I’ve gotten a lot of feedback by email or in person that people have difficulty reading my blog. Most of the comments are about how personal it is and how they feel like they’re seeing parts of me that should be kept private, or they feel like voyeurs. What fascinates me about this is that I have trouble understanding why anyone would be uncomfortable when I so clearly make the effort to put myself out there.
I can’t accidentally type four pages, and accidentally hit the publish button on a site that I accidentally built and pay for…
It’s not like finding my private journal and having an inner battle about whether or not to read it while I’m in the shower. I actually DO keep a private journal, wherein I work out most of the things that I sometimes post. Other things are just for me. Other things are not mine to share, but belong to other people – so I keep them safe.
But that brings me to the curiosity of personal blogs. I obvisouly do not have a niche topic. At the Blogger meet-up people were introducing themselves, “Hi, I’m ( ) I blog food.” “I’m a floral blogger.” “I’m a political blogger.”
And eventually it would come to the question, “What’s your topic?” I felt put on the spot to come up with something clever, or non-egocentric but as they stared at me I would eventually decide, there’s no hiding from the fact that a personal blog – is in fact a giant ego trip. Narcissistic and self-centered… hence the term, personal blog.
“Well,” I said. “I’m the topic. I blog about myself.”
There were a couple of people whose eyes skipped off me in disinterest and a couple who leaned in closer and I had the sudden uncomfortable sensation that I was someone’s equivalent of a train wreck. They couldn’t look away.
Please allow me to clarify why I keep a personal blog.
I love words. I love stories. I love the adventures of what it means to be human, a woman and a creative individual. I kept this blog at the beginning as a source to keep track of my own convoluted journey, so I could look back and always know – I have evolved. It was also a way for friends and family to keep track of me so as I traveled they would know I wasn’t in a ditch in Florida or something. It was a way to gage the success of my Quest to find ultimate Bliss.
It still is, but my readers have gone from a handful of friends to 300 regulars and 300 occasional readers. As the readers became more frequent I felt more of an obligation to stop pulling punches and put more of the truth out there – because I have learned through this blog that I am not alone. Everyone struggles with what it means to heal, to love, to adventure and to open to their full potential – so I felt like, I really need to do it, for Bliss, for the journey and share it all with anyone else who maybe thinks they are alone – because we are not – none of us – not really.
This blog is not private. It’s personal, and there is a very big difference. If it were private I wouldn’t be paying for a hosting site, or hitting the publish button.
I’m so glad you are all my journey with me. I just think it’s more fun this way. The more the merrier, I say.
Thank you for being witness to my awkward growth phases, my fears and the successes when I manage not to trip over my own foolishness. Thank you for being my witness. You guys rock!
Here are a few of the links that get the most emails, or phone calls or conversations about what people think is too personal to print.
Recent Comments