If you're here, it is because I invited you to come to this space. You likely already know I like to write. And, let's be honest, you probably know many other things about me. I tend to be an open book in many aspects. However, for as open as I often am with people, there are many, many things I DO keep inside. I have used writing as a form of expressing what's going on in my head since I was young. My sister gifted me a journal around the age of 8 and I faithfully wrote in it. I continued to use journals through my college years and then, in 2008, I began to explore the world of blogging. I was single for the first time in a long time and while many of my friends were settling down and starting families, I was back at square one. I was searching for employment, trying to process my break-up, and looking to find my spot in the world. Blogging was all the rage and I decided to dip my toe in. I truly enjoyed sharing my day to day life with the world, but eventually I decided that blogging was not a good idea for my profession and my heart! I could not take the negativity that came in the form of comments or conversations regarding my blog. I couldn't understand why people had such a problem with me sharing about my life--but I was young and naïve back then and didn't understand that often people who are struggling with their own life find it comforting to pick apart the life of someone else and criticize it. Blogging just seemed like not a safe place anymore, so I switched to focusing on social media sites where I could share my life with a more contained audience.
Although I am still an active social media user here in 2018, I've found that it is not the right place for me to share my long, drawn out thoughts and musings. Sometimes I do--and people react--but due to the nature of social media and the connections I make on there, I decided there are some things I really don't want to put out there for all to see in connection with my face and name.
So- I decided to create this blog.
My therapist (Yes, I attend therapy weekly and it is a god send) realizes how writing is an outlet for me and since I am anxious about the return to work (I love my job, but I stress over doing it to the best of my ability), she suggested starting a blog. When I shared that I previously had one, she was not surprised. We decided that instead of reviving that old spot, I would instead create a new spot to share my daily thoughts.
I decided to title this blog, "When You Give Your Love Away" because it is a line from Brandi Carlile's song, "Most of All." I love the message behind the entire song, but I focused on this line because it sort of sums up so much of who I am. I know that when I give my love away, good will always come back. Sometimes I don't recognize or realize the good right away, but I know that in some form, it will always return to me. It just seemed like a good title for a blog.
Alright- I have explained the title and why I'm back to blogging. Now, let's focus on what you will find here.
First of all, my most important disclaimer--- I will not be a grammar perfectionist on this blog. It's likely that my spelling will be correct 99% of the time (sometimes I spell a word or two wrong when typing and don't catch it), but punctuation and complete thoughts are not something you will always see. Why? Because I'm not editing as I type. I'm using this space as a place for therapy and reflection. I will type when I have the time and as the thoughts come to me. I realize I often can produce with few errors, but there will be days when the words come faster than my fingers can type and when I'm just intellectually exhausted so I won't be writing up to part. I need to know I can do that here without fear or judgment. People often think that because I teach English, I should never make a grammar no-no. While there are some mistakes you'll never see me make ("your welcome" makes me cringe and I will never understand the overuse of an apostrophe), I'm a human just like everyone else. I make mistakes--yes, even grammatical ones. So try to read this and not focus on the fact that my source of income is derived from instructing teenagers how to be better grammarians.
Second- this will not be a blog with pictures. You are welcome to follow me on social media to see pictures about my current life. A blog is just way too "out there"--even for me--these days. I don't want to make it private, because privates makes another step for access to reading it--and seriously, who has time for that?
Third- what will you find here? Honestly--I don't have any type of theme or idea about what I will post. As I said, this is more going to be a spot for me to discuss what is going on in my mind. Right now I'm focusing on heading back to work in a few weeks and on my mission to lose weight. Seriously- those are the things that are in my thoughts round the clock these days. So if you too are thinking about school or about the next meal you'll have the opportunity to enjoy--this might interest you! Or maybe you're like me and it doesn't really matter WHAT a person is writing about, relatable to your life or not, you just like to read the thoughts of others. All I know is I plan to use this spot to get my thoughts out--and I've invited you to read along because you are someone in my life that I would share this stuff with anyway.
While the blog is not private, I would ask that you don't post about it (on your own social media site) or put it out there for others to read without my permission. Doing that will directly link my blog to my social media and I don't want that kind of attention. If I wanted to share with everyone on my social media page, I would just post this there.
Thanks for stopping by and reading my words. I realize some of you may check in daily--and others may only come sporadically. Both are 100% okay. In the end, I'm writing this for me. It's a form of release. It gives me a chance to share what is going on in my mind. And, as the title states, it's a chance for me to give my love away. There could be a day when something I write is just what YOU need to hear. I know that this has been the case for me many times..... I read something another person has written and feel some comforted....knowing I'm not the only one that feels this way.
You are always welcome to comment below---or feel free to send me a message privately. Either way works. Here's to the revival of blogging!
Although I am still an active social media user here in 2018, I've found that it is not the right place for me to share my long, drawn out thoughts and musings. Sometimes I do--and people react--but due to the nature of social media and the connections I make on there, I decided there are some things I really don't want to put out there for all to see in connection with my face and name.
So- I decided to create this blog.
My therapist (Yes, I attend therapy weekly and it is a god send) realizes how writing is an outlet for me and since I am anxious about the return to work (I love my job, but I stress over doing it to the best of my ability), she suggested starting a blog. When I shared that I previously had one, she was not surprised. We decided that instead of reviving that old spot, I would instead create a new spot to share my daily thoughts.
I decided to title this blog, "When You Give Your Love Away" because it is a line from Brandi Carlile's song, "Most of All." I love the message behind the entire song, but I focused on this line because it sort of sums up so much of who I am. I know that when I give my love away, good will always come back. Sometimes I don't recognize or realize the good right away, but I know that in some form, it will always return to me. It just seemed like a good title for a blog.
Alright- I have explained the title and why I'm back to blogging. Now, let's focus on what you will find here.
First of all, my most important disclaimer--- I will not be a grammar perfectionist on this blog. It's likely that my spelling will be correct 99% of the time (sometimes I spell a word or two wrong when typing and don't catch it), but punctuation and complete thoughts are not something you will always see. Why? Because I'm not editing as I type. I'm using this space as a place for therapy and reflection. I will type when I have the time and as the thoughts come to me. I realize I often can produce with few errors, but there will be days when the words come faster than my fingers can type and when I'm just intellectually exhausted so I won't be writing up to part. I need to know I can do that here without fear or judgment. People often think that because I teach English, I should never make a grammar no-no. While there are some mistakes you'll never see me make ("your welcome" makes me cringe and I will never understand the overuse of an apostrophe), I'm a human just like everyone else. I make mistakes--yes, even grammatical ones. So try to read this and not focus on the fact that my source of income is derived from instructing teenagers how to be better grammarians.
Second- this will not be a blog with pictures. You are welcome to follow me on social media to see pictures about my current life. A blog is just way too "out there"--even for me--these days. I don't want to make it private, because privates makes another step for access to reading it--and seriously, who has time for that?
Third- what will you find here? Honestly--I don't have any type of theme or idea about what I will post. As I said, this is more going to be a spot for me to discuss what is going on in my mind. Right now I'm focusing on heading back to work in a few weeks and on my mission to lose weight. Seriously- those are the things that are in my thoughts round the clock these days. So if you too are thinking about school or about the next meal you'll have the opportunity to enjoy--this might interest you! Or maybe you're like me and it doesn't really matter WHAT a person is writing about, relatable to your life or not, you just like to read the thoughts of others. All I know is I plan to use this spot to get my thoughts out--and I've invited you to read along because you are someone in my life that I would share this stuff with anyway.
While the blog is not private, I would ask that you don't post about it (on your own social media site) or put it out there for others to read without my permission. Doing that will directly link my blog to my social media and I don't want that kind of attention. If I wanted to share with everyone on my social media page, I would just post this there.
Thanks for stopping by and reading my words. I realize some of you may check in daily--and others may only come sporadically. Both are 100% okay. In the end, I'm writing this for me. It's a form of release. It gives me a chance to share what is going on in my mind. And, as the title states, it's a chance for me to give my love away. There could be a day when something I write is just what YOU need to hear. I know that this has been the case for me many times..... I read something another person has written and feel some comforted....knowing I'm not the only one that feels this way.
You are always welcome to comment below---or feel free to send me a message privately. Either way works. Here's to the revival of blogging!
You are born to be a blogger! I love hearing your thoughts, so I know I'll love reading them as well!
ReplyDeleteI blog for therapy, when I was married the first time I had to leave my original space and blog more anonymously because I needed to write but I needed to not be as recognizable. I have had more "aha" moments as I've typed a post than I can count! I came back to my first space after my divorce finalized. I appreciate being able to look back and read about my life. The one thing I don't/won't blog about is work but everything else is fair game. Welcome back!
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