I haven’t been in the mood to write my blog much the past week and I think it is because I have been so involved in my garden. I have this habit of obsessing on something and giving it tons of effort and then abandoning the hobby and moving on to another project. My history goes something like this. After I quit working to stay home with my kids I obsessed on home decor and gardening, then I started a cookie baking business, then my sister and I started a custom holiday decorations business, then I moved on to regular interior decorating, then Nuskin, then I tried writing a children’s book, homemade bread making, and now for the past year and a half I have been blogging. My average time frame is about 1 year and then if I don’t see the results I am looking for I usually quit and move on to something else. Each time I start a new project Lou and the rest of my family always knows how it will end up, I will eventually quit!
I lay out for everyone my grandiose ideas as to how I am going to make a bunch of money without jeopardizing any time away from my kids and they all nod their heads and agree because they know it will never happen as it is an impossible feat. It is impossible because I refuse to leave or miss any of my kids activities nor do I have anyone to watch Tiara during these money making adventures. So I have the ideas and probably enough talent but I don’t have the resources and I refuse to make any concessions.
In all of these endeavors I made a small amount of money but I have made the least amount of money blogging. The difference is I gain so much emotionally from my blog and I have been told I actually help people which is the most important part of this “job”. I keep reminding myself I am helping others by talking about my life with Tiara and her sisters, I need to keep going! I also LOVE all the relationships I have developed with new people and rekindled with old friends.
For the past month I have only been writing my posts, which is the bare minimum in the blogging world. I really need to be blog hopping, soliciting advertisers, promoting my media kit, visiting other blogs more often and commenting on their posts, contributing as a guest writer on other websites and so on and so on.
The other piece of this is that I have worked really hard to gain as many regular followers as I currently have and if I stop posting 5 times a week, I will lose people. I lose readers everyday but I also gain new readers daily which makes up for the loses but I hate the up and down of my “stats.” I have been avoiding my Google analytics reports which I used to check twice a day because I got so upset when I have a low visitor day.
Last time Tiara was in the hospital my numbers skyrocketed to almost 20,000 page views a month made me super happy but once she got out of the hospital they plummeted to only 12,000 page views a month. I was getting so used to seeing those fabulous numbers I had no idea they would drop so quickly. Like we all know, the public likes drama and I can prove this for a fact.
Yes 12,000 is still good but if I ever want to make some decent money at this gig I need 100,000 page views or more per month. I am so competitive I get really mad when I numbers drop but I’m not doing anything to make them better because any free time I have I wander into the garden. So what to do, what to do?
I guess I will keep doing what I am doing and not watch my Google numbers so I won’t freak out anymore. The other variable is that I may not be able to garden much longer because my rash has gotten so crazy I look like I have ring worm all over my legs and arms. My Mom and Sister were just talking about how crazy my rash was so I know that I will be getting a steriod shot soon if it creeps towards my face or I will have to stop gardening. In that case I will need my blog to distract my ever wondering mind.
WAIT, I have the answer to my problem and having to choose between the garden and the blog: NEVER SLEEP!!! Oh wait, no sleep= wrinkles, bags under the eyes,moodiness and increased appetite. Well, obvioulsy that will never do!
Love all my readers and thanks for listening to my complain, I feel so much better now! What would I ever do without you?
xoxo tiffani
My friend Noelle is having her first book signing on Thursday at LULU, too in Costa Mesa!
Stop by for a visit!
HA! No Sleep…
My latest adventure is It Works (skinny wraps) and it’s booming!!! I’ve managed to get the veggie garden finished up so that it only takes 2 hours or so once a week.
It’s tough to manage all of the tasks in a day. Plus, we’re expanding our Wellness clinic this week! Is it too much to ask for maybe 26 hours???
Hope you’re having a great week so far!
Oh I have had those feelings, too. I recently started to do web design on the side, too. And then took most of the long weekend off, so it was pretty hard to make myself sit down yesterday for blogging. But think we all need a break from time to time. I also think that whatever you do decide will be the right move for you!! 🙂
I know exactly what you mean about the whole blogging and numbers thing. You should blog because you love it! I can tell that you do enjoy it. It’s like therapy at times and it’s definitely a lot cheaper! LOL! Go get the steroid shot now so you can continue to enjoy your gardening. Love your blog and would be sad if I couldn’t read it! Stacie xoxo
I only get 5000 page views a month! Does that make you feel any better? Don’t quit blogging we would all miss you too much! Focus on the good things about blogging. Not the negatives! You are a help, inspiration, and encourager to many people! Including me! This restlessness and discouragement will pass!! XOXO
You’re both crushing me! But you’re both welcome to guest blog over at my place anytime 🙂
I still think that if blogging makes you happy then you should continue to do it. Readers are going to come and go but it gives you a place to vent and express your feelings.
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(¸¤ Lanaya | xoxo
http://www.raising-reagan.com
I just love your bog,Tiffani! Your down-to-earth, self-effacing posts are well received because people love realness. For the record, your numbers are amazing– and I would really consider trying not to judge it on a succeed/fail, black-and-white perspective. There is beauty and depth and the God’s honest truth in every post- I love the way you share. But you need to be happy with it!!– so if there are ways that you can tweak it– like posting three days a week (I don’t think that “have to post everyday” idea is true– I know many successful bloggers who just couldn’t take it anymore and cut back– their readers didn’t care– they weren’t able to read it everyday anyway!) Follow your gut… what you love about the blog is what you should keep doing, but I wouldn’t force yourself to do things that ruin it for you. Maybe you could take on a few of the guest posting/commenting ideas above without overwhelming yourself. Just so you know- your blog is astoundingly successful for a relatively new blog. Go easy on yourself!! Allow yourself to have fun and don’t force it 🙂 By the way- I keep thinking about that one post you did about taking Tiara to the park. I kept meaning to go back and comment because that post was so beautifully simple and powerful. You are awesome and you are doing awesome things!
Do what makes you happy. And if blogging fulfilled you, for however long, then it was a success. Sharing your story was, and is, valuable to the many other families who face a more challenging daily life due to having a medically fragile child. But that’s not enough, and shouldn’t be. There is you and your needs. If the next chapter is gardening, go for it. You have few moments a day that isn’t about Tiara – make them count!
I recently wrote a very similar blog titled “why blog” sometimes it seems as if the whole blogging experience is more of a chore than fun, and for me when something becomes a chore, then I abandon it. I only wish i could make money with my blog (that’ll never happen) nut admire those who can… I love you blog and love coming here to read the things you have to say
I can obviously relate to your blog and enjoy reading it when I have time to catch up. I don’t have much time to write anymore but always enjoy when I do. As long as your decision is based on the needs of you & your family first then that’s all that really matters! XOXO
Nikki
I share many of the same feeling and questioning when I think about my blogging adventure. Blogging for me, started with grand ideas(and I had a lot of them) and then reality of my time, education, and money that I was willing to devote to all of it. My children are all in school or practically grown and I work odd hours that make it hard to really have “girl-friends” so it has become a way for me to share. I will not end up making money at this but I feel like I have companions now. My blog friends are truly interested in the things I am because they don’t have to say nice things. They can just as easily not look at my post and not comment. There is no obligation. There really isn’t and obligation for me but I enjoy it. I like seeing other folks points of view and terrific ideas. My blog is also mine. I can do with it exactly as I wish and I like that too. I think you should do what makes you feel comfortable. It is surely okay to slow down or even take a break. I enjoy your point of view. I’m glad you are a sharer.
Hug to you Tiffani. I have been having very low writing and blogging mojo lately. Which is odd because I had a great experience at Bloggy Boot Camp Charlotte a few weeks ago. I had a feature that came up with a quick turnaround — so maybe I’m just tired. Or maybe this big-birthday looming is taking it’s toll. As far as making money blogging, yesterday I just pinned “You are more likely to survive a PLANE CRASH than click a BANNER AD.” Ha. Who knows — but I love what you said. “I gain so much emotionally from my blog” that is so true. That’s why I get frustrated when I can’t spend as much time as I’d like. Count me in the group that wants you to keep blogging. A big virtual hug from the East Coast.
We all go through this at some point or another Some of us go through multiple times. I think it’s just the sign of being a mature blogger and coming to the turning point where you realize that you don’t have to blog every single day and you don’t have to be a slave to the numbers.