The One New Years Resolution Every Blogger Should Make
If you’re like most bloggers, you’ve agonized over posts, debated how often to ask for a Stumble, and analyzed your web traffic more often that you care to admit. All that time adds up – in fact, according to Technorati, about half of all bloggers spend more than five hours per week on their blogs. Five hours per week? Those numbers actually seem low when you think about activist bloggers – those blogging about a cause near and dear to their hearts.
We lose ourselves to blogging and social media because there we find like-minded souls who encourage us to pursue those causes most important to us.
But as you make new friends amongst the Twitterati and in the Blogosphere, don’t forget the real world outside your door.
Too often this past year, I neglected real world friends and obligations because of my fascination with this alternate universe. The fact is, as wonderful as cybersupport can be, it only goes so far. You still have to trudge to the 7 p.m. PTA meeting, organize the Green Group at your school or office, or knock on doors to elect a political candidate.
This morning, as my first act of ’09, I organized a meeting to help green things up around my son’s school. I’ve reached the point where I stopped blogging about green schools – a cause near and dear to my heart – because I felt I wasn’t doing enough real work in my own neighborhood.
What do you care about? What do you blog about? Now what do you actually do? This year, keep blogging, but make something real happen in your own neighborhood.
Please leave a comment and let me know what you think!
Happy New Year!
Lynn
Copyright OrganicMania 2009
5 Responses to “The One New Years Resolution Every Blogger Should Make”
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Right on, Lynn! I have reached same conclusion. Like any tool, social media and blogging in particular, need to be used well, not overused, or used to the wrong end.
What I want to know is, are you going to post less frequently, and become a slow blogger like me?
Bonne annee!
Oh, Marguerite, I thought of you when I wrote this! I know you’ve talked a lot about this same issue! I’m not looking to go into slow mode…(sometimes I think I already have), but I need to delegate more, get more help, so I can focus on the things I truly love….
I may be an idealist, but I believe that everyone can make a difference. Even if you are the only voice, it can make a difference.
Happy New Year, Gruppie Girl! We need more idealists! Thanks for stopping by! — Lynn
So true, Lynn. I really feel like I’ve built a lot of valuable connections here in the blog world and made a lot of real friends – many of whom I’ve met IRL. But we also need to get involved in our communities, get to know our neighbors and learn what the challenges and successes are in our schools and cities. Happy New Year.
Yes, so much “we need to do.” We all need to give ourselves a break, too. Many of us have kids to raise, marriages to keep strong, professional development to pursue….and what about time to spiritually recharge? For me, blogging is a break. It rankles me when “bloggy friends” demand stumbles, attention, more than I can comfortably give as some type of proof point. I am very happy with those relationships I’ve formed that are a form of mutual support…and I count you in that group, Michelle… Happy New Year! — Lynn
I’m much more of a ‘doer’ than a ‘sayer’ and happy to see this trait passing on to my son. His recent enterprise is a small business adventure, aptly named Earthelper. He envisions that he will sell fruits and seeds for home delivery to neighbors and friends. He’ll take some of the proceeds to invest in the Anacostia Watershed Society (http://www.anacostiaws.org/). He likes to hike in one of their parks and feels this would be a worthwhile use of the profits. If you live close to me, you just might see a 9 year old, and his young friend Anna, hawking various items, so feel free to support them. I see a long career of non-profit in his future, Cool!
What a great story, Sue! Thanks for sharing, and Happy New Year! — Lynn
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