2012 was a huge year for me personally and professionally in the blogging world, it was a year of reflection and self worth and I really did a lot of soul searching along the way. Early in the year the move away from the city really hit me hard and I felt a huge strain on myself and the blog, to perform, to be better to put myself out there and give it my all. The trouble was moving away from the city made everything so much harder and I felt I couldn’t give certain aspects of my blog 100% which in the year led to many things falling off the way side.
Early in the year Hello Blogger Events was thriving with people coming together from all over Queensland for our very first workshop. Everybody walked away feeling positive and excited about having a Queensland based blogging team to focus, more events in the future and allot more catch ups but all I felt was the strain of operating a business from 1200km away.
We made a pact at the start of the year to not let work get in the way of our lives, to get out there and explore this beautiful area we lived in and we did. We packed up the car, took family trip to the beach, the lake, the rainforest and made the most of our weekends. By April we had just completed our second trip home to the Territory with over 4000km under our belt for the year, we had no idea we would be making that trip another two times before the year was out.
Mid year I was lucky enough to travel a fair bit for the blog. Life was good, Driving away from home for a few days with my blogging buddies was like a breath of fresh air. These people “got me” and they got why I love to blog. Their wasn’t any or competition between us, we all had a common bond.
Coming home something shifted in me. My last blog trip was mid way through our third trip to the NT and it really struck home and made me revaluate what I was blogging about and why I was blogging in the first place. There was a lot of sponsored content on my blog and I felt like I’d stopped being real, along the way I’d lost a part of myself on my blog. Which is why I started blogging in the first place because I loved the real stuff, the moments in between. The conversation was gone on my blog, people were visiting for the giveaways but were skimming over the rest. This is something I felt I needed to change.
Over the next few months I threw myself into our little community, school, p&c meetings, extra activities after school, play dates, travel and so much more. I concentrated on finding the real me again and bringing it back to the blog. I started writing about stuff I really cared about in my life. The kids, my pregnancy, our travel adventures and all the little stuff that meant something to me.
By October we had done our fourth trip home and we said goodbye to Luigi’s father. I’d well and truly lost contact with my agent,I wasn’t on their radar anymore and there was a new lot of blogging it girls being shaped for the company. I was exhausted the last few months, the travel, the loss and from trying so hard to be who I thought I should on my blog. The sponsored posts and the money had stopped and I was totally ok with that because in my own mind I was 100% happy with my blog and slowly but surely the conversation had returned.
I could have fought for my place in the commercial blogging world but to be honest, it was always a lot of work and I just didn’t want to do that anymore. I wanted to enjoy my time living life in the real world and when I was online I wanted you to know that what I was sharing was 100% the truth, my own thoughts, my own feelings and brought to you on my own schedule.
Towards the end of the year I felt a calm come over my blog. I picked up my camera and starting shooting again, properly looking through the camera and catching the little moments in our lives. I was still working with brands but it was a lot more relaxed and on my own terms. I felt like I was making the rules and I was happy with that.
Coming into 2013 I’m not sure what the future holds for my blog. This year our family will go through a lot of changes with a new baby, another jump across the country with so many amazing adventures and I honestly can not wait!
Melissa {Suger}
on Jan 4th, 2013
@ 1:01 pm:
I love this. You absolutely need to find your footing with it all. I’ve taken a step back in the last month to work out what’s next for me, for my blog. I needed reminding {again}, I think, that it IS my blog and whatever I do with it is FINE. It’s mine. Like you I’m being super selective with what comes across my inbox and it fits better. It’s a lesson we all learn, I guess. I feel like I’m rambling here a bit but I wanted to say I HEAR THAT, I get it and gosh I miss you down this way. Having you closer by was like having a real live friend again. You know?
Here’s to an amazing 2013 lady! I can’t wait to meet the new addition. Watch out Violet, there’s a new kid in town.
Melissa {Suger} recently posted..Not So Maxi Maxi {She Wore What}
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I miss you too. The plus side is Luigi is still going to come To Brisbane for his cancer check ups so we may get a meet up or two :p
He asked me to come down next week but I was a bit worried about having a baby on the plane.
FYI – your blog is my most favourite fashion blog ever because its just that real and you swear at your husband :p
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Well I’m glad to hear THAT! Make sure you let me know if you do, I’m sure that baby is pretty much wedged in there for a while. Haha. Or you may have it here and have to stay, with meeeee!
Thanks hun. I think it would have been weird if I went from geek dag to fashion diva without keeping everyone in on the process. Especially the swearing.
Melissa {Suger} recently posted..Peanut & Chicken Noodle Salad
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Melissa {Suger} says:
January 8th, 2013 @ 1:51 pm
Danielle says:
January 4th, 2013 @ 5:54 pm
Leah
on Jan 4th, 2013
@ 1:42 pm:
LOVE THIS POST! Dani, I read your blog for your honesty, and the passion you show in your posts is real. This is what I want to read online, not the million sponsored posts that seem to be getting about… Your blog is real. Keep going exactly the way you are. And I CANNOT WAIT to see how Violet reacts when this baby arrives! xoxo
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There is a lot going on at the moment isn’t there. The blog world is definitely changing. I just hope we all hold onto why we started.
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Danielle says:
January 4th, 2013 @ 5:52 pm
Cassie Nguyen
on Jan 4th, 2013
@ 3:01 pm:
Yup. Yup, yup yup. <3
Cassie Nguyen recently posted..Newness
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Mwah!
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Danielle says:
January 4th, 2013 @ 5:51 pm
Kylez @ A Study in Contradictions
on Jan 4th, 2013
@ 3:08 pm:
So glad to hear you’re enjoying your blogging again. I’m a bit of a lurker round here but love to read about how your beautiful family is going. I hope you had a lovely Christmas and I look forward to hearing all about the exciting stuff you’ll get up to in 2013, especially that special baby news!
Kylez @ A Study in Contradictions recently posted..2012′s Top 12′s
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Lurking is totally welcome :p we had a lovely Christmas, I just need to find time to go through all of the photos there is so many!
Violets moods have been a little funny so I think she senses something is in the air. It will be interesting for sure.
I hope the new year is treating you all well xx
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Danielle says:
January 4th, 2013 @ 5:51 pm
Bel
on Jan 4th, 2013
@ 3:20 pm:
I’ve visited here for a while now and I love reading what you write. I think you are one cool and honest chick! If truth be told, I often look at the title of a post, read the first paragraph and if it’s a sponsored post, especially one I’m not interested in, I move one.
Do what you live, write what you want, I’ll still be visiting xx
Bel recently posted..Self Portrait Maternity – 30 weeks
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Well thank you Belinda, that really means a lot
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Danielle says:
January 4th, 2013 @ 5:51 pm
Talia
on Jan 4th, 2013
@ 7:02 pm:
It’s definitely been a huge year for you! I’m looking forward to reading what happens with you guys in 2013, and watching your newest little munchkin grow!
Talia recently posted..Feeding Yourself
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I still cant get my head around it. I guess I better do that soon hey! I hope the plans for your move is going well.
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Danielle says:
January 5th, 2013 @ 8:58 am
Mandy
on Jan 5th, 2013
@ 8:28 am:
Oh I hear you loud and clear. I’m trying my hand at back to basics too.
Mandy recently posted..Another one bites the dust!
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I truly believe its good for the soul x
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Danielle says:
January 5th, 2013 @ 8:57 am
Victoria
on Jan 5th, 2013
@ 10:25 pm:
I love this too, your so honest & everything.
Having Gabby around is so hard to read everyones blogs & stuff but I still make a massive effort.
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It sure does feel like a massive effort sometimes. I’m glad you still pop by. Gabby reminds me so much of Violet, such a wild little critter always on the go.
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Danielle says:
January 7th, 2013 @ 9:53 am
mum/toddler/babe - virginia
on Jan 7th, 2013
@ 7:02 pm:
Great summary! And well done on making it through a big year. I dropped off from the blogging world for most of the last year or more and am only just now coming back to it. I kind of lost interest when all that sponsored content type stuff became more prevalent and I’m just not into it anymore either. Well done on making that decision and staying true to who you are. I’ve always loved that about your blog. It’s one of the few out there that are genuine and feel down to earth and not ‘trying hard’ if you know what I mean. It’s real and not contrived and I love hearing all the adventures you and your girls! Look forward to hearing about the arrival of baby number 4 soon! xx
mum/toddler/babe – virginia recently posted..1/52
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Thank you, I’m glad your back. We ae super excited too.,
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Danielle says:
January 8th, 2013 @ 8:56 pm
Corinne
on Jan 8th, 2013
@ 3:15 am:
I so relate to this post! I went through similar feelings and when I moved to Dubai decided to write my blog 100% for me. No giveaways, no reviews. I love it.
I love taking a peek in to your life here and on Instagram x
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I find its a lot more pressure too. So much more fun.
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Danielle says:
January 8th, 2013 @ 8:53 pm
Kathryn
on Jan 9th, 2013
@ 6:38 pm:
Dani, bloody good on you! I gave up on blogs sometime around March, was SO sick of the bloody sponsored posts! Still am!! They are fake, forced and utterly unenjoyable. Really, honestly, good on you. YOU are FAR FAR FAR more interesting and real and honest and engaging than a lot of those ‘big’ blogs who have just lost me (and a lot of others it seems!) completely.
x
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