a peek inside the fishbowl

26 Dec, 2013

Bloggy resolutions, do you have any?

Posted by andrea tomkins in: Publishing/writing/career stuff|The business of blogging

I don’t really make New Year’s resolutions any more. Mostly because I think we set ourselves up for failure when we make big promises to ourselves without taking into consideration all those little things that need to be solved first. For example, if your goal is to lose 20lbs in 2014, wouldn’t it be better to resolve to eat breakfast every morning? Or take the dog for a longer walk three times a week? But that is neither here nor there because I’m not making resolutions! :)

Although I don’t think New Year’s is a good time for me to make resolutions, I do think it’s a good time to reassess what’s working (or not) in my life. One of the things I’ve been thinking about lately is this blog.

One of the best things I did this past year was hire someone to do a major upgrade under the hood. I can’t tell you what a relief it is to have everything upgraded and backed up and finally running properly.  It was causing me more stress than I even realized. (Thank you Lynn!)

These are the blog-related things I’ve decided to focus upon in 2014:

  • I will remember why I started blogging in the first place. I write so I can remember. I write because I love it. I write because it is who I am and I can’t NOT write.
  • I will be myself, and stay true to myself, in this place that I have carved out for myself. This is my space, and I will be better at accepting that the blog has to change and grow as I do.
  • I will remember that my loyalties and priorities lie with myself and my family first. If I want this to be the kind of space that works for me, I need to make myself happy. If it’s not making me happy, it’s a drain.
  • I will never have an editorial calendar for the blog, because they suck.
  • I will never force myself to write if I have nothing to write about. I will do my best to keep the vessel full.

Bloggers: what do you want to do in 2014? Network more often? Update your LinkedIn page? Get a professional head shot taken? (All good things to do by the way!)

I’d be interested in hearing whether other social media peeps are assessing or re-adjusting this time of year too!

 


2 Responses to "Bloggy resolutions, do you have any?"

1 | Lynn

January 2nd, 2014 at 10:44 am

Avatar

I’m late to comment but just wanted to say I love your bloggy resolutions, and will take them to heart. I think it’s easy, when you’ve been blogging for a long time, to kind of feel like the blog has to change and grow and be something else all the time, to feel successful. But what really works for me is to write *for me,* and to make it my own place and space and let everything else fall where it may. It’s a great idea to refocus on that in the new year and hopefully get the creative juices flowing :).

2 | Life of K

January 5th, 2014 at 10:52 am

Avatar

I’m even later to reply, but I too wanted to say that those are good resolutions. I have some that relate to growing my blog so I too can make the best of Ottawa lists (!)

comment form:

Archives

Me and my pet projects

Ottawa Bucket list

Subscribe via email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.


  • itself: buy the whole shooting match is cool, I guide, people you intent not cry over repentance! Everything is fine, sometimes non-standard due to you. Th
  • parent: buy everything is unflappable, I advise, people you transfer not regret! The whole is sunny, as a result of you. The whole works, blame you. Admin,
  • pagar beton precast: Fabulous, what a webpage it is! This web site gives useful facts to us, keep it up.
  • world: buy the whole shebang is cool, I guide, people you will not regret! The whole kit is critical, as a result of you. The whole works, show one's g
  • Joette Westphal: Weitere Informationen über Bitcoin Cash auf Deutsch https://bchpls.org/weitere-informationen-auf-deutsch/
  • Renee: I just saw one yesterday on a small patch of grassy land near the Mann Ave 417 exit near Lees Station, Ottawa, ON. I had no idea they came in black!
  • Tisha: I just created 2 bee baths on Sunday, and when I went outside yesterday to check the water levels, the exact same scenario greeted me! One single mar

The Obligatory Blurb

My name is Andrea and I live in the Westboro area of Ottawa with my husband Mark and our dog Piper who is kind of a big deal on Instagram. We also have two human offspring: Emma (24) and Sarah (22). During the day I work as a writer at the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre. I am a longtime Ottawa blogger and I've occupied this little corner of the WWW since 1999. The Fishbowl is my whiteboard, water cooler, and journal, all rolled into one. I'm passionate about healthy living, arts and culture, travel, great gear, good food, and sharing the best of Ottawa. I also love vegetables, photography, gadgets, and great design.

If you'd like to contact me, please use this form. If you're so inclined, you can read more about me here. Thank you for visiting!

 


Connect with me at these places too!

Still calling it Twitter