It’s been a while: Returning to blogging after a break

6 February 2023. That was my last blog post before this one. It’s hard to believe that much time has passed since I wrote anything on this site. After a break though, perhaps longer than anticipated, I’m returning to blogging, so let’s catch up.

There have been times when I felt like closing everything down. Getting rid of this site as I was unsure if I’d ever return to it. But there was a part of me that always resisted, not wanting to say goodbye to years of creativity, but also knowing in my heart that I may well return at some point.

And I’m now finding my way back. I just didn’t intend it to take three years. So, this post is by no means some incredible masterpiece comeback, but more of a reflection on why I stepped away from blogging and what to expect moving forward.

Why I stopped blogging

In some ways, you could just say that life happened. I created this blog when I went to university and enjoyed documenting student life. Following my Crohn’s diagnosis and lockdown, I continued creating as it was an accessible hobby for me, especially on days when I wasn’t feeling great or when we weren’t allowed to leave the house!

In recent years though, I have been grateful that my health has been stable enough to allow me to pursue other ventures. Work takes up more of my time and I’m able to get out and do more things. Instead of thinking what content can I create from this from this experience, I decided to focus more on being present and enjoying the journey.

There was also another aspect behind my decision to pause blogging for a while.

I’ve always loved writing and creating content, and to begin with, there were many other people also doing the same. I loved connecting with people who were like me, purely creating for their own joy. There was a real sense of community which was uplifting and inspiring.

Over time though, there was a shift in the content world. Content creation, be it on social media or a website, became about views, followers, earning money and the rise of influencers.

For a time, I also fell into that trap, becoming focused on every post:

• Performing well.
• Being perfectly optimised.
• Saying something inspirational.
• Justifying the time I spent writing it.

This was taking the enjoyment out of it. Every time I sat down to write, it stopped feeling like a creative outlet and started feeling like a job. I was feeling burnt out by the direction it was heading.

So, I decided to take a break from blogging for a bit. A good idea for any creative feeling overwhelmed or lost.

While I never intended ‘a bit’ to turn into three years, it allowed me time to gain a new perspective and reconnect with why I started creating content in the first place.  

What changed during the break

Weirdly, taking a break from blogging can teach you a lot about blogging.

It gave me the chance to:

• Put less pressure on myself and recover from blogging burnout.
• Reconnect with my own sense of creativity.
• Gain life experience.
• Enjoy consuming content more intentionally instead of constantly producing it.

I also learned that taking a break from something doesn’t mean quitting altogether. Sometimes, getting space from something until ready to come back to it in a healthier way could be the best way forward.

Why I’m writing again now

Quite simply, I missed having my own space. Although pressing pause on blogging allowed me to refresh, there have been times more recently when I’ve craved having my little corner of the internet again. To note down thoughts and share adventures.

I realised I could still do that. It was only me that was putting pressure on myself to post all the time and create content that had to perform well. Just because there are people out there making money from content these days, it doesn’t mean you have to if you don’t want to.

Here’s to writing for enjoyment once more. To having a creative outlet for when it suits you.

I don’t have everything figured out. There’s no strategy or desire for content to be perfectly crafted or posted consistently.

I’m coming back and creating with a new approach:

• Fewer rules
• More honesty
• Sustainable pacing
• Writing because I want to, not because an algorithm demands it.

What to expect from this blog going forward

The truth is, I’m not 100% sure yet. There’ll be some posts about things I’ve done over the past three years, travel recommendations based on places I’ve been and content on topics which interest or inspire me.

I don’t know how consistent it will be, when I’ll have time to write or how long content will be. All I know is that I’ve missed creating.

If, by some miracle, you’ve stuck around on here, found this post through search or other platforms, or are reading this as encouragement to start again yourself, then thank you. This is me starting again too.