The Return

​Well I'm back, hopefully for good...​

As someone who has taken some time off from blogging, I understand how daunting it can be to get back into the swing of things. However, I've recently decided to take the plunge and return to blogging, and I'm excited to share my journey with you once again for the first time in about 12 months, give or take. Scary.

Firstly, it's important to acknowledge the reason for my break. I had experienced a period of burnout, and I felt like I wasn't producing my best work. Instead of continuing to push myself, I decided to take a step back and focus on other areas of my life for a while. However, over time, I realised how much I missed blogging and how much I enjoyed it as part of my daily / weekly routine. ​ The first step I took in returning to blogging was to revisit my original motivation for starting my blog. I started my blog as a creative outlet way back in 2016 and as a way to share my experiences and knowledge with others on all sorts of topics. If any old readers find their way back here I'm hoping once again to post journal updates on my day to day life as they always seemed the most popular. You nosey buggers you. Anyway...reconnecting with that motivation has helped me feel excited and passionate about blogging again.

To ease myself back into blogging, I started by brainstorming ideas and topics I wanted to cover. I also spent some time reading other blogs and engaging with other bloggers in my niche (there doesn't seem to be as many of us as there used to be). This helped me get a sense of what's currently trending in my field and what my audience might be interested in reading.

One of the biggest challenges I faced when returning to blogging was feeling like I had lost my voice. It has been so long since I've written anything that I was worried my writing skills had deteriorated. To combat this, I’ve started by writing shorter, more manageable posts (which I hope to post soon). I’ve also experimented with different writing styles to see what felt most authentic to me - most noticeably the use of the F word will now be omitted from my writing and won't be used in excess so much! I'll have to see how that goes though.

Another challenge I faced was feeling overwhelmed by the thought of promoting my blog and building a following again. However, I reminded myself that building a following takes time, and that it's more important to focus on producing quality content than on numbers. I also used social media to connect with other bloggers and share my work which seems to have been well received with new and old peers alike.

The ideal aim going forward is to take each post as it comes. I've not set anything in stone for the direction of the site and having only just found the motivation to write again I think that's the sensible way to go. ​ Overall, writing this and the thought of returning to blogging has been a rewarding experience. It's reminded me why I started my blog in the first place and has given me a renewed sense of purpose.

If you're thinking about returning to blogging after some time off, my advice is to take things slow, reconnect with your original motivation, and remember that it's okay to start small. With patience and persistence, you'll find your voice again and will be able to share your message with the world.
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To any old readers, welcome back and to new readers, welcome. Here's to the first post of many more to come.