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7 Lessons from My First Year Blogging

Filed Under: Everyday Feminism By Beth Godbee December 28, 2017 Leave a Comment

As we approach the new year, I find myself engaging in a personal “year in review”: looking back on 2017, questioning what I’ve learned, and setting intentions for the year to come. This review prompts reflection on my first year of blogging, which has been both improvisational and planned, both reaching beyond and helping me set better boundaries. Blogging, for me, has meant speaking up and starting something new and scary that represents larger changes rippling throughout my life. It’s also opened possibilities that I’m excited to explore as we head into 2018.

From this “year in review,” I share here 7 lessons that seem applicable for others, even beyond the realm of blogging:

1. Everyday life is a constant source of curiosity, inspiration, and learning. I wondered early on if I’d have difficulty creating content, but as my list of writing ideas continues to grow, I’m reminded of the richness and complexity of everyday life. I’m also reassured that my academic training in ethnography, conversation analysis, and other research methods translates well to the work of observing and writing about everyday living for justice. What I’m learning is that when stepping into unfamiliar ground, my background (or previous groundwork) makes new steps possible. I’m bringing my research, teaching, and healing experiences along with me, as I’m shifting into new roles and responsibilities associated with public writing.

2. Doing makes it so. Though I’d wanted to write publicly for many years and created this blog in 2016, I truly committed to regular, weekly posts in 2017. (I’m excited to say that this is my 52nd post this year!) The more that I’ve created and shared posts, the more that I’ve come to see myself as a public writer, creator, educator, and blogger. In other words, the activity of writing (verb) has helped me step into the identity of writer (noun). I’m learning from this experience that whenever I want to be _______ (fill in the blank), I need to do the associated activity. One current example: Because I want to be a hike guide and backpacker, I’m now prioritizing weight training. May carrying weight make me someone who can carry weight.

3. Community provides motivation and support. I’m especially grateful to Vanessa Mártir and the #52essays2017 writing group for helping me stay focused on steady, weekly writing. In the past, I’ve appreciated writing challenges like AcWriMo (Academic Writing Month), and now this year-long challenge has bolstered me, giving me courage to share my work before it feels ready. Being in community with other writers has kept me accountable, and it’s helped me set a sustainable pace. Now this rehearsed rhythm sustains me and my writing.

4. So much depends on others. Just as community has provided writing support, I’ve relied on and am deeply grateful for the many people who have read, made suggestions, shared, subscribed to, and supported the blog this year. Unexpected miracles and miraculous timing have propelled particular posts into being, and they’ve helped me form new relations and discover new spaces of creative conversation and community organizing. I’m realizing (again) the importance of learning from, with, and alongside others, while staying true to my own “strong YES.”

5. Writing supports self-awareness. While this blog relies on many people, it’s also become a space for me to do critical self-work, slowing down to reflect as I make sense of the world and my actions within it. As a writing teacher, I believe in the power of writing to engage in contemplation, identify patterns and outliers, see one’s own assumptions, set intentions, clarify commitments, and hold conversations with the self. Blog writing has engaged me in such processes this year, as I’ve used writing like yoga and meditation to look within and ask who I am and what I’m about. Writing feels like powerful spell-casting: the stuff of everyday divination wound up with resistance and artistic creation.

6. It’s important to act, even/especially before feeling ready or right. If I’ve learned nothing else in this year, it’s that perfectionism has been slowing me down and tripping me up (getting in my way for many years). Blogging has helped me interrupt this pattern by sharing work in-progress before I feel ready. In the process, I’m shaking off the sense that writing must be carefully reviewed before being seen. I’m recognizing that imperfectly acting is important not only with writing but also with speaking up, taking risks, and taking a stand. Standing TALL is about showing up and being seen, even when shaking, uncertain, and sure to still need revision.

7. The time to build is now. Through this first year of blogging, I’ve realized that it’s time to build: to build myself, my vision, my commitments, and my contributions. Building doesn’t mean starting from scratch, but securing the roots while expanding and growing. For this blog, my building will prioritize web development: creating a fuller website with a range of offerings. Early on, a primary concern with blogging was creating content. Now that I’m generating content, I need to make it accessible and navigable. I hope that investing in the blog aligns with collective investment in building, creating, and restructuring toward the world we’d like to see. Truly, the time to build is now. I look forward to building and hope you’ll want to build with me, too.

Thanks for accompanying me on the roller-coaster through 2017, on this journey through sweet and sour. I send many good wishes for the year ahead and recommit to blogging in 2018 as part of the long haul toward justice.

—
This post is written by Beth Godbee for Heart-Head-Hands.com. For more posts like this one, you might try “What I’ve Learned in the Week Since Charlottesville: Five Lessons for White Folks Who Care about Racism and Racial Justice.” Please also consider following the blog via email. Thanks!

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Tagged with: #52essays2017, activism, art, community care, countering perfectionism, courage, divination, healing, learning, racial justice, resistance, social justice, writing

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sue Godbee

    December 28, 2017 at 6:13 pm

    As I wondered who’d you would be one day…I have not been disappointed. I feel fulfilled, and glad for all I went through. Soooo worth it.
    Sent from my iPad
    >

    Reply
    • Beth Godbee

      December 28, 2017 at 9:13 pm

      Thanks for always being with me and believing in me, Mom. I know this isn’t a small thing or a thing to be taken for granted. I’m so appreciative of you and your love. So much is possible because of your support and the path you’ve paved for me. Much love, Beth

      Reply
  2. Anne Lundin

    December 29, 2017 at 9:31 pm

    Your growing self-awareness stimulates our own. You stand tall, and such heights we know. Thank you for all the work and wonder you bring to this task, this labor of love. Your readers are grateful.

    Reply
    • Beth Godbee

      December 30, 2017 at 4:06 pm

      Anne, thanks for always seeing my potential and for now seeing the potential of this work. I’m greatly encouraged. Again. Happy new year! ~ Beth

      Reply
  3. techpusher

    January 1, 2018 at 1:33 pm

    I loved this post. As a new blogger I thought this was inspirational

    Reply
    • Beth Godbee

      January 1, 2018 at 1:38 pm

      Thanks! 💙

      Reply
  4. se4bell2901

    January 1, 2018 at 1:50 pm

    This blog is really insightful. I am entering my third month of blogging, and it’s been challenging to say the least. I promised myself I would stick with it because I enjoy it. After one year, I will reflect and make a decision. It’s nice to have company in this area.

    Reply
    • Beth Godbee

      January 1, 2018 at 2:22 pm

      Many good wishes with blogging and with your writing-learning journey! 💙

      Reply
  5. designatedspace

    January 1, 2018 at 3:58 pm

    Great post! I’ve recently started blogging and my biggest struggle has been creating content on a regular basis. (My goal is weekly.) As a home decor/DIY blog I often feel as though each post has to be some giant reveal, but I am learning that is not the case. Best wishes in 2018!

    Reply
    • Beth Godbee

      January 1, 2018 at 4:35 pm

      Thanks, and may there be many good writing discoveries in the year ahead. 🙂

      Reply
  6. RAWLINGS BLOG

    January 2, 2018 at 12:15 am

    A few of them are what i experienced when i started blogging but now trying to improve and getting better.
    https://rawlingsunday.wordpress.com/2017/12/29/did-you-achieve-your-goals-for-this-year/

    Reply
    • Beth Godbee

      January 2, 2018 at 12:37 am

      Best wishes with continued blogging. 🙂

      Reply
      • RAWLINGS BLOG

        January 2, 2018 at 6:30 am

        Thanks.

        Reply
      • RAWLINGS BLOG

        January 2, 2018 at 6:30 am

        You can also check out my post too.

        Reply
  7. alexaaaa

    January 5, 2018 at 4:51 am

    So helpful for a new blogger to know! Thanks for this post <3
    alexasmind.com

    Reply
    • Beth Godbee

      January 5, 2018 at 1:57 pm

      Thanks, Alexaaa, and many good wishes with blogging!

      Reply
  8. ansh997x

    January 10, 2018 at 3:32 am

    If one starts noting down their lessons from their phases of blogging then a lot of things will be streamlined.

    Reply
    • Beth Godbee

      January 10, 2018 at 11:11 am

      I hope the lessons are helpful. I tend to think of learning, like life, as messy, complicated, and winding, so I’m not sure that it can be streamlined… but noticing and noting lessons for one’s self feels like important reflective work. All the best! ~ Beth

      Reply

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