Epiphany

Last night I was sitting in a room full of beautiful women learning more about them and their inspiration for blogging at our October TriFABB event (at Graffiti Frozen Yogurt in Durham - yum!).

And on the way home, it hit me:
I don't have to compare my blogs to the others that are already out there.
If my blog is just like everyone else's it will fit in, yes, but that also means it will blend in.
A few of us started to get shy or even embarrassed when talking about our vision for our blog, myself included.  And as I was reflecting about my crazy day/week/month, I realized that I am really proud of what this blog has become and I'm really excited to see what the next 9 months has in store.  Because, although I started this blog back in 2010, I didn't start seriously blogging until August of 2012.

I've been critiquing DWW all this time by comparing it to other blogs that have been around for months or years or decades even.  That's just not fair.  Everyone and every thing has a starting place.  No one started with 800+ followers.  And like Marissa has said before, hosting a blog the "right way" is comparable to having a full time job.

I'm going to be honest: I didn't have a vision for DWW when it first started.  I just knew I was a young/new wife and homemaker and that I also work for a living.  I thought it would be fun to document the juggling act of becoming a wife, homemaker, co-habitant, etc.  I also think that (myself included) so many of us have no freakin' clue what we are doing when we get married.  I mean, I had never even lived with a man before (other than my dad and little brother) our wedding.  It is so different!  Different in good ways and different in compromising ways, but overall DIFFERENT.

So, when I first started reading other blogs, I wanted to be just like them.  I wanted to have readers love my writing as much as I loved theirs'.  And I wanted people to feel connected to me as I feel connected to some of my favorite bloggers.  So, foolishly I started trying to do some of the things that they were doing, forcing me to write about things I'm not entirely passionate about, or use a voice that isn't really mine, or ....the list goes on.  I'll be honest, a lot of the posts I've written I haven't even published because after re-reading them I've realized that they weren't "me."

Last night, after hearing all the girls (especially the newbies - I was so excited to find new blogs to read) talk about their blogs and what they do with them I realized my blog doesn't have to be a "fashion" blog to talk about fashion.  It doesn't have to be a "lifestyle" blog and avoid all things fashion.  In fact, I don't really have to put a label on it at all.  My blog can be like me: total, utter randomness.

So, I'm embracing my new attitude and outlook on DWW.  If and when I want to talk about fitness, I'll do it.  If I want to post a few pics of me strutting my stuff and having my hubs take embarrassing photos, I'll do that, too.  If I want to share a recipe or a story or a random thought or do a giveaway, it's okay!  Hopefully, my readers will continue to grow and appreciate what I'm doing here.  And hopefully they will still be able to relate with the real me.

So, I've started thinking about the things in my life that truly make me who I am:

• wife
• health/fitness nut (not a guru, but definitely a nut)
• teacher
• dog lover
• bargain-rific shopper
• fashion and accessory enthusiast (again - no guru)

So, with all that said (I know - I've said a lot- my bad), I've started thinking about some new posts I can incorporate into my weekly routine and I'm so excited about some of the things on my brainstorm list.  I know some of them may turn into flops and I'm okay with that, but I'm just really excited to embrace my own creativity and let this be the platform that it is slowly turning into.  

I'm super excited to start sharing some Tales from the Teacher's Lounge on Mondays.  I mean, what better place to get a story than a middle school teacher!?  And what better way to start the week than with a good laugh on a Monday!?

Thanks for listening to my epiphany and thanks for being a reader.  I'm honestly, overwhelmed with joy every time I see that there is a +1 on that counter.  It makes my heart smile to know that there are people out there interested in what I have to say.