Inspiration: On The Road…
“Nothing behind me, everything ahead of me, as is ever so on the road.” Jack Kerouac
Inspiration: On The Road… Road to Blogging and Learning
Inspiration: On The Road…
UPDATED: 12/6/2015 Many come to blogging all starry-eyed… We start with the belief that it is a creative endeavor that we can set aside when more pressing needs come calling, and we jump in determined to make it something big and fab. “Oh, just a post daily or bi-weekly or whatever,” we say, and before we know it, we are consumed with all the minutiae that keeps a blog humming along and gaining ground. Erica V’s post On The Road got me thinking about some of the challenges we all experience with our blogging routine. Something she shared in her post resonated with me “…after we find ourselves in a groove with our writing, life happens and we’re pulled away from our regular habits.” I can relate as it’s been hard to get back in a groove on this end; handling lots of changes, recovering from a shoulder injury, furiously catching up on blogs and commenting, shifting priorities and plans, and we get the picture. I don’t know how you do it, but the tips Erica offers are great even for those of us who might not be on the road. Many if us schedule posts and set them up to publish as planned… sometimes a glitch stops us in our tracks and we have to pause and go back to fix things. I particularly like the post by voice and email option and will have to try them sometime. How is your blogging routine coming along? Do you feel as if you’re on the figurative road to or away from your blog rhythm?
“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.” Buddha
Inspiration: On The Road…
Updated: What do we need to keep us going? Hiring a Virtual Assistant or two or three is imperative. Mine have given me back my life and kept me off the internet 24/7. I find that reading others posts and suggestions on staying the course helps. Another terrific tool is the wisdom I find in quotes. I use them liberally in my posts because they motivate me as much as they motivate my readership. I spend a good chunk of time finding quotes that fit my posts perfectly, and their message lifts me up as I craft each post. For example, how can one resist Buddha’s admonition above to stay on the road? No matter what, we start and we aim to finish, come rain or shine. It is not always easy, but our daily/weekly commitment to stay on the road, to journey to our inner conversations, to share our point of view through our blogs is a tremendous blessing. It is also a very personal accomplishment. Whether others view it as such is not as important as how we view it. Do the work to make a difference in the lives of all around you and make peace with the rest. We must remember to acknowledge our efforts and press on. What gets you writing and sharing? Today is World Water Day and you may pledge your birthday at CharityWater.org
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“Wisdom stands at the turn in the road and calls upon us publicly, but we consider it false and despise its adherents.” Khalil Gibran
Inspiration: On The Road…
Are there times when we feel spent? Sure. Every time I want to throw in the towel, and just sit and do nothing or do something else, an inner tug gets me back on track. I listen to the voice of wisdom that reminds me that the journey is as important as the destination, if not more so. Yes Khalil, I do listen to its call… Perhaps a response that comes with age is our ability to distinguish our flights of fancy from the clear, quiet voice of wisdom. Perhaps, it is just our sheer doggedness that keeps us going even when people ask: What’s the point of all this? Perhaps…
What are your thoughts? How is your blogging routine coming along? Do you feel as if you’re on the figurative road away from your blog rhythm? Do you have a personal approach that works for you? What helps you with your writings? Do share! Thank you. 😉
This post was inspired by a prompt from WP Daily Post: On The Road by Erica V.
Positive Motivation Tip: Whether we find our struggle on the road or in our home, key is to keep on trucking… All changes and complex situations do pass.
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All photos from my Personal Collection and/or Transfagarasan, Pompeii Street, via Wikipedia
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
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Hi Elizabeth, thanks again for your support of my blog. You are my No.1 ticket holder and I reached 100 followers the other day!
Are you still happy to take part in the survey? If so, could you send me your email address please?
thanks Lorraine [email protected]
Congratulations on your milestone. What is a ticket holder? I’m glad you are enjoying the process and I wish you all the best. I’ll email you later. TY! 😉
Lovely read for the driver, well done enjoyed..;)
keep on trucking?
keep on running:
“Nothing ahead of me, everything behind me, as is ever so on the (long, long) road.” That’s what many retired people (like me) are stuck with– or enjoy–just one day at a time! Great post. Thanks.
Nice post. I learned a lot.
Love this post Elizabeth. We can all relate to it. Lately I have felt pressured to try and keep up with the mounting posts I receive.. It is difficult not to feel obligated. Plus the fact that there is always at least one new jewel waiting to be discovered. But as I consciously say to myself it is ok if I miss a group of posts, I realized this great and beautiful relationship will remain.
Great Tips, Elizabeth. It is so easy to lose sight of things sometimes –it’s always nice to have an inspirational post like this to get things back on track. 🙂
Thanks for the inspiration to stay on the road even when I don’t always know where I’m going.
I can surely relate as I weave blogging in with my studies! But it is all good and I’m thankful for the journey. Great tips. Have a glorious day. 🙂
Hope the shoulder heals too… Stress can lead to all sorts of fractures so be careful. I love the flow and wisdom of this post and I will keep on truckin’. 😉
B
I just write a post whenever the mood hits me. I do try to do the weekly photo challenges. Lately I have been cooking new things and that gives me something to write about. I like to see what other people cooks in their blogs.
Believe me, it is not always easy to keep it up. My last semester at school, I was completely underwater and let the blog go for about a month. Now, I am lucky to make time to blog at least once per week.
Your tenacity is admirable Eliz. Keep up the good work! Miriam
I’m sorry to hear about your shoulder injury. Whenever a physical thing adds to the stress, it is disconcerting to the routine and adjustments take extra effort. It’s not easy, is it? You have so many amazing followers and provide so much inspiration, that it has to be especially difficult to spread your wisdom everywhere at once. From where I sit, I know you are amazing. Just because you do not make it to comment on my blog every day or hit every post does not make you any less in my eyes. I want you to be healthy, happy and above all enjoy what you are doing. Come by and visit me when you can spend a few moments. Don’t feel rushed. Yes, enjoy your journey as well as your destination. Allow yourself the luxury of time. Time to think, meditate, heal. WIthin that will come new inspiration, beginnings and ideas for your writing. xoxo
My ‘routine’ my blogging rythmn…how’s it going? What keeps pulling me back?.. Well great blogs like yours, for sure. But I find the challenge in trying to keep up with reading everyones ‘ stuff’. It all so good and like someone said up above, there is sure to be a jewel I dont want to miss. But I made myself a promise, that the writing would come first. Putting anything I do first is difficult. But I find inspiration in blogs like yours and in remember why I blog in the first place. To re-connect with my voice, to build a better foundation for my ideas, teachings and musings. To find a new medium and source of info for my students. But mostly ’cause I love to read the great things I find here 🙂
Om Shanti and I hope the shoulder heals quickly.
Elizabeth,
Thanks for sharing. I can’t wait to check out Erica V’s post. As you know, I have had challenges staying on (truthfully getting on) track with my writing and blogging, but writing is a part of who I am. It is something that I love and feel compelled (in a good way) to do. Regardless of what directs my attention from writing or for how long, I always return. A couple of months ago, I realized that I needed to move writing from the ‘when I can’ category to the ‘it’s a priority’ category. When I did that my writing moved to a new level and other opportunities started to open up. The sense of accomplishment and knowing that I’m in my purpose helps to keep me writing. I still have time challenges sometimes, but I push forward in spite of them. Positive quotes and other writings, such as those that I find here at Mirth and Motivation, help to inspire me. Blessings!
I love reading your wonderful blog. Don’t worry about reciprocating… I’ll still read your blog. As someone above said, “… be healthy, happy and above all enjoy what you are doing.”
I find that I enjoy blogging when I’m under pressure from other things, like work and studying – now that I have some time on my hands due to not studying this semester, my muse seems to have taken a holiday!!
We all need inspiration and encouragement. I love this blogging community, I love reading the blogs about so many topics and I find that can be inspiring. I find my biggest inspiration is the comments of other bloggers.
I enjoy blogging immensely. But keeping it up and staying focused is not easy. I try to comment on as many other blogs as possible, even though most of the time I am in a time crunch and can’t do as much as would like to.
I still haven’t figured out a blog rhythm that I can consistently adhere to. I’m not sure it needs to be so regimented, which is why I don’t really stress over it. I have no idea how you blog daily. I have to admit I have trouble keeping up and reading daily, but as long as you’re doing it I will do my best.
You are allowed to take a break you know.
xob
If we don’t move out with joy “on the road again” and STAY on that road, we will fall in the ditch, just topple over and molder!
I would spend all day on my blog if I didn’t have to work my real job. Too bad, though, since my blog gives me more pleasure than my job does.
I don’t have a problem keeping up my blog. I too wish I had more time to do it. There is always so much on my mind that I want to get out there. And one of my favorite quotes is from a Chinese poet (I think): “The journey is the reward.” So, I see no end to it.
I don’t know if I have a rhythm as such at the moment. I am trying to ensure I post 4 to 5 times a week, but my family and my book are my highest priorities. I have dropped back on commenting. I also have dropped back on reading, but I do read and often not comment now.
Once I get draft 2 finsihed, I hope to get back on track, but I say that without factoring in homework help – trust me, that can take me 2 – 3 hours in the evening!
Since I write about travel, it’s necessary to travel in order to have fresh material to write about. But travel breaks my routine. It’s a catch-22.
I’m still wondering how I did it last year when I had so many other life changes happening and never missed a day.
Blogging’s so much more than writing and replying to comments. I just have to come up with a better hierarchy.
With the struggle comes growth. On the road brings a break from the routine but I find at times it is a challenge to be spontaneous when a routine is broken and life rides like a roller coaster ride! All one wants to do is hold on to the safety bars, screaming, NO changes please!! Thanks! 🙂
I hear you on this one and feel that way sometimes too… It can be empowering and also draining at times. Hang in there! 🙂
Will do! 😉
Good food for thought on the blogging route!
What a great theme! I find being at the crossroads can be a challenge! That is until I make up my mind!
True… and we do get to that point where we decide. 🙂
My blogging routine is a work in progress coming along slowly which is good. Blogging has its challenges but heck I am learning & growing.
Likewise… it is more than the stats and we have to enjoy the process too. TY!