Recently, a lot of people have been asking me how I got into writing a blog, what inspires me to write and why I continue to post. Honestly, these are complex and difficult questions for me to answer.
I began writing my blog at the beginning of last spring after much encouragement from one of my closes friends. I had experimented with other blogs before (mostly through Tumblr), but I just never really put myself out there and made it something public that I wanted to share with others. In the past, blogging was a sort of intellectual online diary for me where I anonymously wrote about and reflected on books I was reading.
Now, things are a bit different.
My blog is my space to explore whatever I want. College is academically rigorous, and it is important for me to have a place to think about my favorite, often times not-so-serious things. I continue to post throughout the academic year because my blog is a reminder that not everything has to be profound and academic. This is a lifestyle blog and all the things I post about- fashion, make up, fun books, organization, working out- are part of my lifestyle.
Writing every day centers and de-stresses me. Closing the day with some "me time" to think about what makes me happy or to just focus on something that I don't have to deeply analyze allows me to continue to write (and therefore become a better writer) and reflect on living a balanced life.
In terms of inspiration, I look to my friends and family for ideas of what I want to discuss on my blog. Every post I write is an opportunity for me to learn or teach others about something. I love to learn- not just "serious academic stuff," but I love to learn about anything- from fashion to movies to books, I want to learn it all. My blog allows me to explore these fields in conjunction with my academic studies, which is something I value.
However, my blog is not my life.
I don't share about about 90% of my life on here. While my blog is about personal interests, my blog is not about my personal life. I've taken time off from writing- even as much as a week- when I need to focus more on my real, non-blog life.
So, if you're thinking of starting a blog, remember to write for yourself.
For me, this experience has not been about gaining a certain number of followers or getting sponsorship from companies. Instead it has been about being 100% myself. And if I ever stop feeling that, or if writing this blog stops making me happy, I will know it is time to make change.
As for now, I'm back to my regular posting!
xoxo