“The more things change, the more they stay the same”
This quote from Jean-Baptiste Karr seems like a good way to start this post for the first day of Blogtober 2019.
It’s the first time I’m joining in with Blogtober. If you’ve not heard of it before it’s basically a challenge for bloggers to write a blog post every day for the month of October.
There are prompts to work from if you want to, or you can go freestyle and post whatever you want. I’m going for a mix of the two approaches.
For this first post I’m using the prompt, which is ‘about me’.
I wrote a bit about myself when I first started this blog back in 2015, including a few random facts about me.
Looking back on that post from 4 years ago is really quite strange. It feels like a lifetime ago that I started this blog, and I feel like I’m a different person from the woman who wrote those early blog posts.
The facts about me are still true.
I still have a birthmark between my shoulder blades.
There’s still a height difference of a foot between me and my husband.
My wrist still aches when it’s going to rain.
Beyond those unchangeable facts though, a lot of things are different now than they were then.
My children are, obviously, years older than they were then. And parenting them through all these different stages has changed me.
It’s made me slow down. See more. Feel more.
It’s made me bolder.
I’m still not all the way there, but I’m a lot more confident in who I am now.
When I started this blog I had just come to the end of my maternity leave after having Nerys. I was due to go back to my office job but just as my leave ended I was offered voluntary redundancy.
I jumped at the chance to be home with my children, and to test the waters of working for myself.
To be honest though, when it came to all things blogging I had no idea what I was doing.
I stumbled my way through putting a website together on weebly. I had no idea about the amazing communities there are in the blogging world.
Over the last few years I’ve surprised myself with everything I’ve learnt.
I don’t think of myself as being a ‘techy’ person, but I managed to move my blog over to WordPress. I’ve taught myself how to use it, how to change themes, and make my site look how I want it to look.
I’ve discovered groups of amazing, welcoming, supportive bloggers who have offered advice and kind words when I’ve felt lost.
My blog is still the same at its core, but it looks different than it did at the start. My graphics are more consistent, and much more polished than they were.
I think my writing and editing style has evolved over time, like most things really.
In early 2015 I was still in the sleep-deprived days of breastfeeding with Nerys. I was up multiple times in the night with her, binge-watching Alias and Charmed while she fed and fed and fed.
Now I’m one of the lucky ones and both my children sleep well as a general rule.
So I stay up later than I should binge-watching Stranger Things, The good place and Working Moms.
It’s a funny thing, growing older, especially when you watch your children grow older at the same time.
I know I’m different now than I was before.
But at the same time, I’m still me.
I suppose it is true. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
And now I have ‘put your records on’ stuck in my head.
Welcome to #Blogtober. Looking forward to getting to know you and reading your posts. Good luck.
Thank you. I’m really looking forward to getting involved and meeting everyone! x
It’s my first time taking part in Blogtober this year too, good luck to us! Your blog looks lovely so well done on curating this space! x
Thank you so much! Looking forward to getting stuck into the challenge this year! x
Welcome to Blogtober!
So nice to learn more about you!
I still feel 25 except somehow I’m now 43… I’ve just started watching Love Island USA and I’m not even sorry. Welcome to Blogtober.
I didn’t know there was an American version! I got hooked on Love Island last year and this year, I’ll have to hunt down this version now! I’m the same, not even sorry about the nonsense I love to watch! x
Welcome to blogtober, I hope to complete it this year for a change! I am also a binge watcher of stranger things, the good place and working moms!! 🙂 Look forward to reading your posts over the course of the month x
Thank you, fingers crossed we’ll both make it through the month! x
Lovely post. Made me feel better on a challenging day where negative self-talk has gone round my head. Your post reminded me that when I started blogging I had no clue but I am still learning 11 years in and that has to be a good thing. Plus I have a blog that serves me in ways it didn’t but I need to get back to the joy of it too. Your post has helped me with that a bit – all about seasons of life I guess. All the best with the Blogtober challenge #Blogtober19