Friday night was the second installment of Blog Sugar, and what a success it was. I volunteered to help Rachel with some of the planning this time since fingers were crossed it was going to be much bigger this time around, and we were right! Blog Sugar grew from 25 attendees back in February to 60 just 3 months later. I want to congratulate Rachel for a wonderful night and for being the brain child behind such a fun and worthwhile event. I had a great time being behind the scenes and Rachel's back-up door greeter. I think I may have actually met 99% of the attendees.
One of the activities we did on Friday night was take a few minutes to reflect on the purpose of our blogs. I had spent a lot of time thinking about this in the weeks leading up to the event (remember, I had some privileged information beforehand). I thought I had it all figured out and even volunteered to speak up and share the purpose of my blog. The next day though after I was thinking about all the fun happenings from that night, I realized that I had it all wrong.
Why you blog is totally different than the purpose of your blog.
I BLOG BECAUSE:
I like to document our lives (not an original answer, I know)
I want to keep my mind and creative juices going while being a stay at home mom (okay that's a little better)
I want to promote my Etsy shop
I want to share things that inspire me, and maybe inspire others (that may be a bit presumptuous)
I like the community that blogging can create (this is the part I touched on a bit at Blog Sugar)
Who doesn't like to hear how awesome their craft project is, or how flipping cute their kids are, or how touched they feel by a post, or how they can relate to the struggles you're going through? Like I said at BS, being a mother is often times a thankless job, so it's nice to get some affirmation that what you're doing is worthwhile, valued, admirable.
So the above are all somewhat valid, if not completely unique reasons to blog. But really, what am I trying to achieve through blogging? What is the purpose of the 10 or so hours I commit to this thing each and every week?
And the only answer I can come up with is "I don't know." I mean I sort of know, but not really. I don't raise money for a charity, well not yet anyway. I don't quite think my Playgrounds & Lollipops feature every week is going to change the world, and my day to day posts are not necessarily groundbreaking.
I'm not reinventing the wheel here in terms of mommy bloggers. I know that, and I'm okay with that.
But for some reason, what I'm doing here in this little space of mine, just feels right.
-Blogging has inspired me to take up a hobby finally. I now know how to sew because a blog inspired me to. And it is now turning into a little side business for me, and that's something pretty purposeful right?
-Blogging has pushed me to take a million pictures of my kidlets. Before seriously blogging I was terrified to touch our Canon DSLR. It was something only Art used, but now it is 10 times more likely to be found in my hands than his, and that makes me happy.
-Blogging has connected me to a small and amazing group of women right here in my own community that I would have probably never met if it weren't for blogging. I look forward to getting to know them better.
So while I can't quite pinpoint the exact purpose of my blog right now, I'm sure that eventually it will reveal itself to me. I will keep typing away, and wait. I do know that when I am honest, or vulnerable, or maybe even a tad bit funny and insecure, people respond. And I love that total strangers can relate and lift you up even when you didn't know you needed it.
So why do you blog? Does your blog have a purpose, or a driving force behind it?
Thanks again Rachel for an awesome night, and for giving us some food for thought.
funny that you bring this up because this has been on my heart lately, too. i've come to realize that i think the reason that i blog, besides an amazing means to connect to creative and genuine woman, is to be a voice. a voice that wants to let people know that you can choose to be happy or grumpy, and i choose to be happy and work hard for it each and everyday. that's all i know right now...but there's more bubbling to the surface. i can just feel it!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad Blog Sugar was a success Andrea. Your post got me thinking, well actually I have been thinking about this topic for a while now. Sadly, I feel less and less like a blogger and more like an online scrapbooker. I find that I don't have the energy or clarity of my words at midnight when I typically get my moment to blog. However, I know that I will eventually have more of my own time as my little ones grow. I would like to have some other purpose to my blog in addition to profiling my families park and beach days. I would love to bring more awareness to Spina Bifida and possibly be an example of how wonderful life can be raising a child with special needs. For now though I think I will have to be content with whatever I can get posted.
ReplyDeleteIt really is amazing how many wonderful blogs and bloggers are out there.
Have a great week my friend and I will see you soon.
Ditto. If the only thing my blogging was for was to bring the several of us together as friends, then it was totally worth it!
ReplyDeleteGreat post and congrats on such a fun event! Have I mentioned before how envious I am that I don't live in California???? BOOOO!
ReplyDeleteMaybe we can work on a CHICAGO Blog Sugar??? :D
Great post!
I think I blog for most of the same reasons you do. For me, it is comforting and fulfilling and rewarding and.... you get the idea!
HUGS to you :D
loved the post! I didn't get to speak with you but I saw you from afar and wanted to stop by and say "hey!" you ARE funny! and I like seeing what you wore all week!
ReplyDeletetake care and hope to see you at the next BS!
Amber
I have been thinking about this all weekend aobut the purpose and the driving force behind my and other's blogs...I am going to post about it once i get a chance to put it into words. Thanks for everything!
ReplyDeleteFor many of the same reasons you do! I feel so blessed to have discovered blogging ~ and it is SO much more than I ever imagined! It is a Blessed world ~ encouraging, community, inspiring, full of hope and love! Wish I could come to blog sugar! =) one day ~ maybe!?~
ReplyDeletegreat post!
ReplyDeleteMy answer to that question is two-fold. I want to print it out and turn it into a book someday ( should have already done this 3 times by now ) and also to try to bring honesty and a voice to a life that many people are quiet and / or dishonest about. I wanted to give just one person that feeling of "ME TOO!" because I know when I feel that, it's one of the most comforting feelings to have.
So bummed I couldn't go to Blog*Sugar...I am in Nor Cal but I honestly want to try & make it to one of them. Glad it was such a success!
ReplyDeleteI started my blog almost 2 years ago as a "scrapbook" for my girls, but it has turned into SO much more than that. i have met so many amazing women from blogging (& was able to be a part of Project 320) and I have developed great friendships in real life because of this crazy thing called blogging!
It was great to meet you at Blog Sugar. It was so refreshing to hear other women bloggers and to get advice and insight. Thank you so much for all of your hard work to make it happen! mandyarioto.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteI learned about your blog through my friend Kimmie. It is so cool. I couldn't stop reading. You have a super cool fashion sense. When is the next Blog Sugar? I would love to attend. It sounds like so much fun and a great way to meet other ladies in the blog community. I am super new at the whole blogging thing, and I whole-heartedly agree with all your reasons. I will definitely keep reading. You totally ROCK!!!
ReplyDeletebsandgl.blogspot.com