I gotta be honest.
Earlier this week I contemplated leaving my blog.
I really did, I know it sounds crazy, I love blogging.
I was just feeling overwhelmed after a week of not answering email, visiting blogs and reciprocating comments.
I couldn't face starting what I knew was going to be a HUGE task.
I WANT to visit everyone's blogs. I LOVE knowing what y'all have been up to.
I have spent the week TRYING to get caught up.
But with each passing day there are more and more comments to respond to and I feel like I will NEVER get caught up.
EVER.
Am I the only one who ever feels this way?
Why do I feel so guilty when I NEED to take a week for...me?
I am fully committed to comment reciprocation...with a slight contingency....
IF I am on vacation, like last week, I will do my best, but cannot promise anything.
Soooo if that means less comments from y'all I understand, totally.
Why do I feel such a need to keep making posts like this?
I think it is because I love you all so much.
I want you to understand that is is ME not you when I don't come by as often as I usually do.
YOU are the reason I could never walk away from this blog.
Thinking about it is really silly...I honestly don't think I ever could.
Did you get a chance to see my VLOG this month? It is a little long, but let me tell you...if you ever wondered WHO I am, that is the vlog to watch...I think I felt the most comfortable doing it and it reflects my personality better than any other vlog I have done. Just sayin'.
I don't want you thinking I am all self loathing or anything.
BUT I am wondering something....
I have to ask. I HATE to ask. But I gotta know.
We had sooooo many people link up on The Monthly VLOG for both March and April.
May? Not so much.
Are y'all mad at me? You can tell me.
OK gonna end this post by welcoming my new followers. When I reach 1111 I have a fun giveaway planned.
I have an affinity for the number 11...so double 11, seems like the perfect time for a giveaway.
Speaking of giveaways congrats to Lynn, the winner of the Freschetta giveaway.
46 comments:
I DON'T think anyone could be mad at YOU seriously. Maybe some people just didn't want to show what was in their handbags...they are that embarrassed! They might have some skeletons in their bags....yikes
I wish you wouldn't feel bad, sometimes I get overwhelmed with commenting and reading and following up with comments...and I only have 56 people that follow me LOL...You have 1000 plus!! I can't imagine maintaing that and still being able to have a life!
never feel bad for being honest,,I'm one of your newest followers and just love o read your blog but it would make me sad to know you're a bit stressed this way,,please don't worry,, we love you for you,,you're only one person and can only do so much.i'm still new at this and have been trying to reply to all the comments,, I wasn't even sure if thats what one does,, I can't imagine replying to all of yours,,please have a happy day,,, no worries,,
You're human, you can only do so much. With over 1100 followers there are going to be times when you just can't get to everyone. Heck I barely have 30 and sometimes I feel like I can't do it! We all have lives outside of our blog. Don't feel guilty for living it.
When I take a bloggie break like last week, I just release those comments and start with new fresh comments when I get back.
As for the declining numbers, it is the natural flow of blogging. All of my numbers go down in spring and summer. Better weather...less time inside...etc.
Ive too thought about leaving my blog. I am so tired that I dont have time or desire to do anything interesting to even blog about anymore.... whats the point? but I remind myself how much I enjoy it and this fatigue shall pass.... take it one day at a time, you get to what you can - you cant do it all!
I always feel like I can't catch up! This week, I haven't been visiting much or answering emails and comments. Sometimes we all just need a break!
1. The reason you feel guilty is because you are a good-hearted person. But you shouldn't feel guilty.
2. I would attribute the lack of response for May to the time of year. Schools cram everything they possibly can into the last few weeks of school. There has been so much going on in the news lately, too. Folks are busy and distracted. I wanted to link-up to yesterday's linky party @ Dandelion WIshes. I had good intentions, but life got in the way. However, I will not ever miss My Happy List unless I am ill.
3. Please do not walk away from your blog. When you take a break, take a break from everything and mean it. Announce it and don't cheat, like responding to comments and visiting blogs. After your break, start back up again in real time and don't try to go back and read stuff from the time you were on break!
*steps off of soapbox*
Have a great rest of the week, Mamarazzi!
xoxoxo,
Ricki Jill
Let me tell you when I get overwhelmed cause I have been away for a few days I dump my reader of the majority of blogs and start fresh from there. I then let people know I did that on my blog and that I was not being rude I was being honest, there is no way I could have read 1000 blogs plus kept up.. People understand, honest they do. Lmbo you should go through my archives and look for fire vlogs and rude commenters.. Yeah I make vlogs interesting..
I have learned to live with the fact that I can't do it all. I spent my 20's and 30's trying to and most of my 40's trying to forgive myself for not being perfect. Now that I am sliding towards 50 I have to say- I am enjoying realizing that if people can't deal with the fact that I am who I am and that's good enough for me, they can stay away from me because I am not changing for anyone.
I can barely keep up with myself, and though I don't get a ton of comments, I don't even keep up with them all. But I do try to stop by everyone's blogs who take the time to read ours and keep up with them.
I get over 1000 emails a day in just one email and I have 4 I keep up with so when I don't get on for a few days I just do a mass delete and let go of the guilt along with the emails- and hope I didn't get rid of anything important or a win notice.
Forgive yourself and move on to the next thing- none of us will stop loving you if you miss a few days (or more) of posting or commenting. You're so darn sweet- and this is why you made my very selective blog list. You give a darn, and it shows. xoxox
You need to stop apologizing and feeling bad! You're human!
I mean...I barely have 20 followers and constantly feel overwhelmed with all the feedback and that's like a fraction of what you get! You're amazing for caring so much, but sometimes you just have to do a "thanks all!" to everyone and wipe out that inbox and not feel bad.
No one is mad at you, no one hates you...everyone things your funny, fabulous and lovely, run with it!!!
if I were you I'd follow your favorite blogs, then pick 5 or so new ones to go peep in on each day. Your faves are probably enough, but everyone appreciates a little comment love. You don't smile or talk to every single person you pass in a day at the market, but you might to 3 or 4 or even 5. Don't feel like you need to follow everyone back every time. No one has time to do both that and live a normal life outside of their computer. If you see someone comment religiosly for awhile, follow them back, or if they had something totally insightful, follow them back, and of course, keep up to date with the happening on your FAVORITE blog (ahem, mine. hahahha). But seriously...what happens when you start getting 200 comments? It would take you like 3 hours to reply to all of those. Your readers know you love them...look at all the giveaways adn swaps you host for them! Pick 5 or 10, or whatever you can read in an hour, stick to it and don't look back. Otherwise, you'll just be buried in comments and won't have time to draft quality posts of your own.
I totally agree with banananutmeg - you don't smile or talk to every person you meet in a day, and blogging isn't any different. There's a natural ebb and flow and I wouldn't get hung up on trying to respond to every single comment.
At least that's how I approach it - I have a full-time job and a family and I can't spend hours every day catching up on blog stuff. And I don't want to make my fun hobby into a chore. So I just do what I can and if someone's offended, I guess our bloggy relationship isn't going to work out.
I personally don't expect you (or anyone else) to answer every comment I leave. Although I love hearing from everyone, people do have lives outside their blogs :) No need to apologize.
We know you love us! You just do what you can. =)
Aww, I do understand the feeling of falling behind on the blog comments. But, you don't always have to respond. We understand. As for the May Vlogs, I don't know. Maybe people are just busier right now...? I'm not mad at you!
I used to try to reply to every commment on my blog, but after awhile I just couldn't do it. And I don't have even a third of your followers, so I wouldn't even worry about it. You can only do so much.
Mad at YOU...NEVER!
You are human...and you don't have to be everything to everyone...and if someone complains...you send them my way!
11 is one of my favorite numbers too! That and 20...add them up...2011 should be my year...right?
LOVE YOU GIRL!
Life is hard. And busy! I've had plenty of those moments where I just want to drop all of my committments because it is just TOO MUCH! (Blog included) Those moments have mostly been the past few months as I come home from work and spend the whole evening trying to put together enough jewelry for a major craft show in June. This is in addition to work I HAVE to do on a major fundraiser, keeping my dog alive, household chores and keeping my marriage from completely falling apart. It doesn't feel good to neglect important parts of your life, but I guess sometimes it just happens. Luckily it doesn't usually last long.
That's why I haven't done my VLOG yet, which I realize I've been saying I'd do for months now! I am just so busy I could cry!
xoxo
For one, i don't do the VLOG because I don't have a webcam. I'm so behind the times, I know. I know the commenting can be overwhelming but I hope you don't quit.
I gave you a blog award if it makes you feel any better.
http://allstarme.wordpress.com/2011/05/05/dude-i-won-an-award/
Because I love your blog I chose to do this. Hope you don't think I'm spamming you or anything. :)
I have been so welcome and had such fun with blogging since I stumbled on to your site. This is wonderful--I feel like I belong here and I have met some great people. Please stick around, you be the glue in this organization and we appreciate you.
Take your beak and just start new when you get back. Visit who you want to, but don't try to do it all. Keep it fun, or it becomes work and that's not always fun.
Nope! You can't leave...I just found you!
I feel pressure like that too...to make my rounds, answer all of my emails. But we're only human.
Don't leave us! XO
How could anyone be mad at you?! No matter how short or pointless a comment I leave, you usually respond. If you don't, I honestly don't notice. There are soooo many blogs I comment on a lot and half the time never receive a reply. You are one of the BEST at replying. Don't let the blog world overwhelm you, darling, you're a star here & it's supposed to be fun, not work!
xoxo
No worries from me. All is good. You are a better person than me, for trying to keep up. I haven't gone anywhere, and just this morning I skipped a few blogs that I read everyday, cuz I just don't have it in me to read more than like 10 this morning.
Try not to worry so much. It'll get you know where, but feeling icky.
I think you just gotta move forward. playing catchup is sooooooo hard.
I feel overwhelmed all the time! I get comments from new people and I try to shoot back an email right away and then flag the email so I can go and visit their blogs.... My in-box is a sea of little red flags.
Don't quit blogging, just do what you can do. I did not link up my vlog because I haven't shot it yet. I am feeling overwhelmed by the amount of stuff I need to do and shooting and editing a video seemed overwhelming. I chose to skip it for me, NOT because of you. I'd rather watch the other ones this month.
Hang in there, baby! :)
Oh my gosh, I've had the same feelings lately, blogging, reading, commenting. It has become a overwhelming task and I even hate to call it a task. I love this thing but I guess with all that I've been dealing with (Daddy) I'm just feeling it too. Today I'm trying to catch up a bit. Good luck.
I wish I had blogs to catch up on! I wish I had an overwhelming amount of comments! I envy you ☺ Sorry it all has been weighing down on you. I just found your blog a week ago, you can't leave me yet!
Don't leave us! We love you ♥ This will be me if you leave :((
I have been in a non bloggy mood this week, hopefully I can get my happy back in my life and get back to it.
I don't think anyone is mad at you! Girl, you know how we are...we bloggers, I mean...we can be a fickle bunch. If it wasn't YOU and Shawn, I wouldn't even DO the vlog. Ya know?
Vlogs are hard to do. People get embarrassed. It's okay though. Sometimes you'll get a lot of links, sometimes not so many.
My FBomb Friday has gotten less than 10 total. For a year! How pathetic?!
Also...let's see. Oh, I'm picking what I want from the giveaway I won. So hard! So many lovelies!
And guess what??? I got the CUTEST mickey and minney smooching lounge/jammies for our Retreat! ;)
YAY!
Everyone understands. And if the don't...well, who needs 'em? I DID quit blogging regularly for a while because it got so overwhelming. And it just got to be a chore and, I just really needed to focus on life.
Also, the vlog? I finally did link up, but I was late. And that was because the month just snuck up on me. That's all. But I did it!
Yes-I agree with the others, I think the end of the school year crunch is just taking over.
And that guilt is what led me to not writing at all during the time I was on vacation as I didn't want to have to feel guilty trying to catch up on all of the great comments. So that made it a true vacation/break and it was wonderful and perfect.
Definitely not mad here! I do feel much like you, though. A bit overwhelmed at times to visit blogs and leave comments. However, with our house on the market, I may not get that opportunity because we might have a showing at any time. I just do what I can do and let everything else take care of itself.
I totally feel you... I don't get around to everyone's blogs as much as I used to, it's kind of sad! I am trying really hard though.
P.S. I don't think you should have to if you're on vacation, just say "I'm on vacation, don't expect anything!" :D Not that you have to anyway, I'm just sayin...
Feeling that way is NORMAL - there are weeks that I don't clean house b/c I just can't face it - shhhh-don't tell hubby -
This month came up fast for the vlog since we postponed last month. that could be one factor - it is teacher appreciation most places this week too. Personally, I LOVE to make the vlog and LOVE to visit the vlogs, but I am OVERWHELMED at listening to 20+ different volgs - that is a HUGE time suck.......sorry (am I bad for saying that)?????
Feels betters momma!!!
~Becca
i feel overwhelmed everyday i never seem to have enough time in the day to visit all the blogs i follow and comment plus answer back some days i just panic. a for the vblog i don't link up because one i don't own a webcam and two i hate having my picture out there. but as always you are amazing and i adore you and your blog. BTW thank you for the heads up on the socialspark website did my first blog entry for them and it went great.
I know exactly how you feel, if on a much smaller scale. When that happens, I make a deal with myself: I will only comment on the blogs where I feel like the post was extra inspiring or humorous, and it's okay for me to skip the posts that don't seem fun.
Don't feel guilty, because NO ONE can read and reciprocate on all blogs all the time. It's a huge amount of time and energy to do so, and when it becomes less of a treat and more of a chore, it's time for a break.
Ignore the backlog! We all understand.
*hugs*
I feel the same!! I always try to respond to every comment (not a lot of bloggers do that by the way) and lately I just needed some more time for myself...being on the internet all the time is so challenging....I am kind of burnt out right now! Nobody could be mad at you...ever...why would they! If someone doesn't understand that we can't be present 24/7 then they are better off staying away!!
Have a lovely day - and even if I don't comment everytime I am here...I love coming here! Hugs xxx
No way would I be mad for something like that, especially since you TRY. There are some bloggers that never ever respond to comments, and have maybe 30 followers. It's those bloggers that I can get grumpy with. But you? Never! I only wish I had that problem of having so many comments I can't keep up. It just shows how much we all love you! I'm so glad you're not giving up blogging. Take a break if you need to. Blogging shouldn't feel like a chore. It's supposed to be our escape, our fun time!
You are only human and can only do so much at a time. Your family and even yourself must come first! People take vacations from work and you should be able to do the same from your blog. It can be like a full time job!! Especially with the amount of followers, commenters, and activity you have going on here.
I say if you need time off then go for it! But please come back to us. :)
Don't worry about being caught up just work on what's happening today and do the best you can. That's all you can do.
About the vlog ... maybe everyone just needs more time. There is a lot going on in May with schools, colleges, etc. Maybe give us a friendly reminder in the middle of the month so people don't forget about it.
I can imagine how overwhelming it is once you take time away for yourself. I have no doubt everyone (me in there too) understands you have other things going on than this here blog...
like hearing an explosion and seeing a bunch of dark black smoke in the air...which I told my mom about and she couldn't see it.(you know they live a few blocks away? (probably a 1/4 mile)
Any hoo...it's all good. =)
I hear ya, sista! It's good, no, necessary to take time for yourself, but don't undo all that great you time by sitting there for a week responding to everything you missed. We'll understand. At least I will. I need a few days off, too, and I know I'll be bombarded with new posts to read and a few comments here and there, but it has to be done. Has. to.
I DON'T know how you do it... honestly. When you described how MANY emails you had to respond from JUST from your vacation week, it overwhelmed ME... and I didn't have to respond to ONE of your emails. LOL
So... NO worries in my book... and I'm so glad you're not giving up the blog! :)
I so totally know where you're coming from. I used to write posts almost on a daily basis and there were times I would get up to 100 comments on my posts but I simply couldn't keep up. I felt horribly guilty about not being able to reciprocate comments every day.
I'm not sure exactly when it was but at some point I realized that I was getting burned out...I couldn't do it all and still spend time with my kids without feeling like I needed to be on my laptop. One of my kids once asked me, "Mommy, can we go to the park or do you have to work on your computer?" He thought I was working and that's when I realized blogging felt like a JOB!!!
Anyway, you have to just let the guilt go and realize that others understand you have a life. You don't owe anyone explanations or apologies. You do what you can do and you should enjoy it, not feel bad because you went on a much-needed vacation.
You'll find that your loyal readers will always come back, no matter what.
Oh and on the Vlog, I'd love to link up but I can't seem to get a minute of privacy from the spawn. Although that could make for a very interesting (not to mention entertaining) Vlog.
You shouldn't feel bad. You go above and beyond trying to make sure everyone who visits you feels loved. Just know that you're appreciated for all you do :)
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