February
what we have to say.
I loved the idea of blogs long before I became a blogger. I loved the idea that I could put all the ideas and words floating around in my head down on paper, or rather a computer, publish it, and someone, somewhere, would read it and find some use in it. However, the part of me that lacked confidence so long told me that no one really cared what I had to say or that what I had to say wasn’t important enough to be read, let alone published. This was the very self-defeating thought that caused me to stop writing for so many years.
But for some reason, I decided to start blogging anyway. I had read the Amazing Adventures of Dietgirl, a woman who lost half her body weight and blogged about the whole thing. If nothing else, the blog could serve as a diary and a catalyst for me to get off my ass and do something about my weight. And now, a little over a year later, I have learned many things, which I will share with you now.
Someone, somewhere does care what you have to say. I’ve made so many friends literally all over the globe who not only care what I have to say but that can relate to me beyond what I could have ever imagined. I care what they have to say too.
I actually have made an impact on someone’s life. Comments and emails of folks saying, Yeah, I know what you mean, or Wow, I’ve never thought about it like that, or What you said really made me open my eyes and think.
There are so many kinds of people in the world, and if you don’t step outside your own box, you may never learn what you need to from them. I’ve always been a talker, and for that, I think I’ve learned more than I ever possibly could from a book. I’ve learned about people, what makes them tick, what makes them happy, what makes them sad, and aside from being a tremendous help in my writing career, I truly believe it’s made me a much better person.
So I encourage you. If you want to start a blog and haven’t, just do it. People care. People want to hear what you have to say. If you want to write a book about your life, do it! You are the only person who can tell your story and get it just right. You never know just how many lives you could change by doing so, including your own.
I find it interesting how so many of us come to blogging in different ways and for different reasons and love it all the same!
I never “got” the whole blog thing before. I decided to start one because I was struggling with my weight yet again and wondered if it would help motivate me. I thought it might help with personal accountability. I got soooo much more from it. The great sense of community is top on my list. I have found other blogs, connected with readers, made friends:)
I don’t know about other lives, but I have certainly changed my own.
Me again.
I got so excited that I actually left on my old blog address! I have moved to http://www.waistingtimeblog.com. Maybe someday soon I will make the leap and follow you to wordpress.org. If I can figure out the technical stuff.
I’d been reading food/healthy living blogs for a while, but Shauna’s blog was the first weight loss-related one I read (I actually found out she had a book by reading her blog, and immediately ran out to get it). I’ve found several more since then (my Google Reader subscription list is huge).
I’ve had a LiveJournal account for about six years, but about a year ago I started a separate health journey blog, lost interest, and deleted it just a month or so later. I’ve done much better with this one, so far, and the other bloggers I’ve “met” have definitely made me feel like I’m not the only one working to make this change in my life.
Christy! Where are you? Come back.
Wondering the same as Lola. Hope everything is okay!