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February 7, 2010

You have all helped me to see the forest for the trees, thank you!

My dearest readers, on Thursday I turned to you for help regarding how to handle balancing my chronic health problems with my desire to keep abreast of the comments Chronically Vintage receives. I’ll openly admit, I was feeling rather overwhelmed as I composed that post. A sleepless night the day before spent mulling this problem over constantly in my mind had really indicated to me that this was an issue I needed to voice and seek assistance with.


{This vintage photo (which comes care of mademoiselle therese’s Flickr stream) of a beautiful maiden languishing on a park bench, clearly looking frazzled and more than a little distraught, is an apt representation of how I feeling on Thursday. After receiving an amazingly kind outpouring of supportive comments and terrific suggestions however, I’m doing a lot better today!}


The unbridled support, understanding, and insight and “love”, too, for that is how you all made me feel, so very loved!) that fill the more the 30 comments which poured in has floored – and touched – me greatly. I truly feel like the words “thank you” fail to express how grateful I am to everyone who shared their thoughts regarding this matter with me. I took all of your words to heart, absorbing the wisdom and guidance you bestowed upon me.

Over the past couple of days I’ve been doing a lot of soul searching, deep thought and contemplation. These things paired with your comments have truly helped me to realize that perhaps I wasn’t looking at the bigger picture of my blog as a whole, but rather focusing on the one aspect that was troubling me the most (trying to figure out how to keep up with comments).

Amidst an emotional day on Friday, it dawned on me that I part of the reason why the comment issue was troubling me so deeply was because it had come to represent a greater feeling of failure in terms of being able to stay up-to-date with many, many aspects of my life (both on and off line) that I’ve been experiencing for years now as a direct result of my medical conditions affecting so many elements of my world.

Continually feeling as though I stumbled three (or thirty!) steps backwards for every one step I took forward had started to weigh heavily on my mind and soul.

While I wouldn’t call myself a “Type A”, I’ve always been a bit of an overachiever and a major workaholic, so just about no matter how far I fell behind in terms of everything I needed to get done, I just kept plugging away ceaselessly, at times spreading myself too way thin. Sure, I’d scaled back in some places (for example, I used to be active on several different online forums, yet these days I almost never post on forums, much as I wish I was able to), but in areas others things had only gotten more harried.

Aside from learning to cut myself more slack (a nearly foreign concept to my mind) and accepting that sometimes I have limitations due to my health, I’ve also realized that periodically I need to take breaks away from certain online activities so that I can put my energies into other ones instead.

This way, I hope, I will feel less like I’m trying to divide myself in ten, twenty, etc different directions at once and more like I can focus on the really key things that need my attention at a given moment the moment. To that extent, I’ve decided to take an immensely small blogging breaking for the next few days.

I cannot stress enough that I am not in any way stepping back from Chronically Vintage – just taking a teeny-tiny break. This blog is a joy and sanctuary for me, I love it (and all of you!) dearly, but want to ensure I’m able to give it my very best by not being crazily inundated by other online activities that I feel I need to tend to as well (for example, at the moment I’ve got a massive back load of emails I feel I must get through, especially those that are still outstanding from 2009).

Not only do I have a lot of overdue things to attend to on the computer, but also in my home and personal life, and I plan on getting some of those done over the coming week, too (however, I will try my best not to pull a “typical Jess” and overexert myself until I cause one or more of my conditions to flare-up). I’m going to tentatively take the coming week off from blogging. At this point in time, I’m planning to jump right back into writing new Chronically Vintage posts next Saturday (the 13th).

In the future, from time-to-time, when I start to feel heavily overwhelmed (by the volume of activities that I feel I’ve failed to keep up with at a level I’m happy with), I will grant myself permission to take small blogging breaks again. It might sound odd, but in nearly all facets of my life, I’ve really never learned how to “cut myself a break”. I hope that this week I will better learn how to do so.

Regarding how to approach keeping up my the wonderful comments that I receive and visiting your own splendid sites, I’m going to take the advice many of you offered to me and just do the best that I can, accepting that some days I may not be able to visit as many other blogs as I’d ideally like to. Instead of worrying about not being able to visit absolutely everyone (and seeing this as a failure), I will try to look at those I am to visit as an accomplishment in its own right.

Sincerely, with all of my heart, thank you very much to everyone who showered me with unparalleled kindness and understanding. Your friendship and support have helped me in so many ways! I feel that your comments paired with a pint sized blogging break (during which time I will try to catch-up on as many things as I reasonably can), will really prove to be just the ticket I need when it comes to finding a deeper sense of long-term online tranquility.

May peace, joy and inspiration be with you all in the coming week, sweetest friends!

29 comments:

  1. Honey you just take it easy. It's impossible to be on top of everything all the time.

    We all just do what we can and accept each other just as we are.

    love and hugs DJ

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  2. Thank you for posting this and letting us know you are going to take a short break.

    I feel you should take a break whenever you feel it is necessary and there is no need to let us know as we will all still be here and keep checking back to your blog.

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  3. GOOD! Perhaps it's a virtue of being older, but I have never felt overly compelled to respond to every comment . . . even though I appreciate them greatly. Get offline, clear your head, and very soon you'll start missing it . . . which means it's time to start up again. You put together a beautiful blog and you want to keep it going for as long as it's rewarding, and with the right pace, that will be a long, long time. Happy chilling!!

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  4. brilliant plan to take blog-o-cations WHENEVER you need to; you are such a kind and generous spirit, but you must save some for yourself without any fear that your loyal devoted followers will always be happy when you're back online, but never demanding more from you than that you are well and doing what is best and right for you FIRST! much love, Jill

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  5. Good luck with everything sweetpea x

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  6. Oh Jessica, don't worry. I'm sure the vast amount of your followers understand about comments. I hope you enjoy your blogging break and am looking forward to reading your posts again.

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  7. Glad that you've received some verification of the lovely person you are and how we all appreciate you!
    Marie @ Lemondrop ViNtAge

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  8. Jessica I am proud of you for finding a solution that will work for you and allow you to do the important things in your life. We will be here when you come back. Enjoy your mini break!

    Linda @ A La Carte

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  9. Jessica,
    Enjoy your blogging break. Soak in all GOD has for you. Know that we love you, miss you, and will be here when you return. May GOD bless your time away like never before.
    Hugs, prayers, love, and blessings, andrea

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  10. You deserve a much needed break, and we completely understand. I love your blog, but know that you need time for yourself. We'll keep you in our thoughts and hope things will get better for you.

    Best Wishes,
    Amanda

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  11. I'm so glad you feel better, please enjoy your mini-break! xx

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  12. Just caught up on your blog, dear Jessica! I think a break is perfect and please know that I love your writing and photo posts - you don't have respond to every comment. I read and respond because I love YOUR blog! :o) Feel better!

    iamemmamusic.blogspot.com

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  13. Enjoy your well-deserved rest. Looking forward to you coming back and blogging. :)

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  14. Hello darling Jessica, Oh how I identify with your feelings of guilt re illness and life, and of being a type a personality and the pressure we put on ourselves...it's a constant battle...thank you for articulating your thoughts so beautifully...you know I feel real admiration for you dear girl...take care of yourself...my love to you...

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  15. Yes indeed, you need to focus on you. We're not gonna go anywhere. :)

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  16. You take your well deserved break. For the last month I have not been able to keep up with blog reading or responding. In turn, comments have dropped at my blog. But just check your counter, there still is a lot of readers, even though they don't leave comments. You even if comments drop, your regulars will still swing by and check up on you.

    It's hard to try keeping up with the unspoken rule of comment for comment.

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  17. Jess {sweet girl} -

    One person can only do but so much! Your health is most important of all, so if taking a much needed break here & there is what you need to do feel rejuvenated again, then by all means, don't worry about us - do what you need to do! We are loyal readers of your lovely & inspirational blog & we will be here for you & with you when you return! You are such an endearing soul to still be thinking of others before yourself. We want you healthy & whole, so please take as much as time as you need!

    xoxoxo
    http://girlwhimsy.blogspot.com

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  18. Dear Jessica

    Am travelling & have managed to access wifi! Wohoo! And can access yr lovely site from which I'm blocked in Spain (don't ask me why!)

    Please take it easy & take care of yourself!

    xxx Lola:)

    PS Please excuse me if I'm still blocked on my return too! xx

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  19. A very well deserved break my darling gal! Please take care of yourself :) We will be here!
    Healing Hugs!

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  20. Hi, Jessica - We only have to look to our cherished pets for inspiration on how to live. Spending quiet, cozy time with Stella would be among your best medicines. : )

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  21. Listen to your body and your spirit! We can only do so much and your loved ones will always be around. x

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  22. My goodness, i am currently experiencing something hauntingly similar to yourself (but with regards to craft and health not so much about returning comments) and as I read through (with chills) I totally understand where you are coming from. Take time, be kind to yourself, everyone will love you know matter what you do. :)

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  23. Hope you will coming back soon : ) I love reading you blog : )

    Maria

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  24. Don't worry sweet friend. I crashed and burned myself around the holidays and gave it all up for about 3 weeks, more than I would have liked... but day after day went by and I couldn't begin the next day. It's quite alright, it's so hard to run a blog and then catch up with everyone else every single day. Take it easy, and know your friendship is treasured just the same whether it's everyday, or every so often. Keep smiling... :)

    Love,
    Nicolette

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  25. Blessings to you my dear friend.
    Enjoy your break (guilt free) and take one when ever you need we will all be here for you.

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  26. Sitka has an award for you at All Gods Creatures.

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  27. As I "catch " up on my favorite blog reads...it is good to see that you are feeling better about not having to feel burdened about commenting. Have a lovely break and as always, your posts will be greatly appreciated!

    Blessings & Aloha!

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