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What I Need You to Know About My Blog

Opening my blog and clicking on the “New” button to create a post brings me such joy. It always has… long before blogging was popular, or became a profession or even a source of revenue. I miss writing my blog every single day. I prided myself in that. There was also method to my madness. 

I remember when I first started reading blogs years ago. When I found a blog I loved, I’d click on it the next day to see if there was a new post and find myself disappointed when there wasn’t. If I kept returning to my favourite blog and there still wasn’t a new post, I’d start to lose interest. I decided that in order to have a blog that is followed regularly, my posts would need to be consistent & regular. It wasn’t difficult for me to find something to write about – yes way before sponsored content days. I LOVE writing and sharing experiences, products I love (sponsored or not) and little pieces of my world – it’s like a diary for me (one I have control over what is shared/not shared, and I love being able to go back into my archives and seeing the trips I’ve been on before and other exciting moment’s I’ve had, for example.)

I don’t know what I was thinking (I had no idea basically) when I thought I’d be able to continue my work load with a new baby. Ha! I remember my Mommy friends asking me how I was going to manage things, while I will still pregnant and I remember naively saying, “Oh I’ll manage to get my daily content out… it shouldn’t be a problem.”

The look on their faces should have given me fair warning. I was blissfully unaware.

HAHAHA! I’m laughing at my no-idea-what-having-a-baby-would-actually-be-like self.

I guess I had every intention, but reality is very, very different. 

The problem is every day that goes by and I haven’t done a blog post, I feel more and more guilty. Oh my God… the guilt on EVERYTHING!! It’s a real thing, this guilt. It needs to stop and yet… as a Mom, it will never really go away.

I always think back to my blog reading habits and think: Argh, if I got annoyed when I saw no new blog post, I can only imagine my audience feeling the same. Is my audience even coming back, after a while of seeing nothing new? I’m too nervous to go onto Google Analytics.

I think the idea that I have my mornings free and just work in the afternoon between 3-6pm is preposterous. There’s a good word. Preposterous. 

My days are filled with trying to juggle Georgie’s needs and wanting to spend quality time with him; whilst still ensuring my career is focused on. It’s not only finding time for voice overs and meetings, but also producing 90% of the Afternoon Drive’s show prep, recording elements and presenting the live show. To be honest, I feel like I am just keeping my head above water. 

My blog, that brings me such joy to write, has been the thing I’ve cut down on and I’ve been really sad about it. With that said, however, I’ve still managed to get out some posts for clients and not drop the ball too much with that. BUT… my Blog never started out as a revenue source, nor was it just about product. It didn’t have sponsors and clients… it was my personal sliver of the internet and I really enjoyed how it organically grew into a side revenue source, thanks to the organic readership growing, whilst still keeping the essence of the blog alive with personal posts and experiences. I liked the balance of the sponsored posts vs the non- sponsored posts.

I tearfully said to Sox the other day that I thought I might need to stop blogging all together and he was the first person to recognise that I’d be more upset by doing that.

“You love blogging. You can’t stop something you love.”

“I know, but I also LOVE Georgie and I love my career. Something has to give. I just don’t have time for everything, let alone myself. I feel like I’m just not doing anything well… I’m just doing enough to get by and I almost don’t recognise myself.”

“You’ve always been all or nothing, so I can understand why this is hard for you, but perhaps you need to relook at things. Your all or nothing needs to be seen differently – your priorities need to be refocused and new boundaries set. You’re an amazing Mom and Wife, you’re a great friend, you haven’t dropped the ball at work, at all, in fact, you’re a champion. You’re way too hard on yourself… You’re doing amazingly. ”

Cue more tears.

So after more chats, I’ve decided to relook at things. I have decided that my all or nothing standards aren’t necessarily wrong, because they propel me forward, but for the love of all things good… I need to give myself a break. Sigh of relief. I need to remind myself that I am just ONE person, doing my utmost best. That is my new all or nothing. My All is simply doing my best, even if my best is 70% at times.

I cannot possibly get out daily blog posts anymore, and immediately I feel a bit relieved to tell you, so I don’t feel the guilt in knowing you’re probably coming back to nothing new. I’m going to aim to get a minimum of 2 blog posts out a week. It will be a great week, if I manage to do more, but I won’t pressurise myself.

I’m also going to get back to basics. I’m not going to rely so much on getting client content out only, and what I mean by that, is I’m going to get out posts about things I really love, my personal posts, my Life Lately posts, my Links I Love posts and others. My blog posts might be shorter than usual, but it will be better than nothing. I feel better about taking this pressure off a daily blog post and much better about not closing the blog all together. 

Thank you if you’ve stuck by my blog and continued to come back even when there hasn’t been a new post in a while… Thank you for understanding. I hope you’ll continue to pop in weekly!

 

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17 Comments

  • Reply Rene

    I was nervous when I started reading this post … I really thought you might be closing down your blog – so, I read this post from the bottom upwards!! Phew! What a relief I can look forward to some more of your writing. I’m happy if you only get to one post a week 8)
    Love your posts, Bailey! You are doing soooo well juggling all the balls.

    March 26, 2018 at 11:14 am
  • Reply Esti

    I’ve honestly actually stopped reading some other blogs because they are so dedicated to posting once, sometimes twice, a day; the content just felt forced.

    I’ve never felt that you or any blogger owed me a certain number of posts and I think nowadays Instagram and Facebook allow us to “stay in touch” with what’s happening in your life through quick snapshots. Any time when you then do post on your blog is just a bonus and I always click through.

    Good luck to you and don’t be too hard on yourself! X

    March 26, 2018 at 11:19 am
  • Reply Shan

    Just love this so so much! And I couldn’t agree more with Sox and the realignment of all or nothing -I have ONE rule for my blog and that is that *There are no rules*
    I blogged many years ago and the pressure of daily posts drove me to close it. And then I missed it. I see my insta as my mini blog, (so I’m not completely dormant 😉 ) and my domain is there for more content rich things! Your blog is beautiful just like you and your family, and I’m so happy you’re keeping it open and just doing what you can do, with a healthy dose of grace for yourself x

    March 26, 2018 at 11:33 am
  • Reply Megan Hartwig

    You are not a bad mom for working. You are not a bad employee because you are a mom.

    And either way, you are working because you are a great mother.

    You are not alone in navigating this path, even though it can feel so very lonely sometimes. When the days blur together and the routine becomes mind-numbing, I pray that you will choose to see those days and moments as small pieces of a beautiful picture: the childhood you’ve been entrusted to create for your child.

    You are brave and I admire you. xx

    March 26, 2018 at 11:48 am
  • Reply Marina

    You are amazing and even if you do not blog everyday the blog posts that do come up are read with pure excitement and joy. Your days are never your own with a little one and having one myself I can relate on every level. As a regular follower I am happy to read a post whenever you have time for one. At first I though you would be closing it down and that would be sad 🙂

    March 26, 2018 at 11:51 am
  • Reply Ilaria Biccari and Samantha Ungerer

    Love this! Thanks for sharing Bailey – we fully understand and appreciate how you feel; even though there were two of us, between a baby and a complete life overhaul and starting a new business, our blog completely took a back seat. We used to feel guilty about it, but that was the pressure we put on ourselves. Our blog still stands proud, although we haven’t posted for ages, and hopefully one day we can get back into it! Somehow, as hard as we can try, life and priorities take over and we can only ever do our best – and that’s good enough! Thank you for being so honest, and mirroring how we feel 🙂

    March 26, 2018 at 11:58 am
  • Reply Tanya

    I agree with all the above comments! Even one post a week is better than nothing at all. I have been reading your blog for a long time now and I would be so sad if you stopped blogging altogether! Finding balance is hard and I can relate to everything you’re saying in this post. Juggling a career and motherhood is tough and I don’t have a blog on top of that. Bailey you are doing so Well, keep swimming and do your best. I’ll still keep checking to see if there’s a new post and I’m sure so will the rest of your loyal readers and we’ll be so glad to hear a little bit about what’s going on in your life. Much love xxx

    March 26, 2018 at 12:12 pm
  • Reply Claudia

    Please never stop writing!!! Your words and experiences are so very special to me and I love your blog to bits!!!

    March 26, 2018 at 12:54 pm
  • Reply Nicole M

    Hey Bailey!

    This was a lovely post, so thank you 🙂 If I am 100% honest with you, and I intend to be, I mostly gloss over or skip your product posts all together. Partly because many are not relevant to me, living in another country (I do read the ones that can apply to me, like the reviews on Urban Decay, etc), and partly because product posts dont appeal to me very much, so I really do look forward for your personal posts because that is why I started to, and have continued to read your blog. In saying that, I am glad youre not shutting down the blog altogether (as it sounded like it was going that way! the horror!) and look forward to the one or two posts a week that I always look forward to! 🙂

    March 26, 2018 at 4:12 pm
  • Reply Mariam

    Love your blog Bailey and I really appreciate the time you a take to do it… It doesn’t matter how often you manage to get a blog out we will definitely be back to read it!!! Please don’t be so hard on yourself… xxx

    March 26, 2018 at 4:31 pm
  • Reply Veet Sargo

    I always wondered how you managed to continue blogging so often. Take it easy on yourself. I love reading your blog and happy to know that you are continuing. Happy to read when you can.. No pressure at all xx

    March 26, 2018 at 5:30 pm
  • Reply Louise Hughes

    You see, look what your honest, vulnerable post does: it gets all of us commenting and feeling! Every single mother in the world can relate. EVERY one of us. I KNEW you would never be able to blog as much or as often, with a new baby, but look, I am still here, reading your posts, because I enjoy your blog, and I get the email when you do write one. So it is fine, if you only ever wrote one now and then, I’d still open and read it.

    March 26, 2018 at 6:15 pm
  • Reply Kirsten Mey

    Don’t be hard on yourself – you are doing the absolute best you can and it’s fantastic.
    As a fan of your blog I will continue to read your posts – whenever they may happen 🙂
    P.S. When I feel overwhelmed my husband always brings up the “How do you eat an elephant?” line…..the answer “one bite at a time”. The “one bite at a time” is my mantra – I repeat it to myself whenever it feels like I just can’t manage and it always seems to help.
    P.P.S. You’ve got this xx

    March 27, 2018 at 12:07 pm
  • Reply Rosalina da Luz

    I love your blog and I’m addicted.☺☺☺ Sending lots of love xxx

    March 27, 2018 at 2:23 pm
  • Reply Brenda

    I love your blog remember that after a while Georgie will be in play group and then school so it’s only a short while that you are spread so very thinly. Write when you can don’t commit to anything and your followers will always check in.

    March 27, 2018 at 3:11 pm
  • Reply Stella

    Don’t stress about it. Write when you can. We will be here whether you post once a week or once a month.

    March 28, 2018 at 12:27 pm
  • Reply Caley

    We will always be here Bails, mama life is one crazy juggle x

    April 2, 2018 at 6:51 pm
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