My Relationship with Blogging: An Update (and Big News)

If you read this blog regularly, you might have noticed that it's been about a month since I've written a post. I've been gone, but I have not forgotten about Daily Dose. I've been reflecting on it. Deeply, in fact, and this post was very near to being an "I am done with blogging" monologue. But I'm not going there. Not yet. Because whenever I think about walking away, I get this funny feeling inside. (And just writing this post gets me all jazzed up to keep going.) See, I know I'll miss it. I just know it. That said, I needed a break so I took it. I'm still taking it, really. And I'll probably continue this break through the end of the year.

Let me back up.

First and foremost, there's this:

Momma's got a bun in the oven and she...we...couldn't be happier! Baby is due in June, which means I'm fresh into my second trimester. Morning sickness? Try afternoon/evening sickness, as was the case with Miss Hannah. Which is another reason I haven't been devoting much time to Daily Dose. On a typical day, I spend my afternoons catching up on housework and working on the blog—in that particular order. But with the whole afternoon/evening sickness thing going on, I've been less inclined to do any of that lately. But I'm turning a corner. I can feel it. I've been running again. Working out with more energy again. Yes, still a bit nauseous at night, but it hits me later now and it doesn't knock me flat.

And, I'm eating healthier again. I'm a firm believer in getting through that first trimester as best you can, so I sort of strayed from my typical eats the past few months. More cheese, please.

Anyway, during my lack-of-blogging spree, I sort of got to a point where I just wasn't motivated at all. I was tired of the blogging industry itself. Tired of seeing the same people review the same products and attend the same events. Tired of feeling like I absolutely HAD to post or I'd be a complete failure. I was just...done with the business of it all. Done with the pressure.

When I started Daily Dose, I did so for two reasons:
1) I needed a creative outlet, and I absolutely loved to write.
2) I wanted to inspire others to find their own health and fitness.

But I told myself that I would quit the whole thing if:
1) It started to feel like a job.
2) I stopped being true to myself.

And that's where I've been these past few months. Feeling a bit lost in the blogosphere. I've been trying too hard to keep up. Don't get me wrong—I'm a marketing and advertising girl at heart. I love the game of promotion, be it self or any other, so working hard to gain Facebook, Twitter or Instagram followers and working hard to write the best posts I possibly could was always quite fun. But I got to a point where I was doing it from a place other than my own sense of passion for this fitness industry that I'm a part of.

I was doing it for the chase. The product. The campaigns.
I was doing it to be a part of the "cool" crowd.

But I don't want to be a part of the "cool" crowd, not if it means that I'm conforming to a certain type of fitness blogger stereotype. Or putting content out there that's not real, deep and true to who I am. I want to be me. And if that's good enough to be listed within the "cool" crowd...if it's good enough to warrant me access to those same products and campaigns, then that's an added bonus that I will be truly grateful for.

I'm not in this to be a fitness personality. I'm not in this to be a blogging celebrity.
I'm just in it to talk about health, fitness and the things I think you might find interesting.

But I lost sight of that.
So I'm taking a break.

I see you, 2014. You're my fresh start. My new beginning. And until you get here, I'll be brainstorming post ideas and blog updates. Researching potential brands to work with. And keeping an eye on the opportunities that come my way because of the groups I participate in.

Oh, and I will also be enjoying the holidays.

I hope you will, too.