It’s been a long time since I wrote a post about blogging or about my goals for this space. For some reason, it just feels like the time, ya know?

I don’t know how many readers are out there these days, sure I look at my stat numbers daily but I’m not sure how many of those people come and stay. Or how many of my older readers are still around. Comments have become non-existant and as a result I’ve pondered getting rid of them completely.

I’ve had this space for such a long time. Officially I purchased my domain, likeabirdblog.com in August of 2009, just before I left home to attend art school. This space has seen so many changes but none so drastic as in the past year, I think.

Since becoming a mother and really trying to get my mental health to be…well healthy, I’ve learned some things about myself. I used to post weekly round ups, posts of stuff that was pretty, posts just to post. And it started to drag me down. I took a step back from my blog, from my intentions and from myself and took a good hard look at what was really important and what I really wanted in my life. So I’ve been posting with intention, posting content that calls to me and nothing more.

I try not to fill my life, my feeds or my blog space here with things that I find unimportant (note: completely my own opinion). I realize that the type of lifestyle blogs that talk about day to day life, that post link ups and weekly favorite things posts have a place, but that place is not here. It used to be and perhaps I’ve driven away some views because of this change but do you want to know something?

That’s okay. It’s okay because hopefully I’ve gained the views from the people who need me more. I feel like I still haven’t found my blog in the blog world. I try to surround myself and the content I read with women like me, women who want to help others and are focused on self awareness and introspection but…I still feel left out.

There is a part of me that wants so badly to be one of the popular ones, one of the ones that everyone links to and talks about. One of those bloggers who people email for advice and ask how their life is. But I’m not. I want to be that because I know I know I know so deeply in my heart that there are women, teens, bloggers, artists out there who suffer like I do and who feel so alone.

I want so badly to just reach out and connect. Connect. Connect.

But I’m still struggling with that part of the process. In other blog news, I have a new design and new branding look designed, has been for months now. I just haven’t found the time to code it. Anyone interested in coding it for me? ha!

So, my question to you out there who are hopefully reading and visiting this space: what are you looking for? What kind of posts in the last 3 months have you enjoyed the most? What could you do without? Please share with me in the comments below.

What do you need? Right in this moment, for yourself or your life…for your beautiful journey?

You see, I am at this place in my life where a few weeks ago I was pumped and excited and full of ideas.
I was on to something, I was starting to finally get a real (for real this time) handle and where I want to go in my life.

And then, the doubt set in.
I began to wonder if I am on the right path, if there’s enough room in this world for my voice to be heard, if I’m an “expert” enough.
All kinds of negative and self deprecating thoughts have been going through my head.

So I’m reaching out to you, you lovely souls who signed up to stay in touch with me, to receive my e-book, to get my monthly prompts.
I am here to ask, what do you need?

Here are the e-books and e-courses I’m asking for your opinion on:

-E-course for Beginners in Photography (based in techniques, weekly critiques from me and conceptual prompts/finding your style)
-Creating Healthy Habits e-book or e-course
-Self Acceptance e-course
-Art Journal as Healing e-course

An excerpt from my most recent newsletter. Click here to read more.

Don’t forget to subscribe here to get my free ebook, monthly journal prompts and more!

I was thinking I need a break from blogging but I don’t really want to do that either.

The last two years, the lovely Susannah Conway hosted something called The August Break. I’ve never participated before but I think this year is the year.

Here’s a quote from her post:
“How it works: you simply share one photo (or more!) each day on your blog – Monday to Friday, or every day. Or whenever you feel moved to share. Using any camera – DSLR, compact, Polaroid, Holga, iPhone (my choice), Instax, film or digital – with or without words – anything goes! – for the whole of August. No pressure – just looking at August through your camera lens as a way to be more present this summer. And to have a little break from the pressures and expectations of regular blogging.”.

I think it sounds lovely and just what I need. Are you joining in on The August Break too? Let me know.

(ps- I’ll still be posting regularly on Loose Leaf Dreams. I post weekly updates on Jeffrey, as well as any family adventures and thoughts on motherhood).

It’s been almost 4 months since Scott left his job in Pennsylvania and moved to Illinois (I moved 1 month earlier to get settled). Despite our constant attempts at finding him a new job, we’ve so far been unsuccessful. It’s been rough. And we’ll continue to look, no doubt but the last week we’ve been talking more and more about the opportunity that’s presenting itself.

I’ve always wanted to be self employed, to be making a money off of my art and my blog. And now seems like a great time to dive in and work for it. We have many goals and dreams ahead of us and some I’ve tried before and others are just starting out. They aren’t all solid ideas yet and I’m sure everything will get refined, reorganized and better managed as the months go on. But for now, we’re trying to look at the opportunity of us both being home and out of work as a sign to move forward with our small business and make it work.

For now click on the picture or link above to be taken to our new Like a Bird Studios webpage. From there you can get to both blogs, our design website and our all new portrait photography page.

It’s nothing new, my depression and anxiety is a lot to handle but since I had the baby it’s gotten worse. Some days I feel like throwing in the towel, at least for a while, with this blogging business. Blogging gives me joy and it’s essential to where I (think) I want to go with my life and career. But sometimes we need to step back and I think I really need to focus and care for myself.

But…without blogging, I’m less motivated and less introspective which I think are essential things to my healing. I’ll go more into detail in a Journey to Recovery post soon but for now let’s just say I’ve decided things need to change.

I got some responses from my reader survey that some people want more personal and life posts and others would prefer to see more art and less baby. Well I want it all but not in one place anymore.

So I’ve decided to re-vamp an old blog, Loose Leaf Dreams, that will now be all about family life, Jeffrey and our daily lives.

It will be personal and about family, on Loose Leaf Dreams I will be blogging for me not for the readers. But please, do stop by. I’ve ported over most of the family oriented posts from here at Like a Bird over to the other blog so it’s all in one place.

Here at Like a Bird, I’ll be posting less often, probably twice a week instead of 4 times a week. But the posts will have soul, they will be about matters that I care about and I hope to bring back some of my art and go more in depth with other topics I’ve neglected.

It’s going to take me a while to get used to running 2 blogs and deciding what to post where, it might take me a few weeks to figure out what content I really want here at Like a Bird but I hope it will be more streamlined and more in line with the vision I have for us here.

I hope you stick around, let me know how you feel about the changes and check out my personal life and updates on Loose Leaf Dreams, too.