I’ve spent a long time debating the reasons why I stopped blogging this summer. I was given some incredible opportunities for the first six months or so of the year and then I suddenly got struck down with imposter syndrome. My motivation and inspiration went from one hundred to zero and I found myself feeling like a fraud. I felt like I didn’t ‘fit in’ online and anything I posted didn’t seem to have a purpose. I know that I’m not the only one to have experienced this, and I certainly won’t be the last. So here I am, back on my corner of the blogosphere typing up my thoughts in the hope that it may help some of you.
According to a number of studies, 70% of all people feel like imposters at one time or another. You may feel like you don’t deserve your achievements or perhaps pass any successes down to luck, but know that you’re not alone. This is particularly common for creators, as we compare ourselves to others online who may appear to be more successful or have a higher number of followers, despite starting out much later than yourself.
To live a creative life, we must get over the fear of being wrong.
Changes to the blogosphere
The digital platforms have become an overwhelming space for me, and others alike, especially now as so many aspire to be an influencer or content creator. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but as we begin to see the rise of the micro-blog perhaps we have started to see a decline in the interest of actual blogs. This said, I have definitely neglected the blog this year in favour of sharing more on my social media platforms. I’ve really enjoyed using Facebook and have put more effort into posting and interacting with readers. This wasn’t a conscious decision at all but I can’t argue that it’s much quicker to publish a photo and caption on Instagram than it is to sit down at your laptop and write a blog post.
Don’t get me wrong, I revel in that time sat at my laptop, typing away for hours and enjoy the rigorous process of selecting which photos to use (I’m always that snap happy person at an event/on holiday etc). However, the blogging world has changed and I’m simply trying to work out how to manoeuvre around it to make it an enjoyable place for me to be again.
Feeling like an imposter in the digital world
Six and a half years on since Katie Charlotte Blogs was born, I suddenly began to feel like an imposter. Despite not producing as many posts as previously, I was still receiving the same number of opportunities and experiences. I couldn’t understand why, so naturally began to doubt everything I was sharing. Of course, I’m extremely grateful that I’ve built up such a supportive following and thank all of the PRs, brands and local businesses who invite me to enjoy and share their latest ventures. This is always the cherry on top, but never the reason I do this.
I started saying no to opportunities that came my way due to feeling overwhelmed with self-doubt. It became crippling, so for more own wellbeing I had to take a step back.
Hit reresh and start again.
We all need balance, and I’ve found that by putting my phone down more and enjoying life in the moment (without capturing everything) has contributed to a more positive mindset. Don’t get me wrong, I still scroll endlessly now and then but I’ve also learnt that reading a magazine before bed and keeping my phone out of sight works magic for your mind.
I really wanted to share three tips that have helped me return to the blog with confidence again, and most importantly, excitement to share new content.
Firstly, remind yourself of why you started.
It’s easy to forget the reasons why, especially if you started many moons ago. Maybe it was a platform to help you showcase work for a certain career path, or a passion project that allowed you some escapism from your daily routine. Whatever it was, spend ten minutes thinking about the purpose of why you started and list what you enjoyed most about it at the time.
Write down your successes
We are always quick to point out what we don’t have, as opposed to what we do have. I am guilty for doing this, but I found that listing what I’ve achieved over the years and what I’m proud of has boosted my self-esteem to new heights. Focus on bigging yourself up for a change instead of putting yourself down.
Look outside the box
Take some time to look at those blogs and social accounts you enjoy scrolling on so much and ask yourself why you like their content. Can you put your scrolling time to good use? Alternatively, spend half an hour or so reviewing what you like and don’t like about the content you are sharing. Looking back at my blog posts from the last 2-3 years, I realised that the posts I love the most (and have been enjoyed the most by readers) are my honest chats and travel content. Therefore, I plan on sharing a lot more of them and taking the blog to the next level as we approach it’s 7th anniversary in February!
I would love to hear your thoughts on anything I’ve mentioned above. Perhaps you have decided to blog less and use your social platforms to share your content, and follow the path of many other bloggers.
P.s. I feel very lucky that something that has meant so much to me for so long is still being enjoyed by OG readers and newbies. Thank you for sticking by this Cotswold creative. Here’s to the next six and half years!
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