Some Honesty

I remember a time last year that I felt I needed to start blogging the way the "big bloggers" were.

I wanted people to enjoy my blog, and I thought that meant I needed to do fashion posts or lots of Pinterest-inspired DIYs for people to want to read my blog.

But I realized in the midst of trying to figure out how to do those things that they weren't for me.

I love reading those posts and looking at the cute outfits fashion bloggers put together...but let's be real...I'm never gonna be that girl...especially considering half of the clothes in my closet I've had for at least five years. I love clothes and I like looking cute just as much as the next girl...but not for anyone else's benefit. I like looking cute because it makes me feel better. So, if I were to do fashion posts (and I honestly don't think I ever would), I think I would get too caught up in what other people thought of my outfits, and I would lose a part of myself.

As crafty as I might be at times, I'm just not a constant DIY-er. I love Pinterest and I love going on there to look for new things to do, or for decoration ideas...but I haven't even done a quarter of the things I've pinned. It's just not something I'm super passionate about...and I think that's ok.

I was reading through this post that Ilene wrote and it resonated deep within me. I started blogging to record some of the things that were going on in my life at the time and some of the things God was teaching me. I wrote because I loved writing and I wanted an outlet to express that love. I started reading blogs of people I didn't know in real life, and I found some that truly inspired me to be a better person. I then started reading all sorts of different blogs, including fashion and crafty blogs.

I love the variety I have in what I read. I love the fact that I was asked to guest post on a blog about my struggle with infertility because I emailed that beautiful blogger and shared a piece of my heart with her. I love the comments and emails I've shared back and forth between many different bloggers. I love the relationships between other bloggers that I've watched develop, between people who wouldn't know each other if it weren't for blogging. I love the encouragement and inspiration I find every day from reading the words that other people write.

I just don't want what everyone else is doing to define what I do.

God gave me a voice, and I need to use that voice the only way I know how...by being me.

So, as much as I love and admire the bloggers who aren't like me, I have to remember that as long as I'm being true to myself, I'm blogging the right way.