Beware: this post is mind dump.
Thoughts at the end of my third year of blogging:
I admire veterans of beauty blogging. Blogging consistently for 5 or more years is a feat of dedication especially when life conditions change. The commitment to always return to and continue the blog is worth acknowledgement and some of these bloggers continue to inspire me.
I also admire bloggers who are able to leave blogs and to know when the 'life fit' isn't there. The decision to leave is difficult and I've seen a few of my favorite bloggers do this recently. My mind has briefly flitted towards this now and then but I'm usually pulled back by the latest launch. If nothing else, eyeshadows will always bring me back from the brink. However, I've been contemplating this more recently.
I love the relationships I've strengthened through this blog and the fun times I've had because of it.
Moving back to Vancouver has impacted my blog relationships. Being established in the Toronto scene was nice but making inroads in Vancouver has not been automatic. Not a bad thing since it has decreased (real or imagined) pressures on my blog.
Moving forward:
My job has shifted the time I have for hobbies. Still interested in maintaining my blog, I'm also looking for ways to balance online and real life activities. I swear I'm going to get visible abs this year. In Toronto, spending time with David or family was impossible. Now that I can, these things are worth more of my time.
I've posted on even numbered days but I'm trying a new schedule of Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. Posts may appear outside of this but the switch cuts down the number of monthly posts. Gotta live my real life, yo!
I recall
some feedback I got in my poll. A reader noticed a shift in ABZ; the change from a 'personal blog' to 'business blog'. I have to agree with them since PR partnerships have contributed to ABZ's growth but I'm hoping to get to a better mix slowly. I would like to continue to write. No one aside from myself might be a fan but I want to tighten up my writing style and shift things back to 'personal blog' status. This might mean more non-beauty posts, more rambling lift updates, more whatever but I really want to (learn to)
run my own race.
Still decluttering while balancing my heart's desire to try all the things.
I think about this post and how some of those 'resolutions' still hold strong for me this year. I can't say I did well on those in 2014 but I'm hoping 2016 is a good time to really start. At least I've been pretty good about the resolution on spending.
Here's to another year or two, or three of ABZ. Thank you so much for hanging out with me!