how to take a blogging break

for weeks, i've tried to write this post, and i couldn't find the words. i was tired, y'all. yep. tired. but i was more than tired - because, let's face it, "tired" is the same excuse as "busy". it's the go-to. i'll tell y'all about what's behind the "tired" excuse.

today, i'm 25. the past year has been incredible and painful in all the right ways, just like years are supposed to be. at 25, i feel like i know myself wholly in ways i haven't prior. i didn't get to this conclusion by coasting, but by delving deep into myself and changing it all up a bit. the past few months especially have been a grand learning in experience in self-love, time management and serenity. that serenity included taking a little break from blogging.

my e-book, 'building your blog community: gather, connect & get local', was supposed to debut on august 31st. molly made me a wonderful e-book design that i was itching to put together and show to the world. in an unusually type-b move, i decided to put off finishing my e-book until after i returned from my vacation to san francisco in mid august. i was too excited to get out west and get away.

i returned and tried to get to work, and the motivation just wasn't there. but, i'd set a deadline. it had to happen. i couldn't let myself down. so, the weekend before the debut, i sat down to get to work. in a cruel twist of fate and/or the universe teaching me a lesson, my computer threw a massive tantrum, sputtered and died before my eyes. hours before my e-book debut, i couldn't believe it. i decided, then, that it clearly wasn't meant to be - and wasn't going to be.

it took a week for my computer to get fixed. and after that, i just... needed a break. as if i hadn't already been taking one, right? ha! i was silent on social media regarding my e-book debut. maybe, i thought, if i ignored it, it was like it never happened.

like so many others, i put a lot of pressure on myself. when the actual ability to work on my e-book was taken away from me with my computer failure, i decided to let it leave my hands. my body, mind and soul were begging to take a break, to be free of internet responsibility for a little while. so you know what? i did that, unapologetically.

you can't force it. sure, there's merit to the countless articles on finding your writing mojo, blog post ideas, and getting inspired. those exist for when your desire burns strong but lacks direction. sometimes you're just "over it". embrace those feelings.

feeling kinda "tired" yourself? here's how you take a blogging break.

make a plan, but don't get too crazy

write a quick blog or social media post that says you're taking a break. i didn't do this, but i should have. it doesn't have to be long, and you definitely don't owe anyone an explanation - writing an explanation can be taxing. throw a quick post up, and peace out. if you feel up to it, give yourself a time limit: a 2 week break, a month break, etc. and have an idea of when you'll return.

 

truly kick back and stop writing

now, quit thinking about it! this is the hardest part. if you're not generating new content, use this as an opportunity to promote your old content. schedule some social media posts that promote old content, then forget about it.

focus on what you have accomplished

for me, being super type a, i kept thinking about all the things i should be doing. stop! hey, if you chose to schedule social media to promote old content, that is an accomplishment. did you get killer page views on a post last month? hell yeah. did you reach out to a brand a few weeks ago about collaborating? look at you! the choice to take a break is an accomplishment too. you're putting yourself first.

let the "mojo" come back naturally

if you've given yourself a break for a certain amount of time, return to your blog and see how it makes you feel. do you cringe at the sight of a blank page? when you sit down to write, do you desperately wish you were elsewhere? ok, ok. give yourself another 48 hours. still nothing? hop on pinterest. no, seriously. it's inspiration heaven. read a few of your favorite blogs. read a magazine. think about the fun stuff you've been doing during your break. is there something to say there?


my e-book is still in the works, and i'm going to set a new launch date soon. i'm slowly filling my editorial calendar back up, and i'm jotting down ideas constantly. most importantly? i feel re-aligned, balanced and peaceful. i don't feel stressed. writing again felt natural.

tonight, i'm trying a brand new birmingham restaurant with my friends to celebrate my birthday. i'm gonna have a few martinis. i'm going to go to a pumpkin patch this weekend. and hey, maybe i'll work on my e-book this weekend! but mostly, this week is gonna be about enjoying myself. i accomplished something. i got back into the blogging swing. cheers, friends!