i often go through phases in my life. one time, i was obsessed with graphic design and photoshop; i’d often make fan edits of shows or books or anything, and stay up huddling over my computer. i was once obsessed with anime and fan fiction; you’d find me clutching my phone at 4am, crying over characters that didn’t exist, on plots that didn’t exist canon-ly either. (SIGH.) i do this often (echm monthly favorites are just monthly obsessions that i may or may not get over), and i’ll probably do this forever. but recently i began to question: was blogging just “a phase?” (and i think that is the REAL FEAR)
this blog always felt ~more than~ my other obsessions. it felt like something i could do with a purpose and not just a “waste of time,” as my parents would say. but when every post and all the things i believe i should be doing feel like a chore, i begin to question myself. i don’t want my blog to just be a phase (which, quite possibly, is the worst phrase to describe something you’re passionate about). so i decided to do what i usually do when i feel unsure or confused: blog about it.
when i usually try to figure something out, i make a how-to blog post about it. (see: how to read when you’re a busy bee, how to cope with a book hangover, etc.) in a way, it’s my version of giving myself an assignment and figuring out how to teach it to myself. so although this post may not work for you, i sincerely hope it works for me. these past few months made me forget why i’m even here. the page views? the “popularity?” the god-forbid FREE BOOKS?! (one should never blog for free stuff, but that rant is for another post.) writing this post is a reminder that i’m blogging for myself. i’m writing because i have words to emit and thoughts to share and things to LET OUT. everything else is just perks. i think we, as creators, need to be reminded of this whenever we feel lost.
step one: find the problem and remember your purpose
are you feeling ~out of it~ because there’s no time to blog/read/do all the things? i usually see this during the autumn months. summer is over and vacations are over; there’s more time spent doing real-life duties and less time on “hobbies” like reading and blogging. if that’s the case, then time is your problem. but when you actually have time on your hands, you’re no longer in the mood or, you know, feelin’ it, then there’s an internal conflict. (ooooooo)
externally, i don’t think there can be much done. try your best to make means with the problem (ex: time) and wait for it to get break (ex: a break). but internally? it can be more complicating. the key to getting out of any funk is to remind yourself why you’re doing this. i think that’s the main reason why we lose track of ourselves. everyone is given 24 hours in a day, and i could be doing ANYTHING in that time. why am i spending it on making this blog post? and why am i NOT spending it on making this blog post?
step two: give yourself space… or throw yourself into the task
the way i see it, this can go in two very different directions. you can either ignore the task at hand, or force yourself to do the thing you need to do. sometimes it’s necessary to take a step back and do ~other things~ and maybe find other interests. if you feel like a weight has lifted off your shoulders, i believe that’s a sign you need to let go of the thing(s) that are holding you down. you can always pick it up again later if you feel the need.
if you’ve already taken a break and still feel like you gotta do this thing, then it’s time to throw yourself into the task. brainstorm posts, create deadlines, and do what you need to do. you may feel like you forgot how to blog (me); you may feel like your content is ? (me); but just remember: you’re not here to be perfect, you’re here to make progress. if there’s no momentum, MAKE momentum. the key is to make a decision. don’t hang onto something because you feel obligated to, and don’t force yourself into something you don’t want. *repeats vigeroulsy*
step three: be sure of yourself
i think the worst part of The Slump™ (or any slump) is the confusion, the awkward in between. you’re not sure what you’re doing, why you’re doing it, or what to do. you just feel OUT OF IT. once you openly decide to do something, you need to hold yourself accountable. ignoring the problem and leaving it for “later” does nothing. this applies to any slumps, not only blogging ones. whether you decided to stop the thing you’re doing or fling yourself into it, be confident in the choices you made. tell others of your plans to change. ask your friends to remind you. create something.
This post is just what I needed! Lately I’ve been feeling “out of it” in almost all the things I usually love doing, like reading and writing. I don’t know why, but it makes me nervous and it gets me down and then, when I finally do have the time to get something done, I don’t. I love your idea of makeing a choice and throwing yourself at it until it’s done. Now I’m gonna go write that new blog post and take new photos for bookstagram. Thank you for the motivation, and I hope this post helps you as well!
LOVE this, thank you! I’m currently trying to claw my way out of that “blogging feels like a chore” thing right now, so it’s great to see others’ advice on how to handle ALL TEH FEELS! Because… I can internalize and rationalize all I want, but seeing other people dealing with similar things and how they come to grips with it ultimately helps me center myself. So thank you, again, for sharing! <3
Thank you for writing this! I’m definitely suffering from lack of time at the moment, because university has just started again and I’ve taken on quite a lot of other responsibilities to try and prepare myself for graduating, and blogging has fallen to the wayside. I think I’m slowly coming out of my slump but definitely needed this post as a little boost to get me writing again, so thanks!
Zoe @ Readabilitea
You write so well!! This happens to me so many times! Especially for the lack of time, it’s so stressful! I loved reading this post!:D
https://laurasavenue.blogspot.de/
Thank you so much for writing this, i’m in the same position at the moment too, i forgot why i do the things i do a.k.a blogging but this post has really helped me understand that i’m not the only one.
I feel like blogging a phase for a lot of people. I’ve seen MANY blogs come and go in the almost 5 years I’ve been blogging, but I couldn’t imagine NOT doing it at this point. I can totally relate with obsessions that fall off though… I’ve had a few of my own throughout the years!! But I really don’t see reading and blogging about it stopping for me. Slumps happen, but the blog will always be here when I’m feeling more creative and into it.