I often compare blogging to relationships. In the beginning it’s love at first sight… you have hopes, dreams, goals & glorious visions of the ideal life together. You’re the perfect couple; unstoppable. However, moving down the line (when the honey moon period fizzles out) the only goals you may end up with is how you’re going to write tomorrow’s post in the seven minutes you have to eat your bowl of honey hoops.
I know this because Confetti & Curves wasn’t my first blog. A few years ago I was in one of these ‘blogging relationships’ with my first disastrous attempt. After a year of dwindling commitment I quickly realised the relationship was going nowhere and so we parted ways. Yes, I dumped my blog.
It was a messy break up ladies, I’ll admit that. Frustration, anger, sadness, loneliness – I’d been through it all but low and behold, I finally found ‘the one’ & what a difference it made. The thing is, no one is exempt from hitting a blogging slump. You don’t anticipate it… it just happens. But similar to a relationship, the more effort you put in (and the quicker you work through the issues) the more likely you’ll stay well and truly smitten.
But first let’s grab a mug of tea & take a quick peek at some of the common grumbles that can often end in blogging slumps – or worse – blog breakups….
“I’ve run out of things to blog about”
“I’m not getting the interactions other bloggers are…”
“My blogs stat page has tumble weeds blowing through it there’s so little activity”
“I just don’t have the time…”
“Everyone else is doing so well… then there’s me…”
“I don’t have time to promote post’s on social media 24/7, 365 days a year”
“Nobody’s noticing me, I’m so fed up.”
“I’m spending so much time blogging but hardly getting any traffic, or likes, or comments…”
“I’m losing interest, it’s just not fun anymore”
Any of these ring familiar, or am I the only one with my hand in the air? I’m pretty certain that at some point we all touch on a few of the above, in fact I doubt we’d be human if we didn’t. However having been through a dreaded slump before, I thought I’d share a few of my own musings on how to avoid such a digital downer…
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Cast your mind back (go on, you can do it) to just before you launched your own little corner of the internet. What blogs where you reading? Who inspired you? What inspired you? Maybe it’s time to revisit a few old blogging flames to recapture the spark that initially started your blogging journey in the first place! It just may help to inspire that vision you had when your adventure first began.
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Here’s the thing, starting a blog and maintaining one (over a long period of time) is two very different experiences. As the months whittle away and the honeymoon period comes to an end, mindsets & interests often change & evolve in ways we never anticipated. As individuals we’re constantly on life’s learning curve so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that goals, aspirations and interests shift with the tides. If the topic your currently writing about is repetitively becoming a struggle then maybe it’s time to evaluate what direction your blog is moving in. Supportive blog buddies will always understand that branching into new material or topics may be essential in keeping you active!
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It’s ridiculously easy to get caught in the trap of spending every free moment glued to a screen. Getting out & enjoying life is incredibly important for our sanity and creativity. Just think of all those glorious ‘Get ready with me’ posts you might be missing out on creating or fun opportunities passing you by whilst your fingers spend yet another evening working out on the laptop. If your social life is non existent then it’s inevitable you’re going to find yourself in a rut before long. Don’t just blog about life… live it!
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Exercise isn’t just beneficial for your body, it keeps the mind healthy too. Finding a few hours a week to distress at the gym, pool or even on a lovely long walk can really help clear out all the brain clutter that often builds up from work, school, busy schedules, parenthood & life in general. Often the most creative posts I’ve written have hit during times when my mind is getting a workout along with my body. May sound weird but I promise you it works wonders, even if it’s just a 20 minute evening dander, it’s essential!
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Often, the only people putting pressure on ourselves is in fact ourselves! Okay, so what if you miss one post because you were getting dolled-up for a friends birthday party? So what if you can’t get reading every single blog in your news feed today because school has thrown you a last minute assignment (or) you’re having to put the kids to bed later than planned? The world won’t stop turning, nor will readers abandon your blog simply because you’re taking a well earned day off. Do it, it’s really okay.
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If only I could show you guys how many emails I’ve received over the past 10 months partly containing the same burning question over and over again: ‘Why aren’t I?…’
Please Please Pleeeeease don’t negatively compare your very awesome/capable/talented & creative self to others. I know, it’s hard but trust me when I say this: IT WILL ONLY LEAD TO BANGING ONES HEAD OFF A COMPUTER SCREEN. Instead forget your stat page even exists, whip out a notebook and write down all the positive changes you’d like to make to your blog & DO IT. Afterwards get your hash-tag’s on and start meeting & greeting new blog buddies… particularly those that may just be starting up in the blogging world. You’ll be amazed at how much of a source of support you’ll be for each other.
A much better plan than staring into your 4th empty coffee cup wondering how someone else got a bazillion likes and you didn’t. Put the effort in, get the support of great blog buddies behind you, keep active & you will see a positive change.
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Okay, this may not be suitable for everyone but I’m just gonna go right ahead and throw it in the mix anyway folks… Usually when I’m going through a creative crisis my entire house bears the brunt. What I mean is I have one heck of a huge sort out and re-model of my surroundings. Example:
If it hasn’t been used in the last 6 months it gets binned.
Entire rooms get re-arranged.
New stationary gets purchased.
An array of smelly candles and footery little nik-naks (to replace the ton I threw out) get dotted about the place.
Inspirational quotes are adorned in new Ikea photo frames.
Yes, I re-organise my entire surroundings. Feng shui my space – whatever you want to call it, I basically instigate a change & often find my mindset changes with it. Just try it. Even if it’s simply rearranging your desk or clearing out the devastation zone under your bed etc. A cluttered room is the makings of a cluttered mind.
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One thing I have noticed about blogging is that planning in advance makes a HUUUGE difference. I’m a paper & pen kinda gal, in fact I’m also the proud owner of a rather sizeable wall planner that is purely dedicated to Confetti & Curves… everything gets written down in advance so that one glance is all it takes to know what’s happening & when it’s going to be featured. If you’re anything like me, drumming up a post in the final hour will make you feel utterly un-organised & put pressure on your creativity – a huge no no for blogging! If you’re battling a busy lifestyle then last week’s feature might help: 10 Tips For Blogging On A Busy Schedule.
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Cast your mind back (once again) to a time when you had just clicked the ‘sign me up’ button on your blog site. Apart from trepidation & first time nerves, what was going through your head? Did you have plans, hopes & dreams for your blog? What were the opportunities you dreamt about?
Step back from your eye watering schedule, run yourself a steaming hot bubble bath & spend a good hour reminiscing about why you started blogging in the first place. Often we just need a break and time to gather our thoughts, to remind ourselves why we’re actually doing what we’re doing in the first place. Is it just to pass lonely nights in? To become a super star blogger? To make blogging a full time job? Drifting back to those dreams can often help us assess whether or not our commitment is worth the effort. If it is, then get back on that saddle and make sure you remind yourself everyday of your goals & dreams.
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A day, a week, a month – whatever. If you need the break then take it. Don’t feel guilty and don’t feel like you’re abandoning ship – you’re merely taking time out so you can be a better blogger in the long run. However I would suggest popping a little ‘Time Out’ post just to reassure readers that you’ll be back soon. If you’re really generous you might even want to leave an email address so people can keep in touch with you while you’re on your jolly blogging hols, it’s amazing how the encouragement from others can pull us out of a writing rut 🙂
Have you experienced a blogging slump? Is it something you’re going through at the moment? Or maybe you have a helpful tip you’d like to share that keeps you sane & de-slumped? Whatever your thoughts do let us know in the comments below, we do enjoy a good chatter here on Confetti & Curves!
Cheerio chums…
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