I've been blogging on this little website for about a year and a half now. I've fallen in love with blogging, and it's just what I do. I love the social part of it, I love writing, I love the photography.. I love everything about blogging! I started this site when I was in the 8th grade. That's right, Junior High, Middle School, 13 years old. There was me. I fell in love with writing down post ideas in my Lilly Pulitzer "let's cha cha" agenda during class, and spending late nights listening to Taylor Swift and Nikki Minaj (Typically 8th grader stuff y'know) and writing. I was totally committed to my blog then.. but I didn't know how long it would last. I had a tendency to not finish things all the way or to keep up with something on a regular basis. I proved to myself through blogging, that I could keep up with something.
Then there I was, blogging all the way through Summer before I started High School. I was literally writing one to two posts a day and like ten a week... Those were the good days. Well, I did basically nothing last Summer, so y'know time wasn't really an issue for me. I poured HOURS into my blog last Summer. Just content you know. Nothing too meaningful or important, I just became obsessed with always having NEW and FRESH content on my blog. So a couple months and five blog designs later.. My first year in high school rolled around.
Throughout my freshman year, I had to put blogging in the back seat. It was still a major focus, love, and passion of mine.. but my grades couldn't afford for me to become obsessed with it and spend all my time there. I'm not saying I didn't write, because I did. And I did a lot. My first Blog-a-versary came around in January and it was INCREDIBLE. I felt so accomplished. So there I was, blogging the days away.. writing down post ideas in my Kate Spade "bella bookshelf" agenda and spending late nights jamming to Spotify playlists, and writing blog posts. I only really started telling people about "my other life" in my second semester, and I really wish I hadn't waited. It's so much fun to see friends from school favoriting tweets or commenting on blog posts or liking my Instagram photos. I managed to keep my grades up throughout the year, and now here I am in Summer waiting on sophomore year to roll on in.
That's my story. Well, that's my blogging story.
Blogging has given me a creative outlet throughout the past year or so. It's given me a place on the internet that is ALL MINE. I can write what I want and share what I want. My passions and loves and interests actually matter here because my blog is me. I love meeting wonderful people through all this too. There's so many great personalities and wonderful friends... Without blogging I never would have met those people. Blogging is something that will always be there for me. I don't know what's to come for me in the future, but I do know one thing. I will be blogging the whole way. I've fallen in love with writing and photography and social media and making connections with people. Blogging is just everything that I love and everything I'm interested in. And if my interests change.. My blog will too, and that's alright because my blog is me.
I love the insanely long list making, the struggle to capture the perfect Instagram photo, balancing my love of blogging with school, and everything else that has to do with blogging. I even love seeing my friends try to understand me and all my weird Cathleen quirks that are only brought out by blogging.
From blogging I've learned so much about myself and the world and other people. I've learned that you don't always "vibe" with everyone.. and some "vibes" might not turn out to be everything they seemed to be.. but just keep being you and you'll find the good and real vibes. I've learned and discovered so many hidden interests and talents in myself through blogging. I've really come out of my shell so to speak through all this. I don't hold back with y'all. I let myself pour out and all over this little website. I'm not scared of other people. I'm slower to judge.. So many valuable lessons learned from blogging.
I've really enjoyed writing this post... Nicole, of
Empire Styles is relaunching her fabulous blog today, and is hosting this little "Love letter to blogging" linkup today, and I am so glad I was able to participate. Totally go check out her blog! Nicole's a sweetie, y'all will love her.
