so.
my to do list is approximately three miles long. i have signs to make for friends. i have emails that have gone unanswered for days. (if one of them is from you i do apologize). i haven’t even thought about march sponsors much – and in case you missed it. it is march.
oops.
all of that to say – i have hit some sort of a wall. i am no longer motivated, inspired, enthused, encouraged or even slightly interested in blogging, designing, or interacting with anyone at all.
yikes.
suffice it to say i am slightly burned out. (oh those two dreaded words…) i have over extended myself, i am way over committed, and i am more than overwhelmed. i don’t know what to do first or where to start. and i haven’t had a day off for me to really enjoy in a couple of months.
all of this adds up to a sad skye. and i’m also frustrated with myself. for letting me get to this spot. for saying yes too much. for wanting to please too many people. for allowing myself to get bured out.
it also doesn’t help much that i have ruffled a few feathers on the blog here lately. want to guarantee blog comments? post about something controversial that will surely piss some people off! (examples here and here).
these posts left me feeling bad for saying what i thought. expressing how i felt about some things honestly made me feel like i had done something wrong.
that isn’t right is it? this is my space and i’m allowed to say what i think and tell you how i feel without feeling like i have to defend myself for it right? defending yourself, especially when you don’t think you should have to, is totally exhausting.
so anyways.
i have had some great conversations with myself, with my husband, with friends and with fellow bloggers. it is time for me to take a step back and figure out where my priorities really are. i have to find a way to balance all the things i love to do without feeling pressured to do something, guilty for not doing something and exhausted because i’ve done too much.
it just really sucks because the easiest place to start cutting back on is blogging. i simply cannot commit to blogging x number of times per week right now. not when i know my time is better spent elsewhere.
i can’t quit altogether. not blogging at all is almost as bad as trying to blog too much. i have to get the crazy out somewhere. 😉
but i am accepting any and all manner of guest posts to share for a while. got a tutorial you want to teach? a recipe to share? a tid bit of inspiration? please email me and let me know. i’d love to have you and feature your post on my blog.
so please bear with me as i reorganize my life and get some things straightened out. everyone needs a refreshing break every now and again. 🙂
Awww I totally understand! I was there a couple weeks ago and just had to take a break for a bit. It's really hard to keep everything balanced esp considering how much extra work beyond just the writing has to go into growing a blog. We'll miss you, but I hope you can find some rest!
Thanks sweet girl!! It helps to know that everyone won't abandon me and that I will be missed when I'm gone! 🙂 It is a lot of extra work that doesn't really get accounted for and when you have a regular 9-5 that you have to keep up with too it adds up really quick! xoxo
Oh hun I can certainly empathize. I've got some resources for sorting it out to sheared if your interested. Texting you now!
I will always love your level head and solution-oriented response! Thanks for being my friend on here and in real life!! xoxo
don't let negative comments get to you! this is your space and if they don't like what you have to say, they don't have to come here! Don't be too hard on yourself. Don't pressure yourself to blog so many times a week or be down on yourself for not getting it all done. I think we've all been there. Sending you a big hug!
Thank you so much Manda! I have always been a people pleaser and it always gets me down in the end. I have to remind myself a lot of exactly what you just said! Thanks for the sweet comment and the virtual hug too!! xoxo
I totally understand! I took a step back recently myself. The holidays kicked my butt, had major house problems, found out I was expecting a kid, my EIGHT to 5 got WAYYY busier as did my invitation and designs I do on the side. Needless to say I was feeling a bit over extended and needed the break too! It happens. Life is way to short to be agonizing over such things and putting pressure on ourselves. I'm just about to hop back on the blogging horse, but man, the break was perfect for me. Take your time, do whats right for you and enjoy the little things!
SUPER AWESOME CONGRATS GIRL!!! 🙂 🙂 I so agree with you on agonizing over small things. Thanks for the sweet comment and God bless with the new baby growing adventure! How exciting!! xoxo
Deeeeeep breaths! You're awesome. You will find your groove. You are the boss of you! 🙂 I took 4 days short of a year away from blogging, so I totally understand. The blog will always be here and it's YOUR space and you can do with it what YOU want. I'm happy to help you with whatever you need, too. You've been a lovely and wonderful support to me since I started back up, so I'll of course return the favor any time you need it! Big fat extra long Texas hugs WITH a smoooooch (wearing lipstick of course) right on your cheek from me to you.
Awww thanks Sara with an H! I'm so glad you are back blogging – you seriously be crackin me up over here. Thanks for the awesome support and I will definitely be asking… begging… PLEADING ON MY KNEES that you show some Sarah Love all over the blog and guest post for me! xoxo
Anytime!
1. please do not use the word burnt (especially followed by any word beginning with an o). it makes me cringe. literally turns my stomach. try burned out or stretched too thin, or too much on my plate, or will find something else
2. everyone will always have an opinion, but yours is the only one you need to worry about. take what beneficial things you can from the differing opinions and put the rest out with the garbage! YOUR blog. YOUR rules (and a few of mine…see thought 1). if they don’t like your opinions the proverbial door swings both ways.
3. quit stressing. just write when you have something to say. that’s why you started this in the first place, remember?
4. i’d be glad to guest post a tutorial. which tax form would you like to discuss? nm. my job is not exciting. 😉
hehe. love you!
1. omg fine. i fixed it. sorry for letting my deep east texas accent take over :p
2. i supposed grammatical rules can be followed and the direct order of others and i love your use of proverbial.
3. thank you for the MUCH needed reminder.
4. you know – i know LOT of bloggers (originally typed bloogers) that would probably love a tutorial on whatever tax for it is you need to file for yeah.. don't even know how to word it. the one we discuss occasionally when i ask you the same tax question the 400th time in a row.
Haha. my issue with that word has to do with the ugliest color on the planet…not grammar 🙂
I have no problem saying no…no one even asks me anymore!! I remember when i stopped working outside the house and the "homeroom moms" attacked!! I said no thank you, like 200 times. now they just ask for paper product donations.
I am your newest follower..pls follow back if you can,
enjoy your time!
I love that they finally got the point! I'm all about the paper goods donations! Thanks for the follow – I'm off to check out your blog!
I'm so sorry you're feeling this way. I have days when I just don't have anything. I don't know if I'd be missed if I took a few days off…but sometimes you just have to step back. I haven't quite gotten to that point yet. But if you feel like that's what you need for YOU, then do it! I've seen a few bloggers do that for a week or so and come back feeling totally refreshed.
Don't be afraid to say no to people if you're already feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Easy for me to say…I'm too "new" and am not at the point of being overwhelmed by requests.
As for opinions, YOURS is the one you should care about most here. If people speak out negatively, I guess that's their right, but don't let it get you down. You haven't ruffled my feathers! I think when I visit peoples blogs, what they say is THEIR view on whatever the issue and that I am just a visitor. If I want to speak the opposite viewpoint, then maybe do it on my own blog, not attack the person on their blog. I may not always agree with some people's posts (not saying that about you at all!), but I'm not going to comment negatively if I disagree. Easier said than done, but hopefully you can let the snarky comments just slide.
If you're looking for a guest poster….if you want something from me, just shoot me an email with a topic and I'd be happy to help you out anytime!!
And if you do take a blogging break – good for you, but don't forget us here…come back!! 🙂
Hugs!!!
Sarah you are sooo good for my soul! I would definitely miss you if you were to take a step back but know that i would support your decision to do what is best for you. You are so kind and I just love your spirit! Thanks for the sweet and uplifting comment! Hope you have an amazing weekend!! xoxo PS – I'd love to have you post on anything you'd like! just shoot it over! 🙂
Awe Skye! We all need breaks like this to check ourselves. Don't be afraid to say no – sometimes we just have too! I think it's human nature to feel guilty for saying no, but somehow we have to over come that. Life is too short to let things get out of control. Do what you can. When you can & do what you love. Blog as often as you like {even if that's only once a week} when it comes to clients if you need to slow things down there – let them know there will be a wait so your not going crazy trying to get things done and when you stepping back – enjoy it girl. I hope you come back refreshed!
Oh and one last thing – you are so right, this is your blog and you can say whatever you like. That's the beauty of freedom of speech. 🙂
Thank you so much for all the little bits of advice Cass! I can't tell you enough how much I enjoy our friendship and treasure your support! xoxo
So sorry you're feeling this way! I totally empathize with feeling the need to defend. It's instinctual. Definitely take a break! And I'd be happy to guest post for you sometime. 🙂 Have a great, relaxing weekend!
I will definitely be taking you up on that offer to guest post! I'd love to share some of your hilarious stories over here!!
O gish girl.
I think I could have written this post. Except for the posts. And I think the bloggers I want to read are honest even if it does not make everyone happy. Seriously, I think its crazy for people to think everyone should fit in the same box.
My newest favorite saying?
"Speak the truth even if your voice shakes"
What's the point in a bunch of pretty little lies?
Maybe I will strongly wish for those people to have kids. (Insert evil laugh)
No better way for them to learn not all people fit in the same box.
As for time and burn out…I have left this open and ran off to:
Breakup a battle, wipe a bum, save a child who fell at the bottom of the stairs and clean up a box of cereal.
can we call today as national nap day!?
I can't tell you how wonderful it has been to get to know you better over the past few weeks and get to pick your brain about things like this! 🙂 Thanks for the smart & uplifting words and reminding me that behind the scenes of this little blog all the aspects of life must go on!
Aww I'm sorry to hear your burned out but it's understandable – you do SO much, through your blog, your shop, social media. I'm always amazed at how you do it all! Don't feel rushed and don't feel like you "owe" anyone anything through your blog or whatever. Get some rest lady! 🙂
i noticed one of the links on here to a blog entry with people who were "pissed off" was to the pinterest one. i really hope it wasn't my comment that made you feel the need to defend yourself and left you exhausted. mine was the only semi-controversial comment i saw on there, so unless you removed one it seems like it must have been mine. it was by no means an attack on you or your thoughts. i was simply stating my opinion just as you did. if it did hurt you or left you exhausted i apologize. it was definitely not my intention. i just had a point of view different from yours and i had seen a lot about pinterest etiquette lately, so i was responding to that. not to you. like i said, if it did hurt you or make you tired, i am sorry about that. but if it was my comment you were talking about here, i wish you would have said something instead of making me feel like i am part of the reason you are tired of blogging. right out here on your blog, instead of saying something at the time to me privately.