Tuesday 22 September 2020

Is Food and Other Loves Coming To An End?

 After blogging for over 6 years now, I've recently found myself wondering how much longer I'm likely to be doing this for. I started Food and Other Loves when I'd just decided to leave uni, I'd been diagnosed with anxiety and my life was generally in a bit of a mess. I wasn't very happy and needed something to distract me. I never knew how much I'd grow to love blogging and I'm so thankful I opened blogger that one random day in 2014 and just started writing (no matter how awful those older posts are) but now I'm almost 26 (not coping well with that tbh) and my life is completely different. I'm just not sure if I feel the same love for it that I used to?Radcliffe Camera, OxfordI'm not even really sure why I'm sharing all of this and I'm sure it's likely a lot people won't be interested but it felt right to be a bit more open and talk about how I'm genuinely feeling. I'm sure all bloggers have had up and down moments and I know I won't be the only one that's felt like giving up with it entirely but something feels different this time. That's not to say I'm quitting blogging tomorrow and that's it forever but I am going to be treating my blog a little differently I think.

I've always shared what I personally want to share and I'd never post something just for the sake of it but it easy to get sucked into the feeling of 'everyone else is posting this, this and this so maybe I should too?'. It's easy to compare your content to others and worry yours isn't good enough or isn't offering something. Over the last year or so though I really have just posted for me and I'd like to think now that the people that read and comment and follow on social media still would no matter how my content may change. I've gone back to basics and shared lots of recipes, especially baking ones because that's one thing that brings me pure joy and I've also shared lots of book content because there isn't much that makes me happier than getting lost in a good book. I've shared quite a few posts about our puppy Bear since we brought him home because he really is my absolute world and I've spoken about my love for travel lots recently too, so many things that might not be for everyone but the things that I genuinely love writing about and isn't that why I started this blog in the first place? Whilst I am still very much a small blogger in comparison to many, I never went into this expecting people to actually read my posts and I never expected to form working relationships with brands but with that comes a lot of pressure. Pressure to be posting regularly, pressure to be sharing what you think people want to read, pressure to constantly up your game, pressure to have the most creative photography. And the pressure takes away the fun of blogging for me.

I just feel that I've reached a point with blogging now where it's gradually winding down and I'm okay with that. I'm still going to share books I'm passionate about, I'm still going to share my recipes for bakes I think people would like to try, I'm still going to share more personal lifestyle posts when it feels right but I'm not going to push myself to keep up anymore. That goes for Instagram too. I FEEL FREE. I know that's dramatic but I shared on Twitter last week how I'd removed lots of inactive followers so my following has dropped quite considerably but I honestly don't mind. I've stopped sharing photos because I think they'll do well (beauty flatlays, I hate you and will no longer force myself to take them when others can do them far better than me) and I've stopped worrying about writing captions that will get people's attention. If I want to share a picture from a recent trip why shouldn't I? If I want to share a cute picture of Bear why can't I? So many photos I've chosen not to share because personal ones never do as well in terms of engagement (for me) but I don't want to worry about that anymore. That's absolutely no disrespect to those that do think about the numbers and who do really work hard on their Instagram, I totally support you and will still be there liking and commenting but I'm taking my account in a different direction and that's okay. Social media was having a huge impact on my mental health and I already feel tons better for taking some control back.

I'm launching something new next month (all being well) that I'm really hoping will be the start of something amazing and for now that's my main focus. 2020 has been pretty horrific but I think it's taught me a lot. I'm no longer comfortable sitting back and not voicing my opinion on things when something isn't right (as you may have seen on Twitter recently, sorry not sorry). I'm no longer going to feel like I have to be doing what other people are just to fit in somewhere I don't even want to be! And I'm going to do what truly makes me happy. Life is too short not to! 

For now I'll still be blogging and to be honest there probably won't be much that changes! You might not even notice much of a difference on Instagram if you follow me over there but this just felt like something I needed to get out. Maybe it won't have come across right and it is pretty much one big ramble but I wanted to say it and I feel better for it.

Can anyone relate to what I'm talking about? Do you ever feel like this with blogging?

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18 comments

Beautylymin said...

I can relate to an extent - your hobbies, likes and life, in general, change over the course of 6 years so it's only natural that your content will too. When I feel stuck in a rut, I take a break and then go back to basics - posting what I'd like to read about myself, rather than what I think others would like to read. I do sometimes toy with the idea of quitting blogging but I know I'd miss it too much - for now, anyway! Best of luck with your new venture! x

Beautylymin

Sarah Trademark said...

I have nearly given up with my blog several times. can be hard when stuck in a rut :(

Lisa K Thomasson Jung said...

Great post. I blog daily and I always think why ? Maybe I should post less? But I find that I use my blog as a personal dairy of life. Do what you enjoy and post what you want . Its yours to shape ...

jennyinneverland said...

Ahhh Tiff, well done for getting your thoughts out there and being honest and open about how you feel. That's so important. I've always said that blogging is supposed to be fun - whether it's a hobby or a job - and as soon as it's not, you need to take a step back.

I've felt so many things about blogging this year. Maybe its the craziness of the year that's made us re-revaluate things? But yeah I've considered my place in all of this as well and wondered whether it's time to consider moving on.

I'm so glad you're going to be just doing what you love and I can't wait to see more personal content from you! More Bear stuff please! And I hope it makes you happier :) Can't wait to hear about what you're doing next month! (if you can tell us!) x

Little Miss Mel said...

I completely relate to this. It’s hard to know where it fits in anymore the longer you’ve done it. I’m sort of wondering now myself.

https://littlemissmelanie.com/

Alice Anne said...

It's hard to know isnt' it? I don't think I'll do this forever. I'd like to go back to my old job once kids are in school xx

Kelly~Diane said...

I completely get where you are coming from. I felt like this a couple of years ago and closed down my blog. A year later, I found myself missing it and so decided to start a new one. This time round, I didn't add any pressure and didn't post because I felt I had to. I felt a lot more free too. I look forward to seeing your natural insta photos and content that you post on here too.

Sophie said...

I 100% feel this way about Instagram - I hate it and would happily delete it forever if I didn't feel the pressure to be there. Thankfully my blog doesn't make me feel that way. But you 100% should be posting what you enjoy! It's your space after all, it should be what you want it to be. Excited to see what you're launching x

Sophie
www.glowsteady.co.uk

Nic said...

Thanks for sharing your thoughts I had the same when I was diagnosed with Diabetes and going through work problems that I was going to give up as there was not a lot of time to blog, now I still find it a struggle to fit it all in, but I do hope that things will change :)

Nic | Nic's Adventures & Bakes

Tiffany Timms said...

Thank you so much! A break usually always helps me too xx

Tiffany Timms said...

So true, it's only natural! xx

Tiffany Timms said...

Very true. I often wonder who is actually interested in what I share but then I love writing so I can't see myself stopping completely xx

Tiffany Timms said...

Yeah I think so, 2020 has been wild and it's only natural a lot of us are wondering about changing things up. It's really made me re-evaluate things and think about what I want to do going forward. They'll definitely be more of Bear and I'm hoping to reveal all in a few weeks! xx

Tiffany Timms said...

I'm glad it's not just me feeling like this, I think 2020 has made a lot of us think about what's next for us xx

Tiffany Timms said...

That sounds like a good idea, I'm sure blogging is great to find around the kids at the moment so can understand that xx

Tiffany Timms said...

Thank you! I think I'd really miss it if I stopped completely but definitely think it was time for me to re-evaluate where I'm at with blogging and change things up a little xx

Tiffany Timms said...

Thanks so much Sophie! Instagram stressed me out massively, any enjoyment had just gone. I think there's so much pressure with it now to have themes and be posting all the time and I'm just not about that. I feel much more free now I've started sharing exactly what I want xx

Tiffany Timms said...

It can be so hard to find time for it when other things are going on can't it. I'm just trying not to put as much pressure on myself anymore xx

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