What My Blog Is and Isn't

Guys, my blog has changed a lot.

A long time ago, it was like an online journal.  Even later, I would write out long, drawn out, heartfelt letters on my life.  In Korea, I would tell stories and share pictures of adventures.  Now, I don't know what I have going on here.

When I read old posts of mine like this, I'm reminded of what I really want this blog to be.  Genuine.  I tend to be genuine by nature, I want this blog to be a reflection of who I am, and I want to be able to share my heart and growing thoughts.  But then there are other things I want this blog to be, too.  I love to research and to share research.  My post on birth control is one that I'm very, very proud of.  I'm also proud of my recent Job Hunt Series.  Sharing helpful information is something I'm passionate about, and when I have an opportunity to do that in this medium, I just love it.  I like sharing about the few things I've made, too, even if I've done a crummy job...

But I can't be a blog like A Beautiful Mess or Something Different.  I'm crafty, but not that crafty.  I'm smart, but I'm not that smart.  Even Cakies, which meshes regular life and human stories with DIY projects and home tips... it's more organized and themed and cohesive than what I have.  At least that's my impression.

My blogger role models are Cakies and Cup of Jo.  They're genuine, absolutely, but they offer valuable content about things people want to know about.  It's obvious, too, that they enjoy their blog.  They care about their readers.  They want to provide content that stays true to their own purpose and lifestyle while giving their audience what they like, too.  They've found their niche, and they have their tribe.

I wouldn't publish anything that didn't mean something to me.  True, some posts have meant less than others, but I haven't been going out of my purpose to publish things for the sake of publishing.  This leads me to wonder What is my purpose?  What is the purpose of this blog?  What do I want to be publishing?  Is there a theme to my blog?  Not really, not anymore.  In Korea, it was easy.  Now, it's all over the place, just like regular life.

So I've been pondering all this, and I've drawn up an inspiration map.

These are all ideas right now; not much has been put into practice except for changing my header this summer and removing my Archive widget.  I'd like to do an aesthetic revamp, yes, but what I want most of all is to have cohesion in my blog.  To feel like this is something.

Above all, I want to be authentic.  Blog posts that talk about pursuing blogging dreams are encouraging.  One common tip for bloggers is to write as if you're writing to someone you know.  I always think of my best friend Millie when I think of my audience.  I know that not all of you are Millie, but writing what I would share with her has been something I've kept in mind for the last couple years, and it's helped me think of this blog in a friendly way.

Can I ask you a favor?  Could you please give me some input?  As my audience, you're the ones reading and interacting.  What do you think?  What brought you here?  What posts or topics have you enjoyed reading?

Thank you for reading this far.  I don't know of a good way to close this out.  I enjoy blogging, and I want to enjoy it more.  I want this to be an engaging place, and I think some things might need to change for that to happen.