Doing more of what makes me happy.

/ Becca Barracuda

I didn’t make any resolutions for the new year. I don’t think I did last year either. And that’s ok. Honestly, I’m pretty content with who I am as a person.

However, that’s not to say I am without goals.

My biggest goal for this year is to finish my damn novel. I even opened it up and wrote around 200 words the other day!

I also want to do more of what makes me happy.

This blog has made me happy for the last year. I’ve loved the connections I’ve made with other bloggers, the things I’ve learned as a writer, sharing my experiences, and (hopefully) making people laugh.

But, (could you sense the but coming?) my blog has started to feel like a chore. I’m not sure what the change has been– more of a focus on/ disappointment in stats? Feeling guilty for not being as involved in the blogging community? Trying to up my game in the blogging community but not seeing any results? Probably a combination of those and others. I don’t know.

But I do know that I don’t want to feel guilty because I’d rather read my book, or hang out with my husband, or go to yoga with a girlfriend than blog.

When I started The Married Cat Lady, it was a bit of an escape from a job I was ready to leave. It allowed me to pursue a passion that I didn’t have the opportunity for in the rest of my day. Now, I’m working at a new job that I love, and I’m pursuing my passion through my novel.

The excitement that I once had for coming home to work on my blog, or getting up on Saturday morning to spend a few hours sharing and reading other blogs has waned. It feels like something I should do, rather than something I want to do.

I feel like I’m starting to ramble now, so here’s the gist: I’m going to take an extended break from blogging. I don’t know how long it will last, but I know that if I ever want to come back to it (and I do!), I need to give myself some time to refresh and find that excitement again.

Who knows, maybe next week I’ll wake up and have a brilliant idea for a post. If I do, I’ll write it. When the inspiration hits, I’ll write. When it doesn’t, I won’t.

I’m doing this for me. And that’s ok. (At least that’s what I keep telling myself.)

Stick around. I’ll be back.

 

 

19 thoughts on “Doing more of what makes me happy.”

  2. I think you’re doing the right thing by recognizing what’s giving you energy and what isn’t.
    I started a new job a few months back and am dealing a bit with the time allocation issue. Right now, I’m finding more joy in blogging than my fiction. But, I expect that will shift. We writers are like the river, we just have to flow.

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  5. Agh this just broke my heart 😥 I completely understand where you’re coming from, though. I’m going through something similar with my blogging feeling more like an obligation rather than a pastime. I’m gonna miss the MCL, but I can’t wait to read what you have left to write. ❤

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  7. I couldn’t hit ‘like’ because I don’t like that you’ll be taking a break. But I completely understand. In fact, I’ve been thinking about doing the same thing (blogging can be exhausting!) Have a nice time ‘away’; we’ll be here for you when you come back xoxo

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