This post has certainly been a long time coming…but in many ways, I wanted to share what was definitely on my heart.
It may sound silly to say it, but blogging is one thing I keep close to my heart.
When I was in high school, I had a dream to be a published author. I wrote on my computer all the time these elaborate novels which were similarly reflective of my own life. I loved pouring my heart in to creating characters and developing the world in which they lived and was pretty passionate about it. When college hit, I was thrilled to be in a new place and a new school with some pretty marvelous friends. After a while, I really started to miss writing, so I did the only logical thing and started a blog. (Which seemed to just pick up steam in 2011.)
My first blog was about my weight loss goals. My freshman year, I had gained the Freshman 15 and then some, and I was determined to start a blog chronicling my weight loss and healthy eating journey. After trying to eat healthy and document what I was eating, I realized that a healthy-eating blog probably wasn’t going to work as I was quickly bored with only writing blog posts about recipes and meals. Over the course of college, I went through three different blogs of various topics and ended up settling on what I did best. Writing about life.
My family loved reading the blog posts with updates from college and in a way, it helped to sustain my passion for writing which I had left in high school. I even did the #100HappyDays challenge.
Fast forward to graduating from college a few years later and realizing that in the “real world”, I could spend more time on blogging and creating content.
So here I am, two years out of college, and my knowledge of blogging has sloped tremendously upward.
I can’t explain how grateful or excited I am about this blog and what it has become.
Before that, when I finally found the confidence in myself last August to publish this blog as the way it is now, I was hesitant.
Did I really want to bare part of my heart and soul?? What would this blog look like to others? What kinds of readers would I attract to this blog? Would I be betraying myself by actually letting others read this? Would this blog change who I was as a person?
I’m not sure where some of those questions came from, but I was wrong about one thing. This blog did help to change me as a person.
Blogging helped me to realize that I could find my passion for writing.
I didn’t quite realize the freedom and creativity and passion I would find through writing and devoting time to this blog each week until I actually made the decision to make my blog more public. I realized I was accountable not only to my readers, but to myself.
I suddenly became passionate about design, researching how to self-host my blog and how to make it user-friendly. I loved choosing the colors and theme and learning a bit of code so I could put some components together. I especially enjoyed organizing the posts and scheduling content.
But most of all, I loved writing.
I still do.
I love being able to sit down after a long day and be able to pour my heart and soul in to this small space. I love being able to connect with other bloggers and friends. I especially love finally being able to write again. The girl who grew up writing stories and filling journals with endless amounts of thoughts is finally happy. The person who I am today is relieved that I finally have my creative outlet in which to pour energy and fervor for life, and a space to share a little bit about style, recipes, and DIY (which I plan to add more of on this blog this coming summer).
Yes, there are some days when I’m not sure how to blog. Those are the days when I’ve been doing too much research on what Lemonade Press should be, and not enough time thinking about what Lemonade Press is. It’s a space for inspiration and a place to turn lemons in to lemonade and to share that inspiration with others.
Writing out posts and planning content gives me a mental break from the day. It allows me to dream about what this space could be and how I can make it more user-friendly. It gives me a space to process through the events happening in life and how to best write about them. (Especially in those up and down moments when you’re not sure what to feel or what to write about.)
And most of all, blogging has given me the courage and strength to share what’s on my heart. Some days are not quite as good as others, and that’s okay. And sometimes, it’s really okay to not be okay as well. In the end, being authentic prevails, and that’s what this space has provided.
So thank you, dear friend, for sticking along with me in this blogging journey.
Your thoughts and kind words have meant a great deal, as well as your connection. I’m honestly quite excited for what is to come on this space, and I hope you are as well. Thank you for reading these posts and thoughts each week. If you’ve stuck around for a while, I thank you from the bottom of my heart! If this is your first post on here, then welcome. My hope is that this blog will leave you a little more encouraged in your day.
PS: If you’re interested in entering the Giveaway, see this original post.
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Kim says
This is really such a sweet post! I am so happy that this blog has given you a chance to be creative and to share what’s on your heart! While I don’t love to write (haha why do I have a blog?!) I am passionate with photography, and I love to connect with like-minded or interested people, so I just try my best to write casually with my photos, haha.
Kim | Simply Lovebirds
CaitlinLemonadePress says
Thank you so much, Kim! Sounds like you have quite a passion for photography-that’s awesome!
Megan says
You always leave me with a little more joy Caitlin. I’m so glad I found your blog cause I feel like we are on the same page (you feel?) You have summed up exactly how I feel about blogging. I just really love getting to share my writing!
I had no idea that you started out as a health and fitnessy blog! That’s the same as me too. How funny.
CaitlinLemonadePress says
I TOTALLY Agree, Megan!! haha too funny how the blog-o-sphere can create such a small world connection!
Kathryn says
Isn’t it great when we can do what we love? Your blog is a breath of fresh air, and I am so glad you write!!!
CaitlinLemonadePress says
Thank you so much, Kathryn! I so appreciate it.
Elizabeth Mayberry says
I love this girl!! Keep it up!
CaitlinLemonadePress says
Thank you! I appreciate it! 🙂
Hannah Hay says
I loveloveLOVE this! I feel the same way about blogging. Although I didn’t grow up writing stories, I had always enjoyed writing. However, I never truly knew how much I was passionate about blogging until I started a blog. Now, my focus is being authentic with my readers so they can know they aren’t alone in life. I am passionate about helping others grow and flourish in many different areas, and am glad God has given me the platform He has to do so! I love everything about blogging and the blogging community, no matter how insane it can be, what I have to learn for it, or if people think I am crazy because I unashamedly love to blog! I love your blog too, and am so glad you write! I love reading all you have to say! 🙂
CaitlinLemonadePress says
I’m with you! I love how your passion spills forth when you write, you certainly have created such a positive, uplifting space to share your thoughts!
Megan says
Just stumbled upon your blog, and I love it. This literally sums up the reason why I blog. I loved to journal in high school and I still do, but I used to love to write. I would write up stories of event and things I wanted to happen that were true to my heart. I also wrote for my high schools yearbook and newspaper but once I got to college I didn’t have that creative outlet like I used to and started blogging my freshman year.
CaitlinLemonadePress says
Thank you, Megan! I love hearing about why other people blog! Sounds like you’ve been loving writing for a long time! I hope you continue to find passion through writing on your blog as well. I’m excited to read your posts!