A few months ago, I shared an article on my Facebook page, and one of my readers responded with this comment:
I think parents should quit depending so much on blog advice and just do what they feel is right for their families. Since we’re not all the same, we shouldn’t concern ourselves with doing it the same as everyone else or worrying about what others think.
I agree with her, at least in part. We should do what feels right for our individual families, relationships, and circumstances, regardless of what everybody else is doing.
I am a blogger, however, so where does that leave me?
I have struggled in recent months to nail down exactly why I share my life and thoughts online if I believe, at least fundamentally, that people should follow their intuition and stop doing things based solely on their favorite blogger’s recommendations.
My conclusion goes right back to the comment above; we are all unique and move through life differently.
Some people are only interested in facts and are skeptical of opinion, especially the opinion of somebody whom they don’t know or trust and who is not an expert. They want the nuts and bolts, statistics and numbers, but hold the emotional mumbo-jumbo, please. Since a majority of blogs are opinion-based, this group of people is probably not likely to find them helpful or worth reading.
Others are confident in the direction they are headed and don’t feel like they need the advice of others to tell them how to get there. I feel that way about some aspects of my life, and, therefore, do not read books or blogs that suggest alternatives that do not support the path that I have chosen.
However, there is a large group of individuals who are doing the best they can but sometimes need encouragement. They may not always be sure what direction is best and long to explore options. They may be looking for inspiration about a particular topic or simply need to know that there are others out there who think and feel like they do – that they are not alone in their challenges.
While I will be talking more about the particulars of why I write (and facing my inner critic) next week, I write primarily for an audience that falls within the latter group.
When I was a young, overwhelmed mom (In the days before blogs…I am old.), I wanted nothing more than to know that I was not the only mother who struggled. I felt like a failure more days than not, and it seemed that everyone else had it all under control while I was walking blindly through uncharted alleys, dropping things and making a mess.
I would have loved to be part of a community of women who were not afraid to be real, to talk about their imperfections and challenges like they were normal instead of something to hide. I longed to feel accepted, but mostly I felt isolated amidst a sea of seemingly perfect moms who left me in the dust.
That is what I am trying to create here – a place of inspiration and understanding where we check pretense and perfection at the door. I want this to be a gathering place for real women who are learning to accept themselves, weaknesses and all. Together, I want to explore how the unintentional and uninvited chaos of family life can still breed an abundance of joy and contentment if we know where to look.
Support. Understanding. Strength. Hope. Perspective. Faith. Humor.
I wish I would have had more of those things years ago, and I want to facilitate them for others who may need them now. That is what keeps me working here for free. (And because I am adamantly opposed to plastering ads all over this page.)
I hope and pray that you find encouragement here.
Stay tuned for more on why I feel compelled to write, despite the inner critic that continually tries to convince me to quit. (Read about it here.)
