Happy 2nd Birthday to My Blog!

Here we are, two years of blogging!  I wanted to mark the occasion with something special, something big and celebratory.  But instead, I decided to offer a little bit of honest reflection.

As far as my intention for blogging, I think it should be fun and creative... it should bring people and ideas together.  And it is... it does.  But somewhere along the way, I (like many bloggers recently) started viewing my blog as another "to-do."  I haven't been feeling as creative or reflective or inspired lately.

I write because I love to write... and I want to write about these topics.  I pour my heart into each post, and as much as this blog is for me, it's also to inspire others.  But sometimes I wonder if I should be doing something more or something different.  Sometimes I feel like I'm one tiny voice in a very large crowd.

This isn't supposed to be a pity party.  To be honest, I've read SO many posts just like this one, and I've wondered if maybe we're all being a little too hard on ourselves.  We want to blog x times a week and receive a ton of comments and build up a bunch of followers.  But is that the point? 

Blogging takes time and effort, and it has so many benefits, but living life is more important.  Some days, I feel like I'm tied to my computer between emails, social media, blogs, and writing.  Do I need to take pictures of everything I do?  Do I need to read every Twitter update?  Do I need to go through my whole blogroll?  I used to think all that computer time would lead to more inspiration, but now I think I need to step away more often, quit comparing, and focus on the present.

I'm not going to quit blogging.  I've learned so much, tried new things, expanded my creativity.  I love the community I've found, and it amazes me how I've developed friendships through this little space.  I want to grow that even more.  So please, if you enjoy Inspiration and Rough Drafts, let me know what you like, what brings you back, what you want to see in the future.  And please stick around to see all of the inspiration to come!

Now about that birthday thing :)  For a peek into some of the many posts I've written, check out my Table of Contents.  It is by no means comprehensive, but it gives a sense of what this blog is all about and how it's grown.  Let's celebrate!  Two amazing years of writing, ideas, inspiration, and community!

I'll leave you with a celebratory picture... a "sampler" of all the cookies and bars my mom made for our family visit in July.  Yes, they were amazing.  And yes, I ate at least one of each over the course of five days.  P.S. My mom is visiting this weekend, and I'm so so so excited!  Have a lovely weekend, my friends.