Why do I blog?

Well, Lovelies, it’s been a week or so since I outed myself as a blogoholic and started bloggy rehab. So how am I travelling? I now follow only 224 blogs, not 532. I check my stats a few times a day. I have 5 emails in my inbox. I’ve taken the odd day off from posting. I’ve bought another e-book – woops! I’ve had a couple of earlier nights. And I’m really trying to only respond to your comments once a day. I now mostly write my posts at night. All up, I’m feeling more in control. Still dog-tired but not as overwhelmed. I’ve been fascinated by the interest in this series of posts. It’s also prompted me to ask myself why I blog at all. I’ve realised the answer is a lot more complex than I anticipated. Here goes, in no particular order!

I blog to rediscover my identity

One of my very first posts touched on this. Our past almost six years have been filled to the brim with dreaming about, hoping for and finally arriving at, this blessed point in our lives where we have three healthy, delightful children. Mr PB and I have ridden an enormous rollercoaster to get here with many tears, fears and concerns troubling us along the way. But we’ve rolled up our sleeves and embraced it, that unbelievable joy and honour of being parents to the pixies. We’ve let it settle into our bones. It has completely redefined us both as a couple and as individuals. But at some point, I started to disappear into it. I morphed completely into ‘Jane-the-mum’ and lost contact with ‘Jane-the-person’.

Maybe I should have seen it coming. But I didn’t. And then the PND diagnosis slapped me in the face. Those three months Sam and I spent in the Mother Baby Unit (here and here) were desperate and difficult days but for the first time in years, I had time to reflect on my old friend, ‘Jane-the-person’. Since then, blogging has become such an important tool which has fostered my creativity, reminded me of long-forgotten pleasures and transported me to delightful places I never knew existed. With a click, I can leave our little home and arrive at yours to share in your lives and loves. It’s just magic.

I blog to achieve clarity of thought and make sense of my life

As I mentioned here, I’m currently muddle-headed. When I’m well, my lawyerly, Virgoan brain functions in an orderly, systematic fashion. I write and follow to-do lists. I’m (relatively) calm and organised. I follow logic. Now I’m the complete opposite. By writing my blog, I am slowly starting to focus a little better, order my thoughts and gain a more overall perspective of where I’m at in life. I have so much I want to say – I have about 200 draft post titles waiting to be brought to life! Hmm, maybe there’s a frustrated writer in there…

Oh, how I relate to you, Mr Muddle!

I blog to record moments with the pixies

My very first post mentioned my worry about forgetting to do this. It’s all a matter of degree, of course. I have always pushed myself to do more, record more and make an extra effort as a mother. The reasons why are manifold and complex. Then there’s the decreasing time I’ve spent on recording such things with the more pixies we’ve had, due to spending my time actually looking after them! This blog is helping me record moments on PB for perpetuity. Like this one - a rare photo of Ian with all the pixies, celebrating his 40th birthday.

I blog to connect with like-minded souls

I am staggered by the number of bloggers I’ve found who share my interests. Here are just a handful. Jeanne the London-lover and photographer. Janette the graphic designer. Tina the crafter extraordinaire and fellow cross-stitcher. Kerry the reader and painter. Vicki the Francophile. A-M the interior design lover. Felicity the word lover. Melissa the expat mum sharing her life in the UK. Emma the mum of two little pirates and fellow jacaranda lover. I could go on. And on. You are all treasures. Reading your blogs and interacting with you all fills my soul in ways you can’t imagine. How dull my life would be without you all. Here's a montage of these lovely bloggers' profile photos, in order.

I blog to satisfy my love of words and use my brain

As a lawyer, words are my tools of trade. I’m a wordsmith, crafting them to fully harness their power. I adore the discipline of writing. As you know, I’m a word lover. I get very little opportunity to indulge this passion on PB. Through blogging, I effectively get to publish my own magazine. Every day, if I choose. Just brilliant. I haven’t been in paid work for three years. Now I have hundreds of souls all over the world who are willing to chat to me every day, from all walks of life. I get to use my brain in an adult way. Yep, I’m one happy camper!

I blog to find inspiration and escape from PB

Through you gorgeous people, I have discovered so many delightful and inspirational blogs, companies, websites, locations and people. With a click, I can be transported from PB on my magic carpet to faraway lands, or even a suburb away, to see stunning sights and meet marvellous people. Gee, I love this bloggy caper!

Has this post started you thinking? Nodding, maybe? Or scratching your head? Come on – do share your reasons for blogging with us. There must be so many more, given the vastness of Blogland. I’m all ears!