more often. K? K.
So, having said all of that, let me leave you with this little gem: The best years are NOT behind us. Not for One Tough Mother at least. There are some seriously awesome things to come, and I am so happy you are along for the ride!
Do you have these slap-in-the-face wake-up calls sometimes? What was your latest epiphany?
