Tag: Lifestyle Blogger

Writing Rut? I Hope This Helps

When I first started blogging, I wondered how in the world I would come up with enough topics to write about. I remember thinking to myself that if I had kept going for years, wouldn’t I run out of things to say?

I have been blogging on WordPress for four years and on Medium for only six months. In those four years on WordPress, I have experienced writer’s block a few times. I had to take a break from WordPress for several months a while ago after some things happened in my life. After this, I then vowed to keep going strong no matter what life threw at me and I have ever since!

My Thoughts 

Usually, I have so many thoughts and ideas that I can’t get them down fast enough. I typically write down a title and a brief description so that I don’t forget what I wanted to say. I then attach a picture and save this in my drafts.

There are times, however, when my mind is blank, and I cannot come up with anything to write about. Often this happens when I am tired or very stressed out. If I am experiencing a lot of anxiety or I am not in a great mood, that truly affects how clear my mind is and it can make writing very difficult. There are several things that I do to get my thoughts flowing again. Here are some ways that I get ideas for my next blog posts!

Coming Up with Ideas

  • Think of past life experiences
  •  Write about your thoughts and feelings
  •  Ponder over questions that you have about life
  •  Sit in nature and let creativity find you
  •  Be inspired by comments that others are sharing
  •  Reading other stories often trigger a story idea of your own
  •  Write about daily happenings in your life
  •  What can you teach the world?
  •  Let us hear about an interesting or odd experience

Get Started!

Most importantly get started! Pick up a pen or get out your laptop and let your mind wander and take you somewhere. If all else fails, if you have older work that you haven’t published for the world to see, you can get that out in the open. You never know who might be needing to see your story!

I truly hope that you have found at least one of these tips helpful! As writers, we go through many seasons, some full of thoughts and others where we become quieter and more introspective. It’s important to listen to our bodies, but also know when to keep following our passion. An idea will come to you sooner or later and you will be on your way again!

Advertisement

Hiding Behind a Screen

To be or not to be…anonymous that is! One of the first decisions that has to be made when creating a blog is to decide whether or not to be anonymous. I thought long and hard about this a few years ago and ultimately decided that I wanted my identity to be unknown, at least at the starting point.

When I first started, I chose my blog name and then a picture of a beautiful sunset and clouds by the water. Inside the clouds, I put a faded picture of my face. I wanted to add a slightly personal touch, but then I realized that it looked a little creepy! The next choice was a cursive “J” in my favorite color, purple.

Back and Forth

I go back and forth almost daily on whether I want to remain anonymous or not. I know that I would not use my real name as I have created this one a long time ago and it’s too late to change it now, there is too much history! I also strongly desire to change my blog name, but that opportunity is out the window. I debate whether I want to replace my purple “J” with a picture of me. There are several reasons that I am on the fence about this, and I don’t see myself coming up with a conclusion any time soon. This decision has been on my mind for months.

Since I tend to write mainly about my life, the experiences that I have had, and the individuals in my life, I feel more comfortable being anonymous. This way, I can write freely about what I want without having to worry that anyone will find out about it. Being anonymous allows me to write on all subjects involving myself and the people in my life without the need to censor. I suppose that I should be doing this regardless as my goal is authenticity, but I am taking baby steps.

The main reason I want to shed this anonymous identity is I feel that it puts distance between you lovely writers and myself. I “know” who most of you are at least picture-wise, however, no one knows who I am. It feels a bit like I am disconnected. I know that it’s the words and character that truly matter, but I think it’s great to “put a face to a name.” It creates a more personal connection.

Mystery

On the other hand, I think being anonymous leaves a lot of mystery and in some ways that is fun and thrilling. I tried to put myself in other people’s shoes who write here without a “face,” and I feel just as connected to them as I do others. 

I can still get a sense of who someone is just by their words and comments and their face doesn’t interfere with the connection that I build with others. My only hope is that other people feel the same way.

For now, J will continue to be a mystery woman, but I will continue to sleep on this, and possibly in the future I may choose a different route. Stay tuned!

The Story Behind My Unoriginal Name

Where did this hardly unique name of mine come from? You probably can guess it! I am kind of embarrassed about it now because I strive to be somewhat creative, but here’s the story.

Creating My First Blog

I have adored writing since I was younger. I decided to take my love of writing and create a blog a few years ago on WordPress. I wanted to share my experiences and hopefully help the world. It was a dream come true!

My first blog was on WordPress and then a few months ago I decided to expand and use Medium as well! I truly love being able to blog and having two amazing platforms that allow me to do so.

As with most new things, I tend to do a lot of research beforehand. I would research anything, and everything related to blogging so that I could gain as much knowledge and understanding as possible.

There was so much to do and to think of, it was a lot to take in, but very exciting nonetheless. The first step was coming up with a name!

Days Went By

I kept a notepad handy and wrote down any names that I could think of. I thought long and hard, I had a very long list of possible names.

I remember reading about a tip online to have a name that people could easily remember and one that is related to writing, for easy recognition and I took that a little too literally! I laugh at it now.

My first name starts with a “J.” I’ve been mistaken for a male more times than I can count, I think because people think of “Jay.” I am a female and although I currently write anonymously, I may change that in the future. We shall see!

I long to change my name into something more special and unique, but it has been with me for a while now and it doesn’t feel right to make that change. It would feel like I was starting over. I suppose I will have to learn to live with it and hopefully one day embrace the name. It’s not likely that I will embrace it, but I can try!

Share with Us!

I know some people use chosen words, pen names, and their actual names. How did you come up with your blogging name? I would love to hear your stories!

It’s Just an Emotion

I have been a very sensitive person ever since I was a young girl. I remember being able to feel others’ emotions so profoundly to the point that it oftentimes would negatively impact me.

In my early teens, I would cry a lot because I wasn’t sure how to regulate all of these emotions. Couple that with being a teenager and having emotions all over the place anyway, and you have yourself a recipe for a pretty challenging phase of life.

My View

I viewed emotions very negatively in my younger years. Pleasant emotions of course were wonderful but feeling any sort of unpleasant emotion was such a great deal to me.

It almost felt that whenever I felt anger, sadness, guilt, or any other unpleasant emotion, it was magnified. I would do anything that I could to prevent myself from feeling pain or anything unpleasant.

I always felt so overwhelmed by my emotions, because not only was I feeling mine, I was absorbing everyone else’s. They call us, Highly Sensitive People (HSP).

Break It Down

An emotion is just that. It’s a feeling and if we give it power, it can consume us.

Emotions are fleeting, it’s important to acknowledge that they are there, but not place constant emphasis on them.

Emotions are a part of life and a part of being human. A lot has been going on in my life lately. I was talking with a friend, and she told me the other day that “feelings are just feelings, and we don’t have to let them play such a large role in our lives.” I started to look at emotions differently.

Suddenly, the extreme power that emotions had over me became more of something that needs management rather than bringing me from 100 to 0. I appreciate this notion that she shared with me greatly. Other people can have a profound impact on our lives!

Yes, emotions are strong, and they are valid, real, and important, but we don’t have to let them consume us. We can let the feeling stay a while and then we can work on ways of processing the emotion.

A Word Within a Word

Take a look at the word emotion. The word motion lies within it. Our feelings bring a great motion in and out of our lives.

They come and they go. Emotions are fleeting. The happy emotions we wish would stick around longer, yet the unhappy ones we are glad to get rid of.

Change is a Constant 

Everything in life changes. Sitting and dwelling on a certain feeling can prolong its stay in our lives.

We can look inside and acknowledge how we feel at a particular moment, realize the impact that something has had on us, and then chose to let it float away. Maybe not far away, but we can try to distance ourselves from it so that it doesn’t consume us and become “a part” of us.

I’m Trying 

Every day, I try not to get stuck. I try to remember my friend’s wise words about letting myself feel the emotion, but not becoming trapped in it.

It’s amazing how much humans can help each other. We all see things very differently and approach life in different ways.

The impact of another’s words is a constant reminder of how powerful they are!

Another Day, Another Page

Whether we realize it or not, we are all writing a book. We are creating the story of our lives every day that we live.

Our story is unique to us and although we are all human, we also have a journey that is laid out unlike any other.

A New Page

Every day that we wake up is another chance to start anew. We keep adding to our book of life.

Our experiences and lessons are stamped inside of our book as we make our way through the many seasons of life.

Our book goes on, chapter after chapter.

Pages

This precious book will have a past, a present, and blank pages to fill in the future. Sometimes we may flip back a few chapters to examine the past, but we should be careful not to linger there.

Every day holds a page in this book of life. Some are connected together to form chapters of significant events that have happened to us.

We may often be tempted to peek ahead at those blank pages that represent our future, however, like our past, we must try to bring ourselves back to our current page.

Your Book

Your life is all yours! Many things in life we have control of, yet many things we do not.

Life is a lot of what we make it. There will be good days, bad days, and days in-between.

We will face struggles and triumphs, roadblocks and detours, and we will have many reasons to celebrate who we are and how far we have come.

Make every day count! You are creating a story that is uniquely yours each day that you live. Maybe down the line your story will inspire others and be one of encouragement and hope!