Hello! How are things with you? ❤️ I once shared the challenges that I have struggled with as a blogger and today I’m going to be sharing something a bit similar to that…the worst habits of a blogger! 😂 These are some of the habits a blogger can have that might be the making or breaking of us, we don’t all conform to them (I can pick out a few that I do and a lot that I don’t!) but I thought it would be a good idea to acknowledge the negatives so that bloggers out there who can relate don’t feel alone 💫
Let’s embrace our flaws and change those that are detrimental if at all possible! 🙌 Here goes everything, from someone making you feel like you need to check out their blog to a little snippet about why I won’t be sharing everything about my chronic illness here on Elsie LMC 😯 The worst habits of a blogger are:
Comparison
Tis the thief of joy! 😂 It is at times inevitable, even if we think it isn’t. A lot of the time we will say it doesn’t get to us but I think through want of something else we must have started in that headspace to begin with. As well as mentioning in my blogging challenges post that is linked up above, I also shone a light on it within the blogging lessons I have learned.
It’s important to keep in mind that we’re all different, there are not two people that are exactly alike and I for one thrive on this fact when comparison taunts me 😂 There is only one of you walking on this earth, even in alternate dimensions you’re a different person 😵 When you can feel yourself starting to compare then why don’t you note the things you have and not what you don’t? Why not switch “he writes better than me 😕” for “I’m really proud of my last post, it came from my mind and no one else could have written it”….two VERY different comparisons but you understand the portrait I’m trying to paint 😂
Feeling like you can’t show the negative side of life
Your blog is your space and you can share whatever emotion you want there (as long as it doesn’t hurt others of course!). Sometimes people get called out for being too positive or too negative but why should that be a problem? Personally my blog is my happy place where I can leave negativity behind for the most part, sometimes I’ll write about things that upset me and that is my choice too. It’s a half and half melting pot 💫😂
Succumbing to a niche because you feel like you absolutely have to
Only stick to a niche if you want to, Know that it’s not at all essential to do so. Some people think it is but I believe that there is less of a chance of running out of ideas or getting bored if you don’t limit yourself. We’re all more than that one thing and if you want to write about that then that is amazing but don’t beat yourself up if you work differently.
Apologizing excessively
This isn’t addressed at all bloggers that leave/come back in general and apologize, just those that seem to automatically have “I’m sorry/I apologise” at the start of all of their posts as an opening line when it doesn’t need to be there. This might be the first time someone is reading a post from you and if you’re continuously saying sorry for being away then that doesn’t really send out a good message for them to stick around.
I understand that you might want to acknowledge that you’ve been away but when every (and I mean EVERY) post begins with an apology then that can’t be good for your self esteem or be nice to see when looking back on your blogging journey. You left for a reason, whether that be other interests, private reasons or lack of inspiration and you shouldn’t feel bad about that (as tough as that may be) or else your blog isn’t going to be as fun a place as it could be to gravitate towards because you’ll associate it with guilt 🤷 Also, don’t let anyone make you feel like you need to apologise for the decisions you make regarding your blog as they might not have even been a choice in the first place. That point started out a bit rude but I drove it back round 😌 peace has been restored 😂
Wondering whether or not you are doing enough or even the right thing at all 🙁
YOU ARE! ✨🙌 You might often wonder “am I preparing enough posts?” or “do I have to be on a certain social media platform?”. This whole thing works differently for everyone, what works for some might not go down well with you and likewise. That is okay because you’re not them and they’re not you, we all have our leading facets and unique elements. Travel to the beat of your own drum and do what you want to do, not what you feel you have to.
Choosing not to reply to comments
I’ve seen bloggers admit that they are not going to reply to comments because they think that when it all builds up they will look popular and like they don’t have the time or need to reply. Basically they want to appear needed but not needy 😂 I don’t understand bloggers who do this. If you choose not to reply to comments then switch off that section and stop asking a question at the end of your post willing people to reply with the idea in mind that you will write back to them as that is just plain rude. Someone took time out of their day to write something nice when they didn’t have to, the least you could do is say thank you and not treat a reader like a subject.
It goes without saying that this doesn’t include people who will in fact get around to answering comments, just those that intend to leave them sitting there.
Feeling like you have to review every product you use
I used to be able to relate to this one but of course I don’t follow through with it or else this blog would be 75% reviews and that’s not what I’m going for 😂 Nowadays if I really like something then it will find its way onto my monthly favourites but I like to think that I will come across something that I want to dedicate a post to again. I have loads of half written reviews in my journal but by now I’ve forgotten what it felt like to be in the company of those things 😂 What I need to do is not sway from writing a review when I latch onto a good one that I want to share!
Oversharing vs undersharing
I personally don’t think you can ever undershare as that is your prerogative. You are entitled to share or not share as you please. For the most part I’m quite private on here, you know I live in Ireland but not my exact destination, you don’t know everything that goes on in my life and although I wish to share my journey with an undiagnosed chronic illness and raise awareness about that, somewhere down the line I figured that I’m not going to let go of the initial information regarding my health. I like being in control of that when I’m otherwise beholden to the pain itself (you’ve gotta take authority where you can 😂).
What with the latest bout of excruciating pain, it seems like I am a little bit closer to a diagnosis but there is still a long way to go.
Other than letting you know on certain days when I’m feeling unwell if I want to do so or writing a post to raise awareness about what it’s like being undiagnosed, at the moment I won’t be saying the various conditions I live with other than what I have already told you I am currently going through. They are looking like they all group together and go hand in hand with the overall underlying autoimmune disease I have or at least I hope so after over 10 years of not know what this pain is 🤞but yeah, that is how I’m going to go about it 💃 and if I do receive a diagnosis I will most likely share it then because that will be a long awaited day for me.
Commenting just to advertise yourself
The majority of these comments will end up in my spam folder but sometimes they’ll slip through. Plain advertisment’s for your own blog or even generated comments that can be used on every blog and don’t have anything to do with the post they are sent to. Comments such as “I like this post” followed by a link back to your own blog or a short introduction to your site are written off immediately as spam. What kind of a blogger thinks that it is okay or that it will even be approved/acknowledged? This kind of goes in line with the next point…
Entitlement
I’ve come across some bloggers who feel entitled and are of the opinion that if they follow me then I must return the favour or if they “read” my post then I must check theirs out too. I put quotation marks there because they obviously didn’t read what I wrote and even if they did it doesn’t mean that I have to do anything because your blog might not be of interest to me (who sounds entitled now? 🙈 But it’s true! 🤷😂). If I want to read your blog and/or we’ve built up a rapport in the comments section then I will but let’s be real, I don’t feel obligated to do it and you’re not going to force me to do anything.
Checking your blog first thing in the morning
This can be okay if done in moderation but when it happens every day then we’ve got a problem on our hands! 👐 This is a tough habit to kick (spell check wanted me to say “lick” 😐), especially when in isolation a blog is a huge outlet to have but it can be done! Even though I wake up late I still make an effort to act like I’m up early 😂 I make my bed, pop on my glasses, take my medication, put on my watch (I feel naked without it and something always feels wrong if I forget to put it on 🙌) and I head downstairs carrying whatever I know I will definitely use throughout the day, albeit one thing…my phone. I’ll come back up and get that after I have breakfast and get changed. At what point did this post turn into my morning routine? 🤔😂 Anywho! Leaving my phone behind puts a barrier between it and myself, allowing the start of my day to feel much more refreshed and it also gives me a chance to get my head together in thinking of my plans for the day ✨
Thank you for reading! Did any of these hit a nerve? Don’t worry, you’re only human! I can relate to a couple of them too 🙄😂 Can you think of any more bad habits of bloggers? Let me know in the comments below and I hope you have a lovely day 💕
This is great! There are definitely a couple I have done before in there🙈 and I think it’s kinda brave of you to call people out on the ‘worse’ ones! Hopefully now some people will change their attitudes on here!
Hope lockdown life is treating you well (or as well as it can I suppose) and I sincerely hope you receive a diagnosis soon and find a way to make your illness better xxx💖💖
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I’m glad you liked it! 😄 I was so worried to post it thinking that it would come across as rude but then I tugged the positive side of it out and felt better about it 😂 Yeah I hope it makes some people think differently too so that they can have a better experience on here ✨ ahh thank you so much!! That honestly means a lot and made me smile 🤗 Hope you’re doing okay too? Take care lovely 💕💕
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Glad I made you smile!😊 I’m fine thanks and you take care as well xx💖
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Elsie I am so glad it’s not just me who struggles through these things, honestly I have awful habits of letting my blog build up and forgetting to check it an then by the time I get to it every notification just seems too much?! 😂 Those people who don’t reply to comments though, uh! Replying to comments is half the fun of bogging, an d if yo don’t want that pressure ten turn off the comments or don’t ask questions! Every post (before my 8 month hiatus that really changed me and my blog) used to start with ‘I’m sorry this is late’ or I apologise about my inactivity’ and honestly I’m vowing never to start a post like that again, I was inactive because I have other responsibilities, people are always telling me not to apologise and they are so right! I honestly am pretty lucky and don’t compare myself and my blog to others, I guess I just know that this is my blog and I love it and all people’s blogs are beautiful but this is my own space you know? Anyways this is honestly on of my favourite posts of yours because of how honest it is?! Like let’s be honest everyone thinks this but no one says it! Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful post Elsie 💕
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YES! I always feel ashamed when I can’t handle the amount notifications and annoyed at myself for letting it get to that point when I come on here to type out a post because then I’ll take some more time to think out a reply and before I know it so much time has passed by 😂
Love your perspective on your blog, I need some of that motivation whenever the comparison bug creeps in (or at least a fly swatter to get rid of it 🤔😂). Ahhh thank you!! Sounds silly but could cry when I hear stuff like that because I was so unsure about posting it because I thought I was being TOO real in an offensive way 😂 (there should be a happy tears emoji but for now I’ll just add a dramatic avalanche: 😭😂)❤️❤️
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It’s not just me!! 😂 Tell me about it I just wish I had the motivation to go on my blog everyday you know?! Like letting the notifications build up just stresses me out and then it takes me hours to reply and then by the time I’ve replied there is no energy left in me to post 😂 Yes exactly!!
Thank you so much, you totally got this and your blog is beautiful and urging its incredible content, I honestly get excited when I see you’ve posted 💕 *passes blogging comparison fly swatter* 😂 Of course!! No that isn’t silly at all, no seriously from the comments I’ve seen everyone agrees with you! Well done for addressing that elephant in the room that everyone was ignoring, aha! (They should SERIOUSLY invent happy tears emoji) 😆😭
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I just discovered your blog and I am very happy that I did! You seem to be very passionate about what you do and it’s amazing! Love it! – Hailey 💕
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Ahh that’s so kind of you!! 😄 Thank you so much ✨❤️
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You are very welcome Elsie! 😉
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Love the real talk here. You’ve said a lot of things that I’m sure many people wish they could!
Blogging means so many things and a big part of it is connecting with others, not just sharing your own content. It seems crazy to me that some people wouldn’t be interested in replying to comments on their site or engaging with other people in general!
The entitlement is also real. You earn your views, your follows, your comments. It should not be an expectation! When it comes to blogger support groups I don’t mind following back and supporting everyone as that is the point of it, but outside of that I’m more picky with who I engage with. What I do like to do though is like a few posts and send off a message as a thank you for their support.
On the point of the blogger who go on lots of breaks and hiatuses.. this is annoying. Makes them seem very unpredictable and that’s not encouraging. Everyone says sorry at some point but I read once that instead of apologising, a better way to convey the same message is to say something appreciative. Say you’re a bit late to a function- instead of saying “Sorry I’m late,” you could say “thank you for waiting on me!”
Simple switches like that make all the difference. I really enjoyed this post. Thanks for sharing Elsie!
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That means a lot! 🙌💕 Yeah, personally blogging would be nothing without the wonderful community that there is and I can’t imagine not wanting to be a part of that ✨ That makes sense about blogger support groups. And that’s a great way of going about it! It allows the blogger to take back control of the situation and not feel beholden to who their apologizing to all of the time 💫 Thank you so much for this great comment and advice! Take care ❤️❤️
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I am guilty of wanting to apologise everytime I wander off blogging and get back again😅. I enjoyed reading and I learnt a lot. Thank you 💕
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It’s not a totally bad thing, just shows how nice a person you are that you feel the need to do that 🙌✨ Ahh I’m glad you liked it! Thank YOU for reading ❤️❤️
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