You know how it feels when you’ve poured your all into something for so long that you’ve forgotten how and why? All of your creativity, control, values, thoughts, hopes, words, and creative efforts into one project, one task, and you can no longer even see all of that anymore. This is how I felt last year about my blog Shalavee, a digital tome of my past 13 years in the making. I had bled and cried and then forgotten why? Like Drew Barrymore in 50 First Dates, I can’t seem to remember who I am. Hint: fear.
A Little History of Blogs
Before twitter became X and Instagram was innocent and rhythmless, blogs were places we got to hang out together in. We wrote what we felt, and other women read and supported us through these beautiful beholding times. We were a community of thinkers, artists, writers, and we finally felt connected again.
We were in our virtual backyards hanging our laundry out and chatting with one another over fences and playing picture challenge games together on Instagram. But both the rise of algorithms and degradation of the online tech, eventually drove other methods of digital distribution to be used. This plus covid et al and my blog and I fell into obscurity.
The Rest of My Blog Story
Last year, when I took a look at ALL of the things I could no longer carry shame about, Shalavee.com was high on the list. I took a look at my blog and proclaimed, “My Blog is Soooo Beautiful!” I saw and admired how I had held true to myself all the way through. I’d never put ads on her and I kept my voice and my values true to myself. I remembered how writing this beautiful blog, I had discovered how my life was about learning My Wisdom Lessons and Creative Soul Living, and I conceived of #ourcreativeselves, #Soul_Selfies, and #ourcreativeselves.
And I was feeling pretty darn spanky.
But old technology will never keep up with the times and this was threatening to crash my sight. So, I spent some money to retain all my stories that had made me myself for the past thirteen years and I had it moved to safety. Now saved and no longer in danger from disintegrating technology, it stands as a loving testament to a time gone by. To the me that was birthed after the birth of my daughter at 46 years-old.
This year, I proclaimed myself a writer and opened my Substack account to behave as if I am one. Deeper in my heart, I want this to be just the beginning. My self-doubt may be turning tides.
What the Future Holds
This story continues and you’re a witness to how my efforts to make a beautiful difference will work out for me. As usual, I will always be truthful and kind. But moreover, I am headed into my future with a love and compassion for myself that I have never felt before. And armed with the idea that we all have a chance to make a difference, I want to make a difference more than ever. I want community more than ever. I no longer want to do this alone, and I am going headed into a very uncomfortable needy zone to get there.
Me and my beautiful words and you with your beautiful hearts.
If you have any thoughts, please drop a word below in the comments. Or
Find and friend me on Instagram to view my daily pictures and art projects.
Find and Facebook friend me.
If you are interested in reading more of my thoughts on Creative Soul Living, place your name into the subscription box in the sidebar on the right and subscribe to my weekly posts delivered straight to your inbox.
And as always, thank you for your visit.
I envy your ability to be so creative and organized and well spoken. I’ve never been capable of that as chaos seems to clutch my back like an old smelly backpack 🎒 weighing me down and announcing my presence when I most want to be unseen. My life is filled with survival tactics and escape fantasies with nowhere to go. Your blog is so light and colorful. It’s everything I want to be. My blog was or is as it’s still out there, as messy and desperate to breathe as I am now sadly. Thank you for inviting me here. It’s really a beautiful place to spend time.
Yes… And… know what is housed here in this pretty package is many years of my struggle to know, hear, understand, and value myself. Uncovering my self-esteem, my voice, my truths… I am fierce about my journey so our daughters will know it’s possible to heal. I thank you immensely for your lovely thoughts and you are always welcome here.
Love, Shalagh
Your blog is beautiful and inspiring. I see you are doing some updates, that’s nice. I miss the old IG, it’s difficult to navigate in there now with all the ads and garbage accounts showing up all the time. I’m glad we formed a community before and we still can find each other in there. Yes to our creativity and lets keep up with it. 🙂