Almost Quitting » Seven Things I Do When Blogging is Freaking Me Out

I told myself not to post rants on this blog, but hey, I first made this for that purpose. So here I am again, writing random thoughts. I don’t know why I am crazy enough to own a blog and spend most of my evenings on this. In fact I don’t really know why I like blogging, but I do.

With millions of blogs out there, I fear I might just fail on this project one day. All of a sudden I feel like I’ve lost all my inspiration, I begin to cringe why I’m not achieving my blogging goals and I wonder what else I can do apart from hitting that “I QUIT” button.

I don’t want this blog to be just another “internet trash” that serves no purpose. No!… I am not going to get sentimental about this. No, not today. 

Really? Then why not get serious and divert these useless rants into something worth sharing!

Ok dear conscience, let’s try diverting this negative energy into something. Let’s try writing this useless, childish rants and try finding some sensible answers to it. This is me talking to myself again.

1. I must define my purpose. Why the hell am I Blogging?

By far this is the most fundamental question I should ask myself. Why the hell I am blogging? I came across some bloggers who say blogging can make you rich in a couple of months. I do some research and found out they are sadly mistaken. I am sure that none of this has happened in the history of blogging. Please do correct me if I’m wrong.   

Lately, I noticed that I’m developing a passion to blog, particularly on topics I like and I find it really rewarding. To add on, I like helping others through blogging by sharing my experiences. Hopefully this will put this blog ahead further.

2. I must do some planning.

What is my blogging plan for the next week? Have I outlined a set of goals concerning the things I want to achieve for the next month? Have I chosen the right topic for my next post and do some extra research or am I just blogging about useless personal rants because everyone is blogging about it?

3. I must learn from other bloggers.

When I am on my way to quit, I do bloghopping. I join forums and comment like crazy. It’s rewarding. Yes it cost me some precious time, but I think if I’m having some trouble, or having those uninspiring moments, all I need is a group of experienced bloggers to help me out. Thank you fellow bloggers, visitors and readers especially those who are sharing their thoughts here. You may not know it but you are helping me in a lot.

4. I must catch up on my reading.

While thinking of my commenting practices, I realized that if I am only bloghopping from one blog to another, looking for posts to comment on every week without actually reflecting on how that blogger can come out with that interesting topic, then I am not doing the right thing. Yes I know it is part of networking, and all that heady SEO stuff but there must be a higher purpose for that activity – it’s the search for inspiration, and of course to make blog envy as my motivation.  

However, this is one sure thing – I will learn much more and share more ideas if I will spend more time reading books, magazines, and newspapers.

5. I must break out, not freak out.

Am I too comfortable in my comfort zone? Am I blogging in that same similar way that I used to 6 months ago? Why do I sometimes fear that changing my blogging style will drive my visitors away?

These are all the questions that are running through my head right now.

But I should not start cursing, rant or whine; although that is a great attention getter for a short period of time. I realized that it is only when I break out with my comfort zone, I will begin to start learning something. I must try some experimenting. Who knows it might propel this blog to greater heights! Yattaaaa!

6. I must discover my own voice through commenting

In the real world, sometimes the best thing to do is to say something instead of just keeping my silence. In the blogosphere, I can do that by commenting on blogs. Sometimes I came across my old comments on other blogs and it’s amazing because it makes me discover my own voice and my own style. I must always remember that in commenting to other blogs, I shouldn’t just regurgitate what the blogger have said on their post. I must ask questions, expand share opinions and ideas. This will not only get their attention but also learn more from the answers.

7. I must take the medicine for bloggers

Let me make this clear - there’s no such thing as a pill for bloggers. Aspirin can cure our headaches but it won’t cure us of our blog miseries. What’s my medicine? Take a blog break. A few days of not logging in to google analytics or checking the webmaster tool or totally disconnecting to the internet. When I do this, I am surprised because that is when ideas come flowing. Some bloggers work better under pressure but for me, time off even for a day or two can turn things around.

WOW, I MADE IT! I diverted my useless rants into something. This really pull me out from the dumps. I think this blog and my blogging journey is worth continuing.

Sorry if I freak out earlier.

Blogging may be for everyone but it certainly won’t bring success to everyone – including me perhaps. But I am enjoying this - that is what matters most. I’m sure success is just a byproduct, and extra income is the side-effect.

Did I miss something here? Let me know your thoughts. I’m listening…

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