Knowing we would want to share with friends & family about our 2019-20 family adventure, I (Carolyn) researched many family travel and homeschool blogs to help us in our transition and get a sense of how the genre of blogging generally goes. I’ve read blogs to learn how to blog, how to set up a blog, even make money off of having a blog (which I’m not interested in right now), and more.
The websites/blogs I’ve enjoyed are so intriguing, yet intimidating – especially my friend Sara Cotner’s. She’s been blogging since 2007, and I can definitely tell there is an art to it that she has perfected! Her website tells all about how she’s published books, started her own school, built her own house, and so much more. Does she have the same 24 hours in each of her days as I do? I’ve worked in education for over 20 years, am trying to raise two nice boys, am a crazy good planner and house hunter, and I managed to pack my whole life into a large SUV a few weeks ago. I’m not feeling that’s up to the snuff of so many website/blogs out there, but I’m going to give it a go nevertheless! (Sara, thanks for being a role model xoxo 🙂 )
I’ve been a person who keeps a journal on and off since I’m 18 years old. My thoughts, hopes, and fears have always been private between me, my book, and my pen. With blogging, I have the opportunity to share expansively. But I have to admit that I wonder to myself… What if I do this blog, and it’s lame? And what if it’s lame and seen by all of my family and friends …. even random people from the internet too?!?
Unpacking that thought a bit deeper, I think to myself…. Why do these voices creep inside my head and tell me that kind of stuff? That I can’t do it… that I’m not good enough… that I won’t be cool enough… that I might fail. Where do those voices come from? It’s the same voices from somewhere around adolescence. I’m in my forties now, and I haven’t managed to shake them. Those same voices are what stopped me from doing things in my 20’s and 30’s that maybe I really needed to do (ex: do a semester abroad in college, start my Ph.D. before I had kids, publish a book, and more). When I read about amazing women who have accomplished so much in their lives, I know their narratives don’t include a daily dose of negative self-talk, or even fear. So, I am squashing those voices, and making this move to being a blogger. I’m not letting those voices take over. I am going to be bold and vulnerable and invite you to come on this journey with me. If you like it, that’s awesome! Leave a comment in the posts you like best. If you don’t like it, and you have a constructive way for me to grow, then please share in your comments, so I can learn from you! If you don’t like it in general, and you would prefer something else, please be kind as you exit our website/blog and find other things to read out there on the internet.
I shared with some close friends before we set out on this journey that I somehow feel called to this blogging thing, and I’m not completely sure why yet. For now, the reasons I simply want to blog are as follows:
- I like to write
- I want to record this time with our family
- I like to help others – like shepherding or mentoring. Maybe some pieces of what I share might help others navigate something of their own
- I want to share deeply and let friends and family know how things are really going for us. The good, the bad, the gorgeous, and the ugly of our day to day – going beyond pictures and nice-nice sound bytes to deeper reflection and continued growth.
Given all that, Im excited to share with you, and I look forward to you making comments and sharing back with me! Now off to writing more posts.
Ready….. set…. let’s do this!! 🙂 .