why i {still} blog.


last week one of my favorite bloggers shared that she was taking a break from her blog for awhile due to reasons unique to her own story. while i mourn the loss of reading her words every morning with my breakfast, i celebrate this big change in her life.

& as i thought about her story, i reflected on my own & why i still continue to blog even after seven years. i thought about all of the reasons why i share our story here week after week... and in the end, it came down to this: i am drawn to the personal.


let's be honest - blogging is slowly becoming outdated. 

we crave the abridged version, the quick scroll of instagram & the 1 minute clip. we struggle to find time to read our favorite books, get a full night's rest or eat a good breakfast. with the juggle of everyday life, it feels almost impossible to sit down & read a full blog post. so we scroll, we scan & we glean what we can.

can i be brave & say i want to challenge that notion in this space? 

i crave the personal, the big cups of warm coffee & the good conversation. i crave the full story, the listening ear & the deep questions. i crave the details, the loss & the gains. that is why i blog here. i want to share details of our home & full-length paragraphs rich with thought. i want to share step-by-step recipes & detailed tutorials of creative projects. i want to sit down & write about the big stuff, the little stuff & the in-between. 

i get it - we're all busy. but let's maybe make a little more time & create bigger margins for the details & the in-depth.

thank you for entering into this space every week & reading our story. it means so much to me.

love,
natalie

24 comments:

Misti said...

People have been saying blogs are dying for over five years now and I have never believed it. They just continue to evolve. I've been writing in a space online since 2002 and I've seen many of those early people I followed fall off and move on. Just as I've seen people start a blog in the last two years take off and advance at crazy speed.

I'm definitely sad to be missing my morning Elise posts, too. Until then, I know I've got a stack of blogs to still read, including yours!

Chas said...

I love checking in here with you on a regular basis!

Bevy @ Treasured Up and Pondered said...

You put into words what my own heart has been saying or feeling. Thank you!!

I've been blogging for a long time, as well, and wonder if it'll ever change for me - and when I go there with my thoughts, my heart says no.

So many days I come up dry and empty. But.. every now and then (and it's the LORD!!) there really is something to share.

I am with you. I guess..it's true! I crave personal. And, want to keep the sense of community that blogging provides. I think I need it!!

I so enjoy stopping in here on a regular basis...even, though I'm fairly new!!

Blessings,
~Bevy

Unknown said...

I like instagram, but I love blogs. Your blog is one of my favorites. I love hearing the details, looking at the pretty pictures on my laptop as opposed to the small screen of a phone. I love the inspiration from so many different types of women across the world. Setting aside some time on Saturday mornings with a cup of coffee is a special time to enjoy blog reading. Keep up your inspiring work, Natalie!

Patty Marker said...

I think there will always be a place for the community that blogging provides. If I only have time for a few, I always head for the ones that tell a story, the good, the bad and the real. Those are the ones that pull me back every time. I still blog to share life, not as often as the early days but a few times a week. I miss it when I don't. I'm glad you're in it for the long haul, as I always enjoy my visits here.

Unknown said...

Amen! and ditto to what Maria Hale said.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for continuing to share. I enjoy your blog very much!

Ali @ Anything You Want said...

Keep blogging! I always love your updates!!

KacyRae said...

I'm here! I love the little world you create. I love your vintage finds. I too create the coffee and the conversations. I'm a full-time working mom who has very little free time, and I love sitting down and reading blog posts. So I'm here.

Julia said...

i'm with you natalie! while the content and frequency of my posts has changed drastically since i started blogging almost nine years ago (!), i won't give it up. i love the record of my life it keeps and sharing my story with those who come visit. and i still love checking in with my friends like you who are still writing. so glad you are. xo

Unknown said...

I don't believe that blogs are dying out- I, for one, love to read blogs. I love to read the long paragraphs and the details. I think a lot of people still read blogs, maybe not as much as people who just prefer the short-version of things, but I know there are tons of people out there who are still into blogs. Keep writing!

Jenny said...

I've wondered if blogging would be a fad but I do so hope not. I still love reading my blogs every day. I do have much more free time than most & I probably waste a lot of time online more than most. There are just so many good, fun things to read on blogs & I do love the photography.

I have not started any of the other social things like instagram because I already spend so much time online now.

I also love the personal connections I've made thought blogs! I've connected with the sweetest most inspiring lady in New Zealand through her blog. We email & connect through Facebook & have sent each other gifts even though we've never met. I've also made some great personal connections in my home state of WV with people I would never have met otherwise & hope to someday meet in person.

Your blog has become special to me too because you're close by (I'm in Gentry) & I love the same things you love. Being in the empty nest your the same age as my kids but I love hearing about the beauty you create - it inspires me to try new things with my free time!

I think there will always be people who read blogs because there will always be people who crave the slow, beautiful things that are shared there.

Tammie said...

I have never blogged, but LOVE reading blogs and yours is one of my top 3 must reads. I want to see the written words, want to see the pics, want to "hear" what ideas you have. I have never been on instagram, snapchat or twitter and have no plans to. Just not my cup of tea. So keep doing what you are doing, but do it for no other reason that it makes you happy!

Anonymous said...

YES. I love this. I've been struggling with the same thoughts of "why do I even?", and coming from someone with much fewer followers, it's easy to think nobody would even miss me if I were to stop.

But the sharing. The documenting so our babies can look back at the big, small, and in-between. The journey. The connection.

I know I would miss it. I'm so thankful that YOU do blog. Keep it comin'!

xoxo

Unknown said...

I absolutely enjoy reading your blog and seeing your beautiful photos! When my day is hectic, I look forward to the color in your photos, the simplicity in the content. I am thankful to have stumbled a pon your IG account. Thank you for sharing and know that it is never in vain. Although technology can consume our precious time, it is also a blessing to connect with people that are states away! :)

Emily Adams said...

I found you on Instagram but looked to see if you had a blog later on... I like more details and bigger stories than people can share on IG. :)

Kathrine said...

Thank you for sharing this, Natalie – I completely agree!! "Everyone" talks about blogging becoming outdated, and it makes me sad. Yes, it takes time to read lenghty blog posts (and even longer time to write them), but it's worth it for the personal stories we share and the little time-outs created that otherwise drown in the frantic scrolling and scanning. Your blog is the perfect companion with a cup of tea when I need to take a break from whatever I'm doing. Keep on writing.

Sarah Fredette said...

I still, and probably always will, love blogs. Quilting, lifestyle, food, photography, it doesn't matter. When I need a momentary escape from my own problems, my own worries, I can go catch up with a favorite blogger. The discussions are always there, never fleeting like Instagram or Facebook, and they always tend to be more positive. It takes so little time to write something to Facebook, that no one thinks twice about posting negative complaints. But blogs take time, take thought, and usually if you're putting that much thought into something, it's going to be positive. The world needs more positivity. So thank you. :D

Colleen Mole said...

I've gotta say, this is the first time I've heard someone say that blogs were headed to the wayside! The thought never occurred to me that they would be out-dated so quickly. I love reading my blogs at lunchtime every day! And although I do probably spend more time on Instagram in the evenings its only because its too hard to read while your kid is pestering you every few minutes (or trying to steal my phone for her own screen time). At lunch time, in my office, I can spend 30 glorious minutes connecting with my favorite bloggers and I love it! Keep blogging!

lily0182 said...

Ditto! It's all about the details and the conversation.

Cassandra said...

Hi natalie:-) oh your blog is such a special place to visit. I value the personal aspect of blogs too and have never fallen for facebook or instagram. The inspiration and warmth in your words and photographs always leave me coming back for more. Thank you for being transparent and real, and such a light in my days!!

Anonymous said...

Hey Natalie :) Just found you on Instagram and love this space! I've not given up writing either on our blog that we started years ago for an adoption but turned into a space for sharing real life. Excited to follow!

Unknown said...

"let's maybe make a little more time & create bigger margins for the details & the in-depth." LOVE THIS! New follower and so glad to be along for the ride. Heart, Ferial

Alison @ Notyetwhatweshallbe.wordpress.com said...

I'm glad you still blog :) I get behind on reading (case in point: I just read this entry!), but I do still love hearing what is going on in your's and Luke's lives, reading your thoughts, and getting a glimpse into your home. I hope you continue to write and share! Much love :)

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