It’s been mentioned a couple of times how my blogging has taken a back seat.
Then there’s been a few more moments when I’ve thought about packing it all in.
Wave the white flag. Fall into the black hole of obscurity
But I haven’t done any of this because of two very significant reasons:
Thursday nights are all I have left. If I completely let go of this one night – dedicated to focusing on my thoughts (albeit stupid and quirky) and validate them in a blog (and so they’re not as stupid and quirky) – I have nothing. Nada.
If Thursday nights are no longer my push to keep pressing the publish button, I will stop blogging altogether and that would almost be like denying an important creative element of my existence (Melodramatic much?)
Secondly, I love this community. You guys might not realize it but this bloggy connection is a bit of a lifeline for me. It has been for at least five years.
How can I let that go?
Going back to work, there was a tiny inkling that it was possibly time to begin a new chapter sans blogging.
But if there’s any time when I rely on the support, friendship and sense of perspective, it’s every Friday.
Some of you may recall I ran a little series called “Fears, Tears and Belly Laughs”.
I invited three bloggers to write a post for FYBF, based on one of these themes.
Away for work and holidays for 6 weeks – from the end of November to the first week of January – I thought this would be an opportune time to do it all again and hand the floor back to six bloggers.
I’m inviting two bloggers to write about Fear, two for Tears and two for Belly Laughs.
Who’s interested? Please send me a message over at my Facebook page or email me: grace@withsomegrace.com. Also tell me which theme you would like to write about. (Go for the one that you’re least comfortable with – challenge yourself!)
For all the times you guys have all been there for me, it’s time to give back to this awesome community.
1. Follow With Some Grace.
2. Sign up to the awesome Digital Parents community ( if you haven’t already done so). DP was created by Brenda Gaddi who happens to be the creator of FYBF. She’s also created 4 gorgeous kidlets. In case you’d like to know. Or maybe not. But we’ll share that info just the same.
3. Add your post URL to the FYBF linky. Please only link up one post.
4. Grab the funky FYBF button and post it on your sidebar. Help spread the blogfloggin love.
5. Visit the blogs of your fellow FYBF’ers and share the comment love
Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit says
Don’t go! I enjoy being with you every Friday 🙂 With my early morning cuppa.
Great idea doing the tears, fears and belly laughs again. I’m keen!
Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit recently posted..Day 2177 – NEW Head & Shoulders Beautiful Hair Collection RELEASED TODAY
JodY At Six Little Hearts says
Never quit your blog Grace! You have a talent I would miss and a very rare community. This is your real estate and even if you only manage a two-paragraph post, I’ll be here. Xx
JodY At Six Little Hearts recently posted..Zara Darcy Alessandro Review – Win a Baby Bag Worth $199! #SLHFeaturedThursdays
Desire Empire says
I hear you on the giving it up part, but I now just look at it as the diary of our life. I would have loved it if one of my ancestors created this resource for me to peer into.
I have stopped chasing the dollars and slowed it down a bit and I too really enjoy that part of it.
Have a great long weekend
Carolyn
Desire Empire recently posted..Prawn Cocktails with a Homeade Cocktail Sauce Recipe
Laney@thelaneyfiles says
I hear you – it would be so easy to just…stop blogging, but as you say, life wouldn’t be the same. I think about it sometimes too, because at times I find blogging really hard. But it has also opened up opportunities for me, so in a way, giving up blogging would be a bit ungrateful of me and maybe a stupid move too. I hope you will be sticking around! Enjoy your holiday!
Laney@thelaneyfiles recently posted..What keeps you up at night?
Kathy says
I hope you can keep it going Grace – I’ve so enjoyed linking up these last 2.5 years. It was lovely to do the ‘Tears’ part of your series that time.. Happy to write again on fears or tears – would like to think I can do belly laughs but I’m sure there are others better qualified!
Kathy recently posted..Just remember and forget
Min@WriteoftheMiddle says
I completely understand where you’re coming from Grace but gee I hope you don’t every quit! It would leave a big gaping hole in the blogging community. We all love you and would miss you terribly. It doesn’t matter if you don’t blog as often as you used to – doesn’t matter at all! 🙂 xo
Min@WriteoftheMiddle recently posted..How to use crystals to boost your health and happiness
Sammie @ The Annoyed Thyroid says
I’m pleased I’m not the only one who has contemplated life without blogging. Please don’t stop though, Grace because Friday mornings just wouldn’t be the same without you! xx
Sammie @ The Annoyed Thyroid recently posted..She’s So Inspiring – Amy Ahearn
Fluffy says
I love joining you on Fridays and reading your post. It’s important to follow your heart, but I really hope your heart says ‘stay’. xxx
Fluffy recently posted..Kindness Challenge – Week Four Update
Denyse Whelan says
Oh how I would miss your blog if it wasnt there any more. However, I so understand how life in its many guises moves us forward from what we always did to what we do now. I like the idea of asking for guest posters and based around your theme idea. Shall email you. Fear has been my biggest teacher this year. Love, Denyse
Denyse Whelan recently posted..Mindfulness by Jon Kabat-Zinn. 274/365.
mamagrace71 says
Email me, D! Would love to have you guest post! x
Lydia C. Lee says
I love this idea but I’m so random at the moment I’d hate to let you down…I’d do fear. I might do fear anyway…if you don’t get 6 far more reliable bloggers, then let me know…but for your sake, I’ll be non committal, as I just seem all over the place at the moment.
Lucy @ Bake Play Smile says
Oh what a great idea! Gosh it’s hard juggling life, work and blogging!!!
Lucy @ Bake Play Smile recently posted..Fabulous Foodie Fridays #71
Lydia C. Lee says
And glad you aren’t chucking it in, but more glad you’re have a 6 week holiday! What fun!!
Lydia C. Lee recently posted..Back & Bleary eyed
Amy @ HandbagMafia says
I hope you stick with it Grace- I always enjoy your posts!
Amy @ HandbagMafia recently posted..Devine Intervention on Domestic Violence
EssentiallyJess says
I’ve felt the pinch a lot more this year too Grace, and feel very much the same as you. If it wasn’t for IBOT, I’m not sure how much I would blog.
EssentiallyJess recently posted..Warmest Aloha
Zoe Meunier says
I totally understand that feeling of blogging sometimes feeling all too hard when we’re all so busy – that being said, you would be very much missed. And I imagine you would miss it even more! As they say, we usually end up regretting the things we don’t do much more than the things we do!
Vanessa says
I hope you do keep blogging, as I believe a creative outlet is healthy! But if it’s truly not doing it for you anymore, then I would say find something else that suits you as an outlet.
Vanessa recently posted..$140 Grocery Shop
Brenda says
I’m gonna go all KC & The Sunshine Band on you….
Babe, I love you so. I want you to know that I’m going to miss your love the minute you walk out that door. So please don’t go. Don’t go, don’t go away. Please don’t go. Don’t go, I’m begging you to stay….
Love you, G, The blogging community won’t be the same without you. xxx
Kristyn says
Just had to read the comment. Now that damn song is stuck in my head.
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mamagrace71 says
“My tea’s gone cold, I’m wondering why…” 😀
Pinky Poinker says
So glad to hear you aren’t stopping! I was thinking about putting my hand up to write a post for you but as soon as I HAVE to write something I get writer’s block which is why I have to say no to sponsored posts. I get all cranky and sulky when I have to write something. I’ll look forward to seeing what the six bloggers come up with. You deserve a little rest Grace x
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Erika @ Ever-changing Life of a Mum says
I totally understand how you are feeling. Blogging can be really hard at times, but it is also such an important creative outlet for me, although lately I’ve been struggling to find the time to post as often as I would like. I love joining you every Friday for FYBF! Enjoy your break! Hopefully that will be a great opportunity to recharge the batteries 🙂
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Haidee@Maybe Baby Brothers says
You can’t quit! We all like you too much 🙂 Great idea on the guest posts!
Haidee@Maybe Baby Brothers recently posted..Sum Up (#6) & The New Art For Choosing A School
Lisa wielgosz says
Your blog is fantastic, and 5 years is a long time. If you really love it and it means a lot to you don’t give up!!
Though I do understand where’re your coming from, blogging is time consuming and can get tiring. I did pause my blog for a significant time (2 years….) and for me it was the right decision. At the point in my life where I stopped I felt I wasn’t coping with being a mum and a regular blogger, I’ve recently returned to blogging and I feel enthusiastic and positive about the return, so I regard my hiatus as a much needed break.
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Ingrid @ fabulous and fun life says
Have a good break and holiday Grace! For selfish reasons I hope you don’t quit blogging altogether as I enjoy reading your blog and being a small part of this great community you have built.
Ingrid @ fabulous and fun life recently posted..My Amazing Marie Claire The Parcel Competition Win
Malinda @mybrownpaperpackages says
SO so so glad you are sticking around, you had me worried for a moment there.
Bec Senyard says
I honestly don’t know how you do it all Grace, but I hope that you do continue to write your blog because I love the community here too and I always love reading your blog. xx
Bec Senyard recently posted..What Needs to be Done Around My Home & Home Improvement Thursday #HIT
Lisa says
Don’t go Grace! I have thought of quitting too, many times but can never seem to push the button on it! Slowly getting the blog mojo back, getting back into the linky party thing-it has been too long. xx
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Maria @ Pastels & Macarons says
Grace I haven’t been blogging for anywhere near as long as you and took a seven month break while I tried to adjust to the arrival of our second child and then wasn’t sure if I wanted to come back and continue. Then I decided yes and i do someday have my little moments when I wonder “why? why do I do this? does anyone even notice my blog and hard work?” but then I think it just doesn’t matter, I do this for me. It’s my creative outlet and when it gets too much I just step back a little or a lot. I really hope you don’t stop. Call it selfish but I enjoy reading your thoughts and what you write even if i don’t always comment, usually due to having to deal with one of the kids. Hope you keep at it! 🙂 x
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Toni @ Finding Myself Young says
Don’t ever quit Grace, there are so many of us who love checking in with you each Friday. We would miss you too much x
Toni @ Finding Myself Young recently posted..Mummy Must Have Review | Childish Things
Bec @ Seeing the Lighter Side says
Learn from my very recent experience – I tried taking a break from blogging so that I could release some time to get a bunch of other things done. The end result – the other stuff didn’t get done any faster than it would have if I’d continued blogging. Also, I felt like I’d been gagged. I started blogging again about a month later because the sheer emotion of a single event (the photo of the drowned Syrian toddler) had to go somewhere. It ended up on my blog. It was such a relief to open the floodgates again. Don’t go, but please feel free to take as many breaks as you like. We’ll still be here x.
Bec @ Seeing the Lighter Side recently posted..Relive romantic movie moments in these 5 Italian locations (Guest post)
Robyna | The Mummy and the MInX says
I think there would be a very big hole in the blogging community if you left it. But it is tricky. Like everything, it’s balancing the things we love with the things we have to do.
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Vicki @ Knocked Up and Abroad says
Well I’m glad you still look forward to your Thursday nights as much as I look forward to your posts on Fridays! It’s easy to bump out blogging when life ups the anti but if you need to blog, you still need to blog. TIme will be found to do it even if it’s not as regularly as once before or you’d like. Keep it up! Sharing and community is important x
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Julie @ Off to the park says
Oh Grace don’t leave us! I look forward to reading your posts every Friday. xx
Julie @ Off to the park recently posted..Playground antics and getting older
Emily says
I always love your posts. Every day, once a week, once a month – whatever works, I’ll be here. (Even though life has put some obstacles in the way of my reading recently! SORRY!)
I was honoured to be in the fears, tears and belly laughs last time around. Might email you, but totally understand if you say no to repeat offenders. x
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