Thoughts Over Coffee

Okay, I lied. I can't drink coffee because the caffeine sends me wild but the concept remains the same if you swap one hot beverage for another chocolatey treat. It's probably no secret that I've been totally distant from the blogging scene for the majority of this September month and it seems ironic talking about the lack of inspiration for writing, through my writing but as I met up with some local bloggers at the #LeedsCoffeeAndCakeMeet (organised by the lovely Claire) on Sunday afternoon, the conversations we had spurred me on to give myself a kick up the bum and a huge push forward to just go with the flow. Get my thoughts out there. Tell the world about my current incompetent schedule and feelings towards being a nobody. 

How do you stop feeling inadequate in a community that has so much overpowering competition that it's hard to keep track of? A question that has so much potential for different dimension by every individual blogger I'm sure. It's totally my own fault for letting my statistics fall and my interaction lack but as of lately I can't help but think no matter what I do, my time and effort goes unnoticed. I've been blogging now for near enough three years, often putting my all into a post (even if that means sitting up till 2am tearing my hair out) and yet I'm still nowhere near on the same wavelength as some of my favourite influence's - nor do I hold the originality I admire in those composers. The pace my blog moves has never been a problem, followers don't mean all that much and as of lately prove they're nothing unless the image you build is truthful, approachable and pleasant but there's no denying, the bigger the online presence, the more opportunity there is and the further your dream can become your reality. I do it for me, I do it because I enjoy being my own representative and I have a passion for thriving in the domination of words and photography and there's no doubt I've built my little platform into something that can be and still is being recognised by all kinds of people but I'm holding my hands up and admitting I often find it onerous constantly being on a rollercoaster of doubts, comparisons and general negativity. However, although it can be frustrating, I guess that's normal; it's okay.

Sometimes I think you need a certain moment to hit you with a motivational indicator and my short time spent with three people who share the same interests and attitude did just that. It was nice to get a refreshing viewpoint and have an open discussion that sometimes isn't shared with anyone or anything but your overactive mind. In those couple of hours we chatted we touched on the subject of many talking points within the blogging industry. From redesigns, to name changes, to WordPress migrations, the pros and cons, the theme to your branding, events, freelancing, the importance of bloggers, delving into YouTube, and most importantly - taking breaks. 

It seems it isn't just me who can quickly get stuck in a musing mania and that alone instantly made me feel better and less guilty about disowning something I used to be so spirited about. It doesn't necessarily mean you're giving up, more seeing it in a new light. When you're dedicating your entire persona to blogging activity you can get run down and stopped suddenly in your steps as you get hit with the fact there's so many out there. The significance is that you remain integral to your field. The one thing we all agreed on was that there's no point putting content out there that feels basic and disloyal to your quality; it shouldn't feel like an obligation, it shouldn't feel far away from your unapologetic self  and your blog outlet should always be the place you feel personally attached to.  

I walked out of the cute little cafe ideal for all your cliche Instagram pleasings with a refreshed, level headed outlook and a ton of innovation to keep on going (as well as a rounded belly filled with chocolate and coconut cake. One word: yum). I do want to work on becoming more creative, I do want to expand and reevaluate my blog and I want to switch up my style to a more sophisticated, professional appearance but there's no reason for me to fail and I solemnly swear I'm going to get back into the swing of things on my own agenda. Autumn's on its way, I have some great blog related events to look forward to and a change in season will hopefully do wonders in prompting a change in my habits. It's unpredictable but evolving is on the horizon and I'm ready for it to happen.

Have you got any suggestions on what you'd like to see from The Same Old Chic? I'd love to hear from you and get that communication back on track.

Bridie x