Can I be super honest with you for a few minutes of your time? Blogging has been tough for me this past year and a half. You want to know why? Let me tell you...
You see, I started out blogging in May 2010 - that's EIGHT YEARS ago - and I absolutely loved and found joy in it. To top it off, I made some money and it made blogging a little more exciting. My following grew and grew and grew...I couldn't believe it!
But, keeping up with the algorithms and putting out content constantly has left me a bit resentful and frustrated over the fact that what I used to be able to do for fun and with joy to inspire women, now became a huge chore. I can't reach anyone anymore. I can't really hear from my viewers - not even from email. I mean, I have 120,000 followers on Facebook, yet I'm lucky if 2,000-3,000 even SEE what I put on there. I've got a slew of you on Instagram, and yet barely anyone sees my posts. Even email is no guarantee anymore. I don't blame anyone because if you don't read an email, unsubscribe! I do! I spend time and money to send emails and 1-5% actually open it and go see the post. Why is that? Is it me or is it just not working anymore?
The other factor in my life is that my daughter has been home with me, homeschooling, for the past year and a half and I absolutely love having her home with me. She's 14 and at that age that she could love me or hate me, and she tells me I'm her best friend - oh my heart! So, I'm cherishing the moments with her and trying to be there for her since I only have a few more years left of this and she'll be done with school!
So, I decided that I'm just going to blog whenever I blog. I don't want to do sponsored posts or try to make this big income doing it. I just want to blog and inspire. I want to share our home projects, my organizing projects and any new and fun things that come my way. If that's what you want, great, keep following along. If it's not, that's okay you can unsubscribe and my feelings won't be hurt! I'm not a game player - I'm not competitive at ALL - and so trying to keep up with the Facebook game, the Instagram game, the Pinterest game, or even the email game is exhausting and not something I'm interested in doing!
Thank you to those who have followed me for the last many years...eight years is a long time. It's not that I want to give up, but I've definitely given up some of the "blogger" mentality that I have to do xyz to get abc! You'll be hearing from me again, just stay tuned! And, if you feel like it, leave me a comment!
You see, I started out blogging in May 2010 - that's EIGHT YEARS ago - and I absolutely loved and found joy in it. To top it off, I made some money and it made blogging a little more exciting. My following grew and grew and grew...I couldn't believe it!
But, keeping up with the algorithms and putting out content constantly has left me a bit resentful and frustrated over the fact that what I used to be able to do for fun and with joy to inspire women, now became a huge chore. I can't reach anyone anymore. I can't really hear from my viewers - not even from email. I mean, I have 120,000 followers on Facebook, yet I'm lucky if 2,000-3,000 even SEE what I put on there. I've got a slew of you on Instagram, and yet barely anyone sees my posts. Even email is no guarantee anymore. I don't blame anyone because if you don't read an email, unsubscribe! I do! I spend time and money to send emails and 1-5% actually open it and go see the post. Why is that? Is it me or is it just not working anymore?
The other factor in my life is that my daughter has been home with me, homeschooling, for the past year and a half and I absolutely love having her home with me. She's 14 and at that age that she could love me or hate me, and she tells me I'm her best friend - oh my heart! So, I'm cherishing the moments with her and trying to be there for her since I only have a few more years left of this and she'll be done with school!
So, I decided that I'm just going to blog whenever I blog. I don't want to do sponsored posts or try to make this big income doing it. I just want to blog and inspire. I want to share our home projects, my organizing projects and any new and fun things that come my way. If that's what you want, great, keep following along. If it's not, that's okay you can unsubscribe and my feelings won't be hurt! I'm not a game player - I'm not competitive at ALL - and so trying to keep up with the Facebook game, the Instagram game, the Pinterest game, or even the email game is exhausting and not something I'm interested in doing!
Thank you to those who have followed me for the last many years...eight years is a long time. It's not that I want to give up, but I've definitely given up some of the "blogger" mentality that I have to do xyz to get abc! You'll be hearing from me again, just stay tuned! And, if you feel like it, leave me a comment!
Want to know where I got that product?
Go HERE and find it!
**I have a few affiliate links in this post - this does not mean you pay a dime more for the product when you purchase through my link. It just means I made it easier for you to find what you might like, so I make a few cents if you purchase. I SO SO SO appreciate when you support Organizing Made Fun. Thank you!!**
Like what you see here? Consider becoming a follower or subscribe via email!
Connect with me:
Family should come first so do what your heart speaks...........
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI say good for you! I am proud of you (((hugz)))💞. One reasons why I have not is that I am very ill and in high untreated physical pain. I have become a medical guinea pig having test after test and they still do not know what is causing the problems. I am also suffering from a Concussion from hitting my forehead on the handle of my vacuum cleaner and I am also losing my vision and hearing from a dump truck wreck in 1998. I have my plate too full, but I'm making the time to connect with you 😇💞. I will keep you in my prayers 💞🙏.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteI have followed you a few years because your content totally speaks to me. Organizing, RVing, essential oils, DIY, homeschooling, making your home beautiful - it's great stuff! So I'll keep following! Thanks for all you do!
ReplyDeleteThank you for being a great follower!!
DeleteI have enjoyed your blog for several years, and I've missed your regular posts, but totally understand. It is wonderful that you are able to spend so much time with your daughter. She is at the age where she really needs her mom and it's great that she considers you her best friend.
ReplyDeleteI know - I feel blessed! Thank you!
DeleteMiss you when you don't blog but TOTALLY get what you're saying. My personal motto: God first, family second, then everything else falls in place...and what's in 3rd place today might be in 33rd place tomorrow. So, blog when you're moved to do so, and thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteLove this! Timely! I get it! laura
ReplyDeleteGirl, I so appreciate your honesty. I've been through it before too. I'm trying to come around again and get back into it. I hear ya with reaching people. It seems ridiculous that we have all these followers yet no one sees our content. I've been struggling with ways to get by posts in front of more eyeballs. It's a battle. You do you. I totally respect you for it. I still love your blog and hope you post, but if you don't, I get it. Love ya! xo
ReplyDeleteI follow blogs in a blog reader so I still read and see everything you post. It does seem like blogs are becoming a thing of the past though. Less and less people are publishing content. Times are changing and things are moving on. Boo.
ReplyDeleteI have followed you for a long time. I get your most recent posts through Feedly. I love your organizing posts. Please keep doing it whenever you want/can. I will continue being a faithful reader!
ReplyDeleteI feel your frustration. I follow you on Instagram and really enjoy that, emails are good but does anyone take the time to read (like you ask). I applaud your attitude, blog when it feels right. My youngest is 16 and cyber schooling; she'll be a senior next year and then.......? So enjoy these last years with your daughter, it is all too fleeting!
ReplyDeleteI've followed you for years, and I'll continue to follow you. You always have great content! So thank you for all the years you've worked hard to get it out to us. I look forward to your next post!
ReplyDeleteHi Becky, I've only recently followed you, but found you because you once posted a blog link in our local MPM moms facebook group. I also just recently bought your composter and took the trellis you were giving away for my garden. :) Anyway, I also blog, though my blog is much smaller than yours. But I absolutely get the "game" and how exhausting it is. I too have recently gotten to a point in my own blog where I'm more interested in focusing on what *I* want to blog about and being honest in my writing. I feel like blogging has hit a place of overwhelm - there's soooo many blogs out there now all competing for the same audience. And it just isn't fun anymore. My hope is that eventually audiences will shift back to being relationship-based, following fewer bloggers that they like and have have gotten to know rather than just searching online and being overwhelming with so many blog post options. Its why I'm starting to focus more on being myself and being trustworthy so that hopefully people will see me for me and want to follow me. We'll see. Like I said, I've got a waaaay smaller following than you, but I have been dabbling in blogging for 4 years now, so I've seen how things have changed.
ReplyDeleteI totally get it... But i have loved your blog since the time I found it. Im looking forward to your future posts. Lots of Love
ReplyDeleteI use my blog as a journal, but I like it when people comment about something I do for my family, be it a recipe or craft. But first and foremost, its for me. A way to celebrate home and family and creativity. So those are the blogs I tend to read, too! I read many, so it doesn't bother me one bit to hear a blogger want to step back a bit, because I get it. Keep on doing what works for you - I'll keep reading when you do!
ReplyDeleteI have followed your blog for quite some time. Not sure how long. I am not a fan of sponsored posts, and I read posts that sound interesting to me. I will keep following because I do enjoy your content and perspective. I think you have shared great ideas and I do refer back to your blog on the regular. Do what feels right and authentic.
ReplyDeleteRight on, Sister! True, true and true. Concentrate on family and share when you are inspired. I'll be there.
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy your posts, but you are right, the whole trying to be on every facet of the internet for crumbs of money is not worth it. And you are wise to spend time with your daughter, she needs you so much right now at that age. But I do hope to see some more of your projects, you inspire me!
ReplyDeleteBecky-I agree with all of the above comments! I appreciate your honesty and look forward to future posts. I had no idea that the blogosphere had gotten so competitve, but was beginning to wonder as who has time to read/look/post/comment on/about it all?? You are the only Organization oriented emails I suscribe to. Christian, simple, caring, budget, eating right...just some of the words that come to mind when I think about you, your family and your blog. Thank you for continuing on in the way that works best for your and your family!
ReplyDeleteAs a follower is also a struggle to keep up with the blogs/people i like to follow. This became a stupid game to everyone involved except to the ones who made profit with it. What start with fun and joy ends with adds instead of good feed.
ReplyDeleteFor my part, i start to put my favorites blogs on a favorite case in the computer. And i just go from there. I give up to see anything on facebook, or instagram or pinterest.
Before facebook mess up with instagram and pinterest, it was so fun! Really exciting the blog world.
Oh well... i hope you still continue to give us good feed. And wish you and your family the best!
Great post! So excited for you in this "new" adventure! Enjoy the new found freedom and most importantly, enjoy your family!!
ReplyDeleteHi Becky.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your thoughts. I just found your blog a couple of months ago and I was wondering if you were still active or maybe just slowing down. So thank you for your post.
I am starting up a blog/vlog kid of site myself and it's fun. It's suppose to be. All jobs are.
I get that it is easy to get caught up in the conversion and opened e-mails and such. But if what you really want to do is reach people then from this post alone you have reached at least 21 people in just a few days. And probably plenty more that didn't choose to leave a comment.
Bottom line: You reach people. You help people. You inspire people!
You have learned and experienced so much in the past 8 years that a lot of people (I) would love to benefit from. Please keep it up on your terms, but family first!
Sincerely,
Kristine, the Dane
Not only blogging, everything is tough on the internet, not only keeping up the algorithms, there is so many things to keep up, it seem like the playing field is just for the big boys.
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting us know. I had noticed there were no new posts in a while and wondered if you had just stopped. You are definitely putting your priorities in the right order!
ReplyDeleteOne of the things my sister and I said to the pastor that did my mom's funeral was we remembered that she was always there for us. She worked a night shift so she could be there for us during the day, then when that started to bother us that she wasn't there when we were sleeping she changed jobs to a day shift. She was able to go immediately to my sister after each of her babies were born and was there for me even when it was just a quick call at her work. She definitely showed us that family was her priority and that was passed down to us and is part of our DNA. I still remember when the first grandbaby was born she left in the middle of the night to get there. I asked her what about work--she said I told them I was going and they knew she was due so they won't be surprised when I call them in the morning. She was fortunate to have co-workers that understood but also she covered for them when they needed it also. She worked holidays when we were older because she told us those ladies need to be home with their babies when they are little just like I was with you. We got it and completely understood. I think that heart is what made her such a great nurse.
I'm sorry, I got off on a tangent :) But I wanted you to know that even now at age 55 and my mom being gone for 17 years, I still remember that heart of hers being there for me and showing me how to have the right priority in life.
Becky, that is what you should be doing. God first and family and then inspire others. When something becomes a chore, time for a change. I try to always look at your posts, I may not ever comment but I do use it for inspiration. Also, my daughter homeschools her children and I think that if you have anything in that line to blog about it would be very valuable to viewers.
ReplyDelete