2010 was for me a year of realising i needed to bring myself back to basics. I was gradually feeling like i wanted to be involved in less and just be me, Nichola. Since i started blogging in 2005 the internet has exploded and particularly (for me) the blog community. It's wonderful to have so many people being creative and sharing their experiences but i was feeling incredibly overwhelmed by everything. So many blogs to read, so many people writing books, so many advertisements on blogs, sponsored posts, so many things to be involved and take part in.
I started to feel very overwhelmed and a little tired of it all, it was starting to feel like a competition, one that i didn't want to enter. I eventually realised i needed to scale back to basics, to choose not to be involved in so many things and try not feel guilty if it meant something had to go or i had to let people down. I needed to concentrate on the few things important to me rather than being part of more. I'd struggled with my decision over WR for the best part of the year and felt a huge weight lift from my shoulders when i decided it should close. A few other blogs seem to be starting up as a result and i look forward to seeing what they do.
So now i'm happily working my full time job at Tessuti which i still love (how could i not?). I'm spending more time on me and my family rather than a website and organising things for other people to be part of. I'm enjoying running in the mornings, practising some yoga and riding my bike. I'm enjoying sitting in front of a movie with my fella, playing with my girls and hanging out with friends for pleasure rather that to discuss to-do lists. I'm enjoying reading blogs, at the moment i'm particularly loving real life friends blogs and blogs about sewing clothes and blogs that inspire me with creative inspiration. I'm enjoying blogging more often and not worrying about who's reading (although i do love a nice comment of course!)
I'm not worrying about doing what is 'right' or what is the expected thing in blogland these days. I'm not refashioning clothes from one thing to something entirely new so much any more, i'm preferring to alter second hand garments to fit and make from scratch. I'm spending a lot of my free time sewing and getting better at it. I'm not getting so hung up on the things i'm not doing but i am feeling very pleased about the things i am. I'm concentrating on moderation rather than omitting or exceeding.
I've enjoyed what i've done but 2011 is the year about me. The year i scale back to basics, the year i look after myself, enjoy myself and be myself. I know that in doing so i'll be a happier, healthier and more sane person. I'll be free to be creative again, to do things i love which will grow into who knows what! I'm enjoying it so far and i'm looking forward to where it takes me.
It's easy to get caught up in the whirlwind that is blogland. I know i'm not alone in feeling this way. How about you?
My skirt in the photo above is the Linda circle skirt from BurdaStyle. I made it last winter from one of the $10 a metre fabrics from work, i'm not sure of it's compostition. It's lined with a green rayon lining. I'm not sure why i've not blogged it before, it's great with stockings and a big belt. :)
