Reflection On A Year’s Worth Of Blogging
09.07.2005 | Chris Bailey | Focused on Media
A year ago this month, I started this blog with a couple of objectives in mind: to drive traffic to my startup coaching practice and to offer a platform for my ideas. Little did I know it would be the answer to a much greater need in my life: to increase my sense of community. I’ve met some incredible people just because I put myself out here through Alchemy and have been blessed by their presence in my life. And the best part is that I continue to meet fantastic folks with new ideas and perspectives on our world.
There have been hard parts about the blogging experience. Most of these have been the ‘shoulds’ of doing this that seem to plague us bloggers at times. Jennifer Rice most recently wrote about blog depression, that unfortunate state where everything is viewed through the limited lens of whether it is blog-worthy. She’s now come to some very soulful and healthy attitudes about her blogging that resonate with me.
Why do I continue to blog after nearly a year? Well, it has a lot to do with that whole community thing I mentioned earlier. And there’s more…I truly enjoy writing and sharing ideas. I really like the feedback and debate from readers (and do find that I get depressed when I don’t get any comments so for goodness sake stop worrying whether what you want to say is ‘good enough’ and just put something out there, okay 
It does mean a lot to me). It’s deeply meaningful to know that my words and thoughts have an impact on the lives of others. I get a giddy feeling when I tell people that I’m a blogger. The bottom line is that I do this for me, but that "selfishness" is all about fulfilling a desire to be an activist in helping others see their work, leadership, and rest of their lives in a different way.
Thanks for being here in the journey with me. There’s still much to see and do.
14 Responses to “Reflection On A Year’s Worth Of Blogging”
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Happy blog birthday, Chris. I’ve been glad to see your writing here after you landed your cushy new job — I thought it might dry up.
: )
Congratulations on hitting this significant and difficult milestones. Many blogs don’t seem to make it this long, and those that do begin to show their age. Your content always seems fresh and like a fine wine gets better with age. Here’s to many more!
Chris, you’ve got fabulous things to say and insights to share. Glad you’re still on the blogging trail
Here’s to the next year! Keep up the great work.
Chris,
Congrats and keep blogging! I appreciate what you are doing and I’m excited about what the upcoming years has in store for you/us.
Todd
A lovely post, Chris. I think many of us can feel identified with your words. Blogging is amusing but it is also a responsibility if you want to do something worth reading. Anyway, it is something we should face with an spirit of joy.
Congratulations, my friend. Your integrity and consistency of purpose is an inspiration.
Happy b-day to the ASW!
Wow. Everyone, thanks so much for your warm wishes. If anything, I feel more jazzed to keep writing and reading and learning from my fellow bloggers. It’s all so juicy and delicious. Be well.
A year…Congratulations Chris. I’m just starting out, and a YEAR seems like a pretty long time to me. I hope you continue for a long time….I enjoy your insights and honesty; and I totally agree with what you say about the feedback. Here’s to you, and many more wonderful posts…CHEERS!
Congrats – glad to see all is well and alive in your corner of blogland! Admittedly, I wish I had the traffic & community you have on your site. I appreciate anyone who stops my blogs and your occasional posts are definitely welcome! Oh and happy NFL start-to-the-season day – even if the Patriots won. We’ll see how my Packer’s do – your Steelers look good as well!
Take care,
G
Forgive me for being late to the party here! I’ve been too much of the road warrior lately … however you know I always read and catch up with you when I get back Chris, and you always delight me.
For the last month or so we have had such great news of blog anniversaries among us: I feel much like we’re a new generation kindergarten class, given all the fresh new colors that Crayola had been keeping for a truly special occasion – and we’re it! We’re coloring our world with broad brush strokes of beauty and goodness, and Chris, you never choose the pale colors. Keep writing, and you can be sure we will keep reading.
Witth love and aloha, Rosa
Thankyou. Inspiration for a beginner.
Another late comer, but congratulations are definitely in order. Continue with the good posts, and the hits will keep on coming!
Isn’t this grand!! Congrats Chris.
Here is an excerpt from a post I made on my 2nd blogging anniversary on July 26th:
“The greatest thing about this whole blogging business is, of course, the bloggers. The great people I have met, or not met but feel like I know, by having a glimpse into who they are by what they write about. I have formed some lasting friendships with people I probably would not have had the opportunity to meet if it weren’t for this way of introduction. Highlights include, real live blogger meet-ups, a book project organized by Jon Strande called 100 Bloggers, meeting the blog widows and widowers, Queen Street Commons, and getting in touch with my geekness.
I have learned so much in the past couple of years, about myself and about things I didn’t know I was interested in. I can thank Rob, Peter, Craig, Chris, Brian, Jeremy, Dan, Nate, Kelly, and other Chris for opening my world up more than it was before.
Here’s to wherever this leads…”
To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly. — Henri Bergson