On My Heart...


This will be my first time ever linking up with Amanda @ A Royal Daughter. Amanda's blog and the way she lives her life inspires me, which is what this post is all about.

 

I've started to notice a trend with some of the bigger blogs that I follow and read on a regular basis.

 

 

SPONSORSHIP.

 

 

It's becoming a lot more popular, and it almost seems like if you want to "make money" or "be popular" or "have a lot of followers" you have to sponsor, and buy sponsorship from other blogs. At the same time, I have seen a lot of the blogs that I follow saying how they don't like how much time that sponsorship takes up for them, so they aren't doing it anymore. I have also seen a few that now pay for a virtual assistant, because of how much goes into sponsoring blogs.

 

I've tried it. I focused on it for about four months. It was....HARD. It was a lot of work, for very little gain. Sure, my blog went from 30 followers to about 80, but how many of those people really read every post I write? Not even half. Quite frankly, I barely have time to blog, let alone focus on helping someone else get exposure through my little teeny blog, so it really isn't working out for me. I'm often nervous about contacting the blogs that I love to ask them if they will swap buttons with me, because (A) who would take that exchange? Not a big time blogger who already has like-a-million-followers and (B) who am I kidding? They probably haven't ever read a thing that I write and don't have any intention to read anything I write in the future.

 

And you know what? I'm starting to figure out that it's ok. I really want this blog to go back to where it was when I started. I started this blog to document my wedding, and share my ideas with my friends. Then when that was over, it became more personal. Then I got pregnant, and I shared my daughter with you. I want to get back to the point where I write to share, not to make my blog popular. I also know how much I love reading about other people's families, and how much I hate filler posts (GFC follower link-ups especially) and find myself skipping over sponsor posts more often than not. So, I don't want to become that kind of blog.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love a good link-up, and this doesn't mean that I'm going to stop doing EVERYTHING except journaling our lives. I just really want to share MORE of the things that mean the world to me, and less of the things that I was doing JUST to get people to like me.

 

It will be hard because I am a people-pleaser. I am happy as long as everyone else is happy with me. If I have an issue unresolved with someone, it drives me INSANE. It's just the way I am. But I'm hoping that those of you that read will stick around because you love seeing my family and care somewhat about my successes, and commiserate with my failures. Because that's what this community has been for me: support, friendship, comfort and reassurance. And I hope I can give all of that to you as well.

 

So, this is the start. Thanks for reading!!

 

 

And if you have time, and would like to check out some of the wonderful blogs who have inspired ME, I have a new blog love section on my sidebar. None of those ladies asked to be there, they are there because they are important to me, and women who I love to read about. I hope you will read too!

 

Until later lovebugs,

 

Rachael