Comparison and what comes next

I wonder what our blogs would look like if we stopped comparing ourselves to others? 

I read Truly Myrtle's amazingly honest post on comparison last week and it really got the old grey matter churning. I've been blogging slowly and quietly for quite a long time, but in the last couple of years, as blogs have become way more professional looking with stunning design and photography and what seems like exhaustive scheduling, I often feel like I'm lagging behind. Like a little sardine lost in a school of shiny dolphins. 

It's so reassuring to know that I'm not the only one who sometimes falls foul of the comparison blues, and there seems to be a lot of openness and discussion around this topic at the moment. In the last year, I've really come to value honesty in blogs and have tried to be more honest in my own sharing here. I reckon it's helpful for the reader and prompts more genuine interactions. Expertly styled photography and glorious designs are amazing and they can inspire and challenge us, but I think it's the truth in the writing that really counts and helps counteract those glossy, almost unattainable views that we sometimes see. And of course it's good to remember that every blog post and Instagram pic is just one aspect that an individual has carefully curated and chosen to share, not a whole, accurate picture.

On episode three of Blogtacular's podcast (it's pretty rad), there was a brilliant interview with Fran Stone of Fall for DIY. She made a 2016 prediction for a return to a slower form of blogging, favouring quality of content over click-baiting and frequency, with perhaps longer, more thoughtful posts, and seeking a faithful readership. Honestly, this was music to my ears. Blogging isn't my full time job (quite clearly!). I only started sharing in this wee space because I started reading other blogs and love to tell stories, see what other crafters are making and share my own creations. But I've often considered stopping altogether as the more blogs I was reading, the more inadequate I felt. So many frustrations arose -  unless you blog for a living, literally who is able to blog everyday? (If this is you, tell me all your secrets!). How much can I really improve my photography with a point and shoot and zero knowledge? How can I improve my blog design without any software, digital design skills or budget? Argh!

It's so silly, of course, because none of that matters at all. I was only having these frustrations because I was comparing myself to others, not because I was unhappy with what I was sharing. I only need to share what I want, when I want, how I want and be content with it. There are no rules. Maybe it's a case of dance like nobody's watching, blog like nobody's reading? I'd love to know your thoughts on this and how you combat the comparison blues.