Today is my 7th blogaversary. I published my first post, I Don’t Understand The Question on this day in 2015. In nearly every year since I’ve marked the day with a special post and, of course, this year I’m doing the same. If you’re interesting in reading any of the previous blogaversary posts, you need look no further; 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, and in 2021 6th Blogaversary: Doing It My Way.
Of course, I scanned through those posts myself as I was writing this one. For me, it’s a wonderful trip down memory lane which was one of the reasons why I started this blog. To tell my stories, to share my feelings, and to record memories to look back on in future days. After all, who doesn’t enjoy looking through old scrapbooks?
There’s no need to recap any of the past years, so I’ll share a just few highlights from the last 12 months. Retirement is going well and we are still loving our life near the beach where so far the temperatures have stayed coastal cool. My sourdough starter is still doing well (see Don’t Get Me Started: A Sweet Celebration) and the child who is now living two states away is loving her new life (see Down On The Farm). The Husband and I visited 5 more state capitals (see 21 In ’21: Highlights From A Road Trip), flew on an airplane for the first time since the start of COVID, we both caught COVID (though not due to that trip) and recovered, and got our second boosters.
Blog-wise, there’ve been some hits and misses in the past year. Since last August, I’ve published 56 posts (not counting a few out-of-the-offie ones) compared to the 78 that were published between August 2020 and July 2021. I’d really like to average about 2 a week and I’ve kicked around a few ideas on how to achieve that more efficiently and with less effort. One idea had been to take a quick photo every day and bring back my “Last Week, This Week” post format but that didn’t last long. I’ve even dropped my rotating themes for the link-up posts as they began to feel like a roadblock as opposed to being a guide. Kudos to the hobby bloggers who publish any more than that.
In more recent months, I’ve tried to lean less on fashion for post topics and cover concerns that many of us might be facing. Less Of This, More Of That, Are We Being Ignored Or Just Bad For Business?, and 5 Key Reasons Why It Doesn’t Matter If You’re Doing It All Wrong are a few of them. Expect to see more posts touching on non-fashion topics in the future as well as style-related one. And perhaps a few more mid-week posts as well.
The one type of post I won’t be doing anymore is vacation wardrobe capsules or the like. It’s all well and good to figure out what to pack but I haven’t been very good about getting photos taken of myself while on the trip to show the results. Rather than get hung up on getting an outfit photo for the blog, I’d prefer to focus on enjoying myself and share highlights from my trips as they happen. I’ve come to realize that the self-imposed pressure to make a fashion statement with every outfit can be a joy stealer which in turn can crush creativity. So I’m letting that go. 🦋
As I wrote my blogaversay posts in prior years, I would wonder if I’d still be blogging in another year. There have been a couple of stretches when I would “lose my mojo” and consider whether to close up shop. But writing this blog felt/feels too important to me to stop, so I didn’t/don’t. As long as this blog continues to challenge me, continues to record my life, and continues to connect me with other midlife women who enrich my life (and it does so on all three counts), it will be around for as long as I am. Thank you for coming along for the ride.
(Outfit details: Dress – Old Navy; Shoes – Bare Traps (similar); Jacket and necklace – thrifted)
Be well and let’s stay in touch! Subscribe, tweet, follow, friend, pin … all options are available. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Photos: MMPerez
16 Comments
Congratulations on seven years! I just passed my first blogoversary, and I am wondering what to do now. I am not one for just posting pictures of an outfit and leaving it at that. I like to tell a story, and those are the blogs I like the most anyway. I think blogging is tough right now because all of the emphasis is on Instagram Reels. I’ve done one…period! I don’t even remember how I found your blog, but it has been one of my favorites for years. I didn’t realize the importance (maybe it really isn’t that important) of subscribing until I started my own. All of that to say…I hope you blog for many more years on whatever you want to do!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Happy blogversary. Seven years is a lot! It’s amazing how much has changed in the blogosphere over that time. I always love checking your blog out!
Happy Blogoversiary! I’ve enjoyed seeing your blog evolve as your life has changed. I like that you’re not afraid to change it up, try different things and find what works best for you. And while I enjoy looking at outfits, I also enjoy other topics, so it doesn’t disappoint me at all that you will be including other topics.
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com
Happy anniversary! And here’s to many more years! I’ve always enjoyed your blog and admired your beautiful curls!
Happy blogaversary. Congratulation on Seven years. Many more great years to come. Have a great week.
Annie,
Annies Food Diary
Happy blogversary! We invest so much time and effort into our blogs it’s a significant achievement to reach another year. Thanks for linking.
Happy Anniversary, my friend! I started my blog just 2 1/2 weeks after yours…on August 24, 2022. And I always forget to acknowledge it! Your post inspired me to mark my calendar so I remember this year. I having been feeling lots of blog burnout lately but I keep going for the same reasons you do…it challenges me, it keeps me connected, and it records my life. I love this dress you are wearing! You are beautiful as always!
Shelbee
Happy anniversary!! It’s so good that you got out and explored. I think that’s our favorite part of retirement.
As for blogging in general, it’s quite the commitment, isn’t it? People think that it’s easy, but many, the hours we put in, haha.
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
I am about to retire and have started reading many blogs. I would love to hear your views on women and ageing and enjoying life, and how to have a fulfilling retirement
Your three counts are exactly why I’m still blogging after more than 14 years! I originally started as a way to share a one year stint teaching English in Japan and had no expectation that it would last beyond that year!
Congrats on your 7th blogaversary! That’s quite an accomplishment. Thank you for participating in Talent-Sharing Tuesdays Link-Up 28.
Carol
http://www.scribblingboomer.com
Congratulations on your 7 years of blogging! It’s great to see how you’ve allowed your blog to change as you have changed, and that you have figured out what kinds of posts are joy-drainers instead of joy-enhancers. As a relative latecomer to the blogging world, it’s always interesting to hear how people make it work for them for the long haul.
Happy anniversary!!! Lovely article once again!!!
Love and Wellness
https://wellnessshopland.com
That dress is beautiful on you and I like the denim jacket with it! Congrats on your 7 years of blogging! it’s nice you celebrate your blogaversary each year, I confess I haven’t been keeping track of mine as I stopped marking it with a post a few years in. I think I’m around 10 years blogging? Right now I’m mostly down to just 2 posts a week and that works for me, with returning to work 5 days a week I’m struggling to find time to fit everything in again, but I know I’ll get back into a rhythm eventually 🙂
Thank you for joining the #WeekdayWearLinkup! Hope you are having a good weekend 🙂 We have a birthday party to go to today 🙂
Well done, Rena, another milestone. I love that you review the past year of your blog and decide what you want to make work and those things you won’t continue to push yourself through. The mojo thing is an ongoing challenge with blogging.
Mary xxx,
thepoutingpensioner.blogspot.com
Thank you, Mary. The mojo does ebb and flow; sometimes it feels like I’m just riding out a storm and at others, I can’t seem to stop the ideas. I appreciate your support.