Tuesday, 10 September 2013

you don't know what you can do until you try

Today's prompt is 'to describe a distinct moment when my life took a turn.'

Like most people, I have had two or three life changing experiences over the years, which include the birth of my girls, bereavements and meeting a new partner at the age of thirty, but I wanted to keep this post more lighthearted. So, I have decided to write about when I began my blog.

When I first started I knew I wanted it to be a lifestyle blog. This for me meant leaving my comfort zone and trying something new. I do love being creative but I have always been unsure of myself, often believing too readily that I couldn't learn new skills, and I certainly did not like having my photograph taken! 

The first thing I had to get to grips with was all the new technical stuff: modifying templates, using a DSLR, editing photos, designing a look, and finding and buying a domain name (what was one of those???). I'm so glad I did all this. I love taking photographs and it has made me so much more aware of my surroundings. I'm much more mindful, seeing patterns and little bits of loveliness in everyday things.

The blog has also made me more confident in what I wear. There were so many styles that I 'knew' wouldn't suit me, but now I don't give up on anything without at least trying to see if it works. I can hardly believe the difference it has made.

Blogging has also enabled me to meet new people from all around the world, which is so lovely. It is fascinating having an insight into other people's very different lives. I love it!

As a result of doing all these things, my confidence has grown. This has been helped by the lovely comments I have received online, as well as from friends who had no idea I blogged, because until recently I hadn't shared it with anyone I knew personally. 

When I look back, I have come a long way. This was brought home to me today when I had a lovely comment from Alison, on photo Project 365, who said, 'Your blog is impressive and I wouldn't know where to begin.' That is exactly where I was eighteen months ago when I looked at some of your blogs.

Of course I still have some way to go. You won't often see me on photographs when I'm not hiding behind sunglasses. But hey..... give me time.





16 comments:

  1. Aww, I love your blog, Rachel! :) And your photographs are always stunning. So glad you started blogging and I got to meet you here.

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    1. Thanks so much Mae, you are so lovely. I'm so glad I got to meet you too. Thanks for all your lovely encouragement. Have a great day :-)

  2. I love this! Blogging has also changed my life in so many ways, even though it's not been that long for me. I've gone through many of the same struggles that you did, from being unsure of myself, to being completely overwhelmed when I crashed my own site...again. But I don't think I'd trade it for the world. Which brings to mind another thing I love about blogging - it helps me feel less alone in what I'm going through. Thank you for posting!

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    1. Thanks so much Lauren. It's a great community to be a part of isn't it? I love it too! Good to meet you Lauren. Keep in touch :-) x

  3. This makes me so happy for you. :) Sometimes it's the little things that really do help us, and look at all the thing this blog gave you! Friends, confidence, new skills? That's what I love about blogging. It goes beyond ourselves and into connections, but also helps us find our places that much more.

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    1. Thank you so much Christina. Blogging is so much fun and it's so great being able to be a part of others bloggers lives. Thanks for your lovely comment.
      Enjoy the rest of your day ::-)

  4. Sadly I am still a beginner blogger in technical terms but I agree, your blog is very professional.

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    1. Thank you so much, it's great to have your thoughts on it. So kind of you to say that, I'm a bit OCD so I think that helps! :-)

  5. I like how you've detailed the way blogging has affected you :) Isn't one of the upcoming prompts about this too?

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    1. Thanks for your comment Vivienne. It is very similar to Thursday's prompt, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it! :-)

  6. I think I needed to read this. I'm just starting out in the blogging world and it's great hearing about how you felt starting out!

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    1. It does seem daunting at first but I just took small steps and I'm still learning something new everyday. Thanks for your comment :-)

  7. Hi Rachel! I'm new to blogging so I can totally relate. I can't tell you how many times I've created a new blog and deleted it because I felt like it was completely out of my comfort zone. It's so nice to know that I'm not the only one who feels/ever felt this way!

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    1. I made it easier for myself by picking a simple template and making a little practise blog first. Thanks for your comment :-)

  8. Great post, I totally agree! I have learned a lot through my blog as well and really enjoy it. Very glad yours brought you so much too.
    My new challenge is trying to sell my first novel... ;o) xx

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    1. Wow! A novel! How are you doing that? That's really impressive, I don't think I would be able to write a book. :-) xx