Tag: hobby

Triangle about the reason why I blog

Mia2 Comments
triangle about the reason why I blog
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Why do you blog?

Daily Writing Prompt

Picture it (that’s what Sophia from Golden Girls started a story). It was 2013, and I started my 2nd blog on WordPress. I had one before, but I didn’t continue with it. I’ve been signed to WP much longer than I’ve blogged. But I digress. I only posted 5 posts in 2013. My mother had cancer, and she died the same year, so blogging was the last thing on my mind. It wasn’t until 2014 that I began to blog more often. The Daily Post was the reason why I continued. Oh, the Daily Post, those were the days. Zero to Hero challenge was the name of the game at the time. Blogging was and still is a way of sharing thoughts with other people. The triangle of my blogging is fun, learning, and sharing. Those are the biggest reasons why I blog.

When I started writing this blog, the posts did not include images, and I didn’t think many people would find or read the blog. Sometimes, I was frustrated, and I didn’t know if I would continue with it. But I didn’t give up. I thought I would write for myself and simultaneously learn to write in English (in British English spelling). Blogging is about learning; you get better at it when you practise. I started to put images on posts randomly in 2015. Now, there are images on all of my posts. It does look better instead of only text. This is what you learn during the years you blog. Just like in real life, you live and learn.

Blogging is fun and even better when you can share your thoughts. I’m glad people have found my blog. This is my 10 years of regular blogging. The most active traffic to my blog was in 2020. I don’t know why since I have 965 followers, but not very active ones. Maybe I’m losing my touch. The truth is, blogging isn’t the way it used to be. I’m not that into it, but I still will continue with it. I love writing, and I do it as a hobby. Business blogging is different, and this is not one of those. I have read about it online and have been taking free courses. This blog is about my personal opinions and experiences. I’ve written so much English I don’t think I can write a blog in my own languages, Finnish and Swedish. It’s taken a long time to get where I am today in the blog world. I’m glad I didn’t stop blogging. I’ve got lovely comments and likes on my post. I shouldn’t forget why I started blogging in the first place. It wasn’t to get as many followers, comments and likes as possible (even if they are always welcome). It was about having fun writing, learning new things and sharing thoughts. I won’t understand those who “brag” about how many followers they have on social media. It’s not about quantity; it’s about quality. Those “followers” might be bots or glory hunters, not real followers. If you’re only starting out blogging, don’t give up. It takes time to hit it off. Starting a blog is easy, but updating it regularly and keeping the blog ideas rolling is the hardest. Getting followers to your blog might look impossible, but they will come to you with patience. It also depends on your blog and how much you promote it. The most important is that it keeps you motivated to blog. Don’t do it because everybody is; blog because you enjoy it. That’s how I keep blogging. It’s a bonus if someone else shares my views. This was my triangle as to why I blog.

A queue of enjoyable writing

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old pen on white paper
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What do you enjoy most about writing?

Daily Prombt
1–2 minutes

What I mostly enjoy about writing is that I have time to think. I prefer it to speaking. You don’t have time to say what you want when you talk, at least in my case. I often wish I had said something, but time has passed, and people have changed the subject. Sometimes I use a pencil and paper, but mostly I type on the computer. It’s faster, and your hand don’t get tired. I don’t only write this blog, but I also write fiction. It’s a queue of enjoyable writing.

I don’t know if you can call it a problem, but I don’t seem to finish the stories I’ve written. There is a queue of unfinished work. I just get bored of the stories and get new ideas. Writing can be stressful sometimes, but I enjoy it the most when I get my thoughts written down. Everyone is good at something, and writing is my strongest point. Especially when it comes to imagination. Writing is enjoyable when ideas come pouring. When I write, it can take hours. But when ideas don’t come, it’s then when I don’t like writing.

There are times I don’t have the motivation to write, so I take a break. A break would do everyone good, and then come back stronger than ever. Having a break from something creative, you find new inspiration to continue. It doesn’t need to be creative; it can be anything you do in life. Writing is a great hobby to have, and I hope I will do it for a long time.

Bloganuary: Lie or only denial

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lie and truth sign
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I don’t know if it’s a lie or only a denial, but I’m not as good as I think I am. I question my skills all the time. Maybe that’s one of the reasons why I keep putting off things. For example, since 2018, I’ve thought about becoming an entrepreneur. I went to a course about it too. I wanted to become many things, but I constantly changed my mind. I kept telling myself I was good at something, but then I didn’t get the response I wished for from others. I thought I was only an average photographer, writer or anything creative. I thought I couldn’t make it professionally. Maybe I’m lying to myself that I could. I’m worried people will see through me, but they don’t want to hurt my feelings by telling me the truth. The truth about that I should choose a profession other than something creative. My photos and designs are plain, and no one would want to pay me because they might make them for free elsewhere. That kind of doubt is often in my head.

Sometimes I wonder if people understand what I’m writing about. Am I the writer that I think I am? It’s not like I’m writing a novel here. I’ve got good feedback about my fiction, and people like my blog posts. But my writing is a hobby. I don’t get paid for it. Writing is the only thing I feel comfortable about. I know I’m good at it. I won’t lie or deny it. It’s other things that I think I’m lying to myself about. There will always be someone who is a better photographer than me. The same goes for graphic design and other creative things. I don’t like the “not being good enough to get paid for”- feeling. I have never wanted an ordinary job where you go at 8 or 9 am and then home at 4 or 5 pm. I can’t sit still and do something boring all day. I need change, and that’s what creative work is. But I can’t get hired because I have no job experience in the field. It’s challenging to get any of that.

As an introvert, it’s hard for me to know what my strengths are. I lie, or I’m in denial that I’m versatile, but am I truly so? Is that even a strength? A killer can be versatile by killing different kinds of people. I like doing different things, and I guess I’m doing OK with them. I wish I was more confident about my skills and not always doubting them. Being honest with yourself is easier than lying. But also, you shouldn’t forget that life does not always go as planned. If you lie to yourself about that, then you’re in denial.