Izzy’s Blogging Declaration of Independence:

1. I will only write when I feel like writing. I will not allow myself to feel obligated to write a blog post or do any other blog-related activity if I don’t feel like it.

2. I will no longer stop to consider if a post will be boring to other people or use that as a deciding factor in what I write.

3. I will write from my heart and remember that my blog is about me and whatever I want to write about.

4. I will not compare myself to other bloggers.

5. I will not allow myself to feel bad if I notice that someone doesn’t come to my blog anymore.

6. I will not concern myself with comments or stat counters or other numeric devices that might have the ability to affect my mood or what I write.

7. I will not feel bad if something I care about doesn’t get a lot of feedback or comments.

8. I will always try to remember that blogging is a hobby first and foremost. When it stops being fun, I will step away and re-evaluate.

9. I will no longer feel guilty about not commenting “as much as I should” because my first responsibility is to myself and my kids. Though I love reading and connecting with other bloggers, real life needs to come first.

10. I will make an effort to not get lost in blogging. Just because I can while away an entire evening in the blogsophere with relative ease doesn’t mean I should.

11. I will not worry about losing readers if I change my focus from time to time.

12. I will be true to myself and my feelings. I will be cranky if that’s how I feel. Being a diplomat 24-7 is just exhausting and unnatural.

13. I will try really hard to fight that feeling that I am missing out on something if I’m not reading and commenting on blogs.

14. In committing myself to this declaration, I am setting myself free so that I can enjoy blogging more and stress about it less.

15. I will update and add to this declaration as necessary.

The first change I am making is to my blogroll. I have a lot of links in my blogroll to blogs I used to read, but don’t anymore. Not because I don’t like the blogs, but because I only have so many hours in the day. But I have felt like deleting those links from my blogroll is akin to telling the person I don’t like them anymore, which is ridiculous. I am making a links page, but my sidebar blogroll itself is going to be reserved ONLY for the blogs I ACTUALLY read.

This is MY blog. There are many like it, but this one is MINE. Do I want people to read it? Heck yes! Do I want people to comment on my posts? Absolutely! Do I want to provide them good content that is worthy of their time? Without a doubt. But should I ever feel guilty about what I do or don’t do here? No. If someone really wants their blog linked in my sidebar, they are welcome to email me and ask me. A sidebar blogroll is not a popularity contest.

In fact, here’s what I’m going to do-I’m going to create a “They Link To Me” blogroll. If I am on your blogroll, please leave me a comment or email me and let me know, and I will give you linky love. I’m not afraid of Google, I can link to whomever I please.

This blog post is my response to having had an actual anxiety attack this afternoon over a really stupid blogging situation. I realized it was time for me to let go of the past and accept the present, which might not make sense to you, but believe me, it has to be done. I have to stop waiting for the people who used to read this blog to come back and read it again. I have to accept the community to which I DO belong, and stop treating them like they are second-rate. I have some really good blog friends, and I want to give them the acknowledgment they deserve.

There’s really not much more to say than that. I almost feel like I’m starting completely over, that I am taking back my own blog. And I feel no anxiety at all about that.

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