TEN YEARS AGO....
Back in November 2014 I was at a bit of an impasse. I was in my early 50's
and felt a bit lost and unsure of what middle age had to offer. It all just
seemed a bit grey and dull, with very little to recommend it. Work was
tedious, my life was a little blah, the kids had left home and were happily
settled and independent..... Who was I now? What was there to look forward
to? How do I process it all?
I had this idea that I needed to write it all down somewhere to work it
through, and hopefully I'd figure things out. But where do I do that?
Completely out of left field, I decided to start a blog. I didn't know
anyone who blogged, I didn't really even know what blogging was, but I
googled it (as you do) and I was off on a new adventure.....
WHY BLOGGING APPEALED
When I did my original googling, I looked for a free site. I didn't want to
spend hundreds of dollars on a whim, and I didn't want to pay someone to set
me up, I wanted the challenge of creating something of my own that had no
pressure associated with it. If it was free, then it didn't have to earn its
keep, or pay off in any way other than to give me something to dabble
in.
I decided on a free Blogger site and dipped my toe into the process. It was
going to be my private little space where I jotted down my thoughts to make
sense of this new phase of life. I had to give it a name and pulled
"Cresting the Hill" out of the ether because it felt like a positive way to
view this middle part of life. I kept it all anonymous because (gasp!) what
if someone I knew stumbled across it???!! I had a cat and a coffee cup as my
profile picture - back then I didn't know about copyright, and that you couldn't just pick a picture off the
internet and use it where you liked....
THE BLOGGING NUTS AND BOLTS
Once I'd written for a few months, I somehow bumped into a few other women
online around my age who also blogged. They called it "Midlife" and I really
liked that term instead of "middle aged". They also wanted to engage more
and to leave comments and to share the journey. Wow! I was "meeting" other
wonderful women from all over the world who were enjoying being in their
50's and sharing all the highlights and benefits of this stage of
life.
They encouraged me to open my blog up more and to own my place in the
blogging community. The more I engaged with others, the more I dug into how
to have a blog that was readable, and vulnerable, and real. I found out
about copyright and how to create my own images, how to play around a little
(not too much because it's super complex for me) with the html background
stuff, how to create a Facebook page for my blog, how to link up with blog
challenges and "parties". I had found a whole new "tribe" of women (and a
few men) who were living their best lives in their 50's and 60's and were
cheering each other on - we were all doing Midlife in our own way - lots of
similarities, and lots of differences - but all really positive and
encouraging.
WHAT BLOGGING HAS BROUGHT ME
- An enormous appreciation of how fantastic our 50's and 60's can be. It doesn't have to be a big show and tell, it can be all the small joys...but it really is a wonderful time of life.
- Connection to women (and a few men) all over the world - I have blogging friends in Australia, the US, Canada, England, India, South Africa, South America, New Zealand, and Europe - and I love that!
- A better working knowledge of the internet, writing, commenting, and not being scared to play around with new ideas and formats. The internet wasn't "invented" until I was in my late 30's and didn't interest me until my 40's, so I've learnt a lot and now I don't know how we lived without it.
- A place to share my journey - the ups and downs and in-betweens. I've been able to share my story and encourage others, and I've been so encouraged in return. The comments, emails, messages, shared blog posts, and more have given me so much more self-confidence and allowed me to be my true self.
A BIG THANK YOU
So.....ten years and so much gratitude. I look back over the statistics
that pop up on the dashboard of my blog and I find it all a little
surreal:
- 1,115 posts
- 32,500 comments
- almost 3 million views
- dozens of collaborations with companies
- dozens of guest posts
- several podcast interviews
- several magazine and newspaper stories
My husband says I won't need a eulogy at my funeral - just a link to my
blog, because it sums up my life. It's been a wonderful ten years, I'm not
sure how much longer I'll keep writing here - maybe a few more weeks,
maybe a few more months, maybe a few more years.... It doesn't matter
because it's been the gift that I never expected would keep on giving -
all because it gave me a community of people who bring me joy and
inspiration and commonality.
I can't ask for any more than that - so I'd just like to end with a huge
thank you to each person who comes here to connect and be part of my journey, and a happy tenth anniversary to my little spot on the
interwebs. ❤️
BEFORE YOU GO:
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leanne.crestingthehill@gmail.com - I'd love to hear from you.
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Congratulations, dear friend. You have been a great inspiration to me, and I am so greatful that you have this gift of being able to share your words in such an eloquent and meaningful way. I hope you will continue your blog for many years to come. ♥️ Christina Daggett
ReplyDeleteOh Christina...that was such a kind comment - and the biggest blessing of blogging is to make friends like you who are on a similar journey and doing their best to do it well. We'll keep cheering each other on xx
DeleteCongratulations Leanne, that is such a wonderful achievement. I had been blogging for just over 3 years then and was a low ebb in my life before we left Sydney for the central coast. I made a commitment to blog EACH day to give me a focus and it was through 2015 that I found link parties for a few days and that gave me a new group to meet after the quietening down of the big Australian Blogging scene I was part of 2011 and 2012. I am pretty sure I found you and others within your group of 'midlife bloggers' which was not something I knew either and realised it seemed to be northern hemisphere centred. And the US and other areas was a BIG place for BLOGGING. I know that for sure. You have made marvellous strides and I have learned from you. I "think" I somehow connected with you, and others who are still blogging like Sue, Debbie, Jo and more, via one of the link ups in 2016 onwards. When I took over a link up day that was closing and began my Life This Week link up I am pretty sure you and others who are still blogging from the years I knew like Min and Sammie, were people who were supportive. And of course, you and Sue had a link up. I know much has changed for us both in that time but what has not, is the connection we have made here via blogging and social media. WELL DONE!! Denyse x
ReplyDeleteHi Denyse - I wish I'd found the blogging world sooner than I did - it seems to have been even more engaged and connected back in days before I started. It's still nice to have been able to dovetail into it and to meet others like yourself who have been stalwarts of the Australian blogosphere. Hosting #MLSTL with Sue for a couple of years certainly kept me connected to the Midlife bloggers, and your party was always on my weekly list.
DeleteParties are something I haven't participated in for a year or so now - they just seemed to lose their appeal for me, and I'm so very grateful for those (like yourself) who have stayed in contact and encouraged me to keep hitting my keyboard each week. I definitely feel like I'm starting to tail off a little and I'm not sure whether I'll be around for 2025 - maybe I'll be like Donna and just put up an occasional post when the mood takes me..... we'll see.....
Congratulations Leanne. Love receiving your blog. There is always something valuable for me in your words, a discovery, a realisation, a confirmation, an inspiration. Please continue to send those. Thank You
ReplyDeleteHi Judith - thanks so much for that - sometimes I feel like I'm writing into the ether, and then have to remind myself of the "why's" of blogging. I love the connections and I love reading other like minded writers, so I'll keep popping in here until I run out of words or thoughts. I'm taking a break over Christmas and then I'll see what 2025 brings to my world and my blog...
DeleteCongratulations Leanne!! Wow, you worked hard and as a result your have this wonderful blog. I admire and appreciate all the effort you put into it. I hope you keep blogging for years to come. I understand having to take a break before Christmas (I hope it's not too long a break LOL). Your blog has been a source of encouragement, inspiration and discovery. In this very difficult time for me, your comments have meant more that you will ever know. Thank you so much!🧡
ReplyDeleteHi Yvonne - I've certainly appreciated your comments and friendship. I think that we all need to encourage each other - and we often don't realize the difference a kind word can make in someone else's day. I think I'd have given up blogging long ago if it wasn't for the connections and interactions - and "me too's" that I've received over the years. I have a couple more posts to share, then that Christmas break, then we'll see what 2025 has in store....
DeleteCongratulations on your 10th Blogging Anniversary, Leanne! 1115 posts (and counting :D) is very impressive. I am very grateful that our blogs found each other. I have learned a lot from your posts and from you! <3
ReplyDeleteHi Donna - right back at you my friend - your energy and positivity and common sense have been keynotes in me navigating this journey of Midlife - I'm very grateful we found each other and how you are so consistently supportive - it says a lot about you xx
DeleteDear Leanne, congratulations on crossing a blogging milestone! You moved from uncertainty to building a supportive community. That's quite an achievement which you have been able to accomplish because you put yourself out there and embraced new opportunities. Your story is also a reminder that it's never too late to try something new, find your voice, and create something meaningful. As always, looking forward to your posts!.
ReplyDelete(My latest post: Blog post comments and replies on Google's Blogger)
Hi Pradeep - I'm always happy to have a bloke check in on me and keep the discussion interesting. I like that we can be on similar journeys on different parts of the planet and yet still find commonalities along the way - who'd have thought that AtoZ Challenge would have brought such a long term connection!
DeleteFabulous Leanne, you've done so well and many of these thoughts are ones I could use to describe what blogging has done for me too. Congratulations on 10 years, it's been so much fun meeting up over the years and becoming friends through our blogs. You are an inspiration! xx
ReplyDeleteHi Deb - I've valued your friendship and insights for many of these years of blogging - you have such a joyful and uncomplicated take on life and it reminds me that we can weather storms and still come out smiling and ready to encourage others. I'm so very grateful for those like yourself who've hung in there and been such a warm and caring connection and encouragement - thank you xx
DeleteMany congratulations on completing 10 years of blogging. I feel blessed to have found your BLOGs at this time of my life..( going through a Midlife phase )
ReplyDeleteYour words are impressive and solace me.
Continue touching the lives of others through your powerful words of wisdom.
Thank you so much for your kind words and for popping in to read and to leave a comment. I truly believe that Midlife is so much better than we were led to believe - we just need to figure out what works for us and then pursue it with an open heart. It's nice to have the time and headspace to figure out what we really want at last :)
DeleteCongratulations on 10 years of blogging.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jo - and thanks for being consistently a part of it all for so many years x
DeleteWow! Look at those stats! You have done a lot in 10 years. Every time I think I might be at an end with blogging I think of all it has brought me and I just can not bring myself to let it go either.
ReplyDeleteAt the end of every year I tell my husband that I think I've run out of things to write about - and every time he says "that's what you said last year" :) I'll see how I go in 2025 - but it's been a wonderful decade regardless of how much longer I keep blogging.
DeleteThank you, Leanne, for sharing your journey with us. I'm so glad you decided to give blogging a go all those years ago and that we found each other and have been able to support and inspire each other through midlife. It was fun reading about how your blog evolved. Congratulations on 10 years!
ReplyDeleteHi Christie - I love that our blogging anniversaries come due around the same time and that we're still here cheering each other on. I'm also constantly surprised and pleased when I see how similar a lot of our thoughts are, despite living on opposite ends of the world.
DeleteCongrats Leanne!
ReplyDeleteI had two bloggers I enjoyed reading both announce their "goodbye" to the blogging world this past month. It made me also recall many others who have left the blogging world. To see someone still going at 10 years, and still making us think and feel, is wonderful! So whether its fro another 10 week, 10 months or 10 years, I hope you keep on going. I love having buddies going into summer as I'm going into winter!
Hi Pat - I've seen the same thing time and again - especially bloggers who hoped to make a living from their blog, or who invested a lot of time and money into the set-up and didn't get the pay-off/popular support they'd hoped for. They just disappear - and I miss some of them. I'm so grateful for friends like yourself that I've made over the years who still blog and who support each other - take the time to cheer each other on (even during their own tough times). So you're part of the reason why I'm still here. x
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