I’ve seen plenty of bloggers recently write about their goals and resolutions for 2017, as well as including a round up of 2016. I’ve toyed with the idea of writing one on and off myself, and let’s face it, if I’d been organised enough, this would’ve been published about a week ago now. But, as you’ll see, my 2017 blogging resolutions are, perhaps, somewhat different from most other bloggers.
New Year’s fireworks!
2016 wasn’t the easiest of years for the Lightys. It had some great highs, including Baby Lighty’s first birthday and naming ceremony, plenty of special family birthdays, Baby Lighty’s first trip to the beach and his first holiday abroad. On the blog front, the wally that is Mrs Lighty managed to go self hosted, got nominated for a MAD blog award, celebrated her first bloggy birthday, started our lovely little Instagram community, #HappyLittleButtons, and was also briefly part of the #DreamTeam linky.
But, it was also a year of lots of lows for us, many of which I won’t dwell on too much as, as a general rule, I want to keep All Things Spliced a happy place for Baby Lighty to look back on when he’s older.
I also don’t really ‘do’ New Year’s Resolutions (although I did chuckle at one of my old Facebook statuses that popped up on Timehop recently, that stated that my New Year’s Resolution that year was to drink more champagne. I think I’ve probably just about managed that one!!). The problem with New Year’s Resolutions is that they are too easy to break. So where does this leave me when it comes to bloggy resolutions?
Isn’t this how every parent sees in the New Year?! With dinosaurs, a glass of bubbly and a farmer?!
Well, this post by James of A Life Just Ordinary, really made me chuckle recently and it inspired me to write my own goals. They are probably a little different to what you’d expect, or what most bloggers are hoping to achieve. And so, my 2017 blogging resolutions therefore are:
- To worry less about stats. The WordPress app is a great thing, it allows me to write blog posts on the go, whilst on the bus or in bed, but it also allows me to check my stats every. five. minutes. Why am I worrying about stats?! Surely the one comment received fairly regularly on my Low Papp A post – because someone has googled looking for a positive story – is worth more than 500 views of a new post? So this year I’m going to try to remind myself of the lovely comments and readership that I do have and think myself lucky.
- To not compare myself to others. How can I compare myself to others that have been blogging longer than me? Or blog more regularly than I can at the moment? Or are just funnier / cleverer / are better writers?! I am Mrs Lighty, and this is my blog.
- To blog when I want to blog. To be entirely honest, I’d love to blog more regularly, but my freelance copywriting commitments have to come before my blogging commitments. So do my Mummy commitments. I can’t justify sitting writing when my little boy wants me topretend to cook a wooden cake with him in his play kitchen, or build a railway track or dance around like a loon to the Hot Potato song. I know that this time of him being so little will fly by, and therefore do I want to live these moments or just record them for the purposes of the blog?
- To worry less about figures. What does it really mean if I have a DA of 25?! Or a Klout score of 70?! I need to remind myself that, considering I often only post once a week (or even once every 10 days!), being ranked the 823rd blogger out of 8000 UK parent bloggers by Tots in December is pretty damn good going. So why worry about these numbers when I’m just doing my thing?
- To count my blessings in what I do have. I do have lovely new blogging friends: Dawn from Rhyming with Wine, Annette from 3 Little Buttons. Barely a day goes by without us chatting about our lives online. In Abi from Something About Baby I’m honoured enough to have found a real life friend, not just a blogging or Facebook group friend, as we started out as once upon a wedding forum long ago! Then there’s Fi from Beauty, Baby and Me, Lou from Pink Pear Bear, Cheryl from Tea or Wine and Azaria from Being Mrs Lynch, all of whom I’ve enjoyed getting to know this year, and I hope that continues well into 2017 too, with many more new friends to be made along the way!
- To go to a blogging conference! This was something I desperately wanted to do in 2016, but didn’t quite manage. I’d mostly like to go to meet some of those aforementioned blogging friends, but I also think I’d learn a lot too. I’d love to know more about photography and social media, and I could probably put improving both of these aspects under their own separate resolution for 2017. Oh and did I hear someone say that there’s sometimes cake and bubbles at these blogging conferences too?!
So there we have it. Above all else, my blogging resolutions for 2017 must include worrying about the blog less. I need to worry about it less and enjoy it more, for that is why I started, after all. And if other opportunities come my way via my little corner of the internet this year? Well I may just grab them with both hands…
Happy 2017 Lighty’s Lovelies, may it be kind to all of us!!
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Yay sounds like some good plans there! Meet more people, drink champagne and enjoy things more – can’t go wrong with them! Hopefully see you at an event this year! Thanks for the shout out ?
No worries at all, thanks for the inspiration! ☺️ Yes hopefully we’ll get to meet in real life this year. Here’s to 2017! ☺️
Whoop whoop to all of the above! You are Mrs Lighty, and this is your blog, and I blimmin love it! Thank you for the shout out and for being such a very happy part of my bloggy 2016. Here’s to an actual meet up on 2017. Better stock up on the cake and the bubbles… :0) Happy New Year to my lovely friend. xx
Aww thank you so much, that is so kind! We definitely need to meet this year, cake and bubbles here we come!!!!! xxx
I think they may need a bit of advance warning as to precisely how much cake and how many bubbles might be required for this one lovely. It’s been a long time coming! 😉 Thanks so much for linking this up to #DreamTeam. Big bloggy hugs xx
These are the best blogging goals I have read 😉 sod the pressure and the worrying, just enjoy it! Xx
Haha, thank you…that’s definitely my aim!! Let’s see if I can keep from my stat chasing all year round though! ? Thanks so much for stopping by xxx
It’s an absolute honour to be considered a friend Nicola. It’s been a pleasure getting to know you too. Hopefully we’ll get to meet in person soon!xx
Yep let’s hope we manage it this year! I’ve loved our occasional chats and of course I love your blog and your photos! Happy New Year to you! xxx
It’s an absolute honour to be considered a friend Nicola. It’s been a pleasure getting to know you too. Hopefully we’ll get to meet in person soon!xx
Champs and plastic crap! Story of our lives.
Yeah! here’s to a chilled approach to blogging in 2017 🙂
And more champagne…
Thanks to #coolmumclub
Definitely more champagne! Thanks for hosting #coolmumclub xxx
Oh I LOVE this! And I feel like I could have written this myself. Like you, I am not a professional blogger and have to fit my blog in around kids and other writing commitments but I must not beat myself up about it! I am determined not to compare or get down about it, but enjoy the writing instead!
I’ve loved getting to know you too Mrs Lighty and hope to meet up at some point. Let me know if you decide on a blogging conference and I may overcome my fear and join you! It would be good to talk blogs, writing and drink champagne. Oh and I may come running to you soon for help with the self-hosting thing if I ever stop procrastinating!
Thanks for the mention and good luck for 2017!! X
Aww thank you so much! I’m hoping to go to Brit Mums Live, but we’ll see. Will definitely let you know if I do! Haha I will be no use with the self hosting but feel free to ask away!! My advice will probably be to drink more champers, ha!! xxx
I love your goals! I love the idea of just stressing less. We all start our blogs for fun and memento. Stats take over so quickly! #fortheloveofBLOG
Thank you! Yes the stats do take over and I’m not sure how successful I’ll be on the non-stat-watching front but we’ll see!! Thanks so much for stopping by! 🙂 #fortheloveofBLOG
They sound like terrific goals! Well done on all of your achievements in 2016, may 2017 be even better for you!xx #fortheloveofBLOG
Thank you very much, and the same to you! 🙂 #fortheloveofBLOG
I love these goals. I stopped checking stats on my blog a while ago, it got a bit addictive! I hope you can stick to these and start enjoying your blog more and worrying less xx #dreamteam