Hello Ladies (and the occasional gent!),
This year (tomorrow actually) marks the 6th year of existence of my blog, my pride and joy and my little space on the interweb 🙂 I have no words (ok maybe I lie a little 😛 ) but stunned amazement that I’ve lasted this long or that some of you have been with me on this journey about as long as I’ve been plodding down this blogging road. To you, I salute you for reading all my ramblings about beauty and all things unrelated, and still sticking by all this time. I say this all the time, but it bears repeating that I doubt I’d still be blogging, if no one was reading, commenting or talking back to me so THANK YOU ALL! 😀
Blogging, unlike the common perception, isn’t a lonely affair. It can be if you choose to make it so, but it is also a lot more involved and social than is given credit; and I love that I have made real life friends near and far, just by pouring my thoughts out on my space on the internet. So thank you for being with me these past 6 years.
This year, as we turn 6, let me tell you of the 6 Deadly Sins I’ve commited and which plague me in all honesty, because just as blogging has been a rewarding experience, it is not without its faults and I am not without my failings 🙂 For those of you who have chosen to ride this bandwagon, I hope that you will not fall prey to these deadly sins the way that I have.
Lust
When demands dictate that you are kept on the forefront of everything that’s new and wonderful, I have fallen prey to the deadly sin of Lust. I am kept lusting after everything that is new and shiny and wonderful and forthcoming. The moment I hold the item I lust after, I forget it, and I lust after something else. I forget to enjoy what I already have, and what is available now. When I realised this, I stopped craning my neck and lusting after what is coming and take things as they come. I learn to enjoy what I already have and to look inward instead of looking too far forward. It has helped my sanity and made blogging and discovering beauty, fun again. If you are feeling a blogging burnout from chasing that elusive rainbow, stop.
Envy
I’d be lying if all this time, I did not suffer more than a spark of envy at how well other bloggers are doing in my niche. I envy those who can give up their jobs to go at it full time or the wonderful opportunities they may have. Envy eats at you like a disease. But it doesn’t have to. When I realised it was affecting me (it will one way or another – we’re all human) I sat myself down and asked myself what I wanted.
I realised that if I had to go at it full time, it would be a job. I would have to find ways to pay the bills which means I had to generate income some way, and I wasn’t sure I was ready to sell myself that way. Envy still tickles me at the back of my mind sometimes but I’ve learnt to stomp on it and grab myself by the figurative lapels and shake some sense into me. If this Deadly Sin eats at you, reach deep within you and see if you have what it takes to take you where you want to go. If it does, go for it and make it a success. If it doesn’t, stop feeling envious and keep doing what you do best – enjoying your blogging experience 🙂
Wrath
The wrath of having to deal with unreasonable people, or ungrateful people or just plain pushy people is a real thing. Add to that the wrath I feel when I see blatant copyright infringements, copying of styles or text or even stealing of images not just from me but from other bloggers too. It happens so often and it really pisses me off and sometimes, I think I’m just paranoid. But then I get a little whisper here and a little raised eyebrow there and I know I’m not alone. People will notice and they make their own minds up. If you feel angry that you are getting ripped off, channel that anger and do something about it. Take heart that its not just you – someone else too will have noticed it 😉
The best Black Forest Cake I’ve ever had from my favourite bakery Just Heavenly
Sloth
Yes, that big ugly snake of laziness coils itself around me more than once. Some days you don’t feel like blogging or you just don’t feel like doing anything. Take a break. Its good for you and its good for your blog 🙂 There was a time in the past 6 years when I blogged everyday, twice a day. Now, I’m down to once a day (unless there’s something I just MUST get out) and I even take off days. I have cut back on accepting products when I know I can’t cope, and I have cut back on attending events. Is it sloth? Actually it isn’t. Its my conscious effort to keep a better balance between life, work and blogging. Ok, so sloth does has something to do with it too 😛 However, I’ve also noticed that it gets harder to get back to “work” after taking a long break, which is when sloth really sets in. So, take a break but if you intend to get back to business, be sure to keep your hand in it or you might find that 3 months have passed without an update and then you start questioning if you really want to bother!
Greed
More, better, MOAR! ’nuff said. 1 red lipstick? Why not get 5? They look the same? Oh nevermind, I can justify the difference. Gluttony and greed go hand in hand. 6 years of wanting more and more of this and that and then trying to find space to store them all. You’d think I have a 200 cheeks, considering the blushes I hoard (I actually have 4 but only 2 need blush 😛 ) I now only focus on things and brands I enjoy using. It curbs the greed and gluttony and it stops me wandering too far and getting lost in the thicket of the new and unknown.
Vanity
Somedays, you look at your stats and you think “Damn! I’m doing well!” or you blog a good post that is well received and you think “Yay! I’ve made it! People are reading” or maybe the PR from your favourite brand drops you a line and you are over the moon; and then suddenly something happens. Google gives you a slap across your 2 blushed cheeks, or your traffic and comment count dips and you never hear from said PR again. Suddenly, you’re not hot stuff anymore. Panic sets in, you scramble around, wondering what you did wrong… well chill. I’ve learnt that tastes change, people will move on. So, don’t sweat it, keep improving and working on your blog and you will soon find that things will go back to normal and will in many cases, get better 🙂 Sometimes we need a little setback in life to know that we’re not infallible and that we have to innovate to improve.
But wait, there are 7 Deadly Sins aren’t there? Well yes, there are. The 7th is Pride but it is a sin I am happy to maintain as long as I blog.
Pride
This isn’t as much about being proud but it is to do with having pride in what you do. It goes without saying that MWS is my pride and joy. Its my space that I’ve carved out in a niche that I had no knowledge about when I started. I pride myself on having taught myself all I’ve needed to know about blogging, the technicalities, the nitty gritties, the HTML, the coding, the photography. I have had to learn about servers and domains and pagerank and SEO and what goes on behind keeping a blog up, I’ve had to wrestle with rogue plugins and runaway code. I have learnt a lot about people and the lengths they go to to do the things they do and I pride myself on not going there. Pride in doing what I do, how I do it best, is something I’m holding on to and if you blog, you too should hold your blog as your shield of pride because you made it happen 🙂
If you blog, have you committed any one of the 6 deadly sins I’ve mentioned?
In 6 years, I have watched the blogging landscape evolve and change. In some ways for the better, in some ways for the worse as more and more people fall prey to the 7 Deadly Sins. But I hope that by recognizing them we will learn to rise above and help make the blogging landscape evolve again, and this time for the better 🙂
Thank you again. Its been an amazing 6 years and I only have every one of you reading to thank 🙂
xoxo
Paris B
Tuti says
Cheers, PB. My biggest hug for you, though we are at different country but we can share our opinions and thoughts all the time. This is amazing. Keep it up, PB. Once again, congratulations.
Paris B says
Thank you Tuti! Don’t you just love the internet? It brings all of us likeminded people together from all over the world! I love that 😀
Jyoan says
Probably have committed all except Wrath, because I guess, either I am really just lucky, or my blog just ain’t big enough to get copied. haha!
But yes, I am now taking the backseat and counting what I have and trying to enjoy what I have.
I am in deep Sloth mode right now, not because I am lazy with my blog, but because I really am dead tired after 12-hour work days, 5 days a week, and then still having to work somewhat on weekends. I really just want to hide in my bed or slump on the couch in all my free time left. Me-time, not blog time. I feel sorry towards readers, yet I need my me-time. It all comes back to me, cos blog stats also takes a dip… …
Paris B says
Haha I sometimes get angry on behalf of others but then that’s also a bit silly 😀 Its good to take time out once in a while. We have real life problems and issues after all and if I have a full week, blogging is the last thing I want to do on weekends! Take all the time you need, Jyoan and when you get back, you’ll feel better and more refreshed and ready to take on a new approach maybe 😀
Candy says
Happy Anniversary! Since I stumbled upon your blog, it’s definitely one of my favourites! I blog occasionally, and sloth is a big issue for me 🙁
Paris B says
Hiya Candy! Thank you for your kind words 😀 I think Sloth is a major issue for everyone but if time is really an issue, try blogging once or twice a week just to keep your hand at it, and you’ll find it comes much easier as you go along, rather than forcing yourself to keep at it day after day 🙂
LSY says
Happy anniversary Paris! Thank you for committing those 6 deadly sins. Because of that we all have a great blog and lovely makeup to look forward to!
Paris B says
Hahaaa the first time anyone has thanked me for sinning 😉 Thank you so much for your support and for commenting and reading because you too made this happen! 😀
Beth Maiorana says
So inspiring, Paris. You are wonderful in so many ways!! Thanks for sharing with us here (you’re a marvelous writer, too)- at least half of the battle of staying somewhat spiritually “fit” is to be aware of our shortcomings, and we’re human beings after all. Stomping on this stuff is a good exorcise…have a wonderful weekend. xoxo Beth in Pgh;-)
Paris B says
Hi there Beth! Hope you’ve been well and that Spring is finally getting a look in where you are? 😀 Thank you so much for your lovely words and for all the support for if I had no readers or comments, I don’t think I’d have ever lasted 🙂 Thank yoU!
rashmi says
congratsssss Paris for completing 6 yrs 😀 you are an inspiration to all of us and your hard work shows in each and every post 😀
Paris B says
Thank you Rashmi! 😀 All the best to you too on your blogging journey!
Efrain says
Happy Birthday MY Women Stuff ^.^ although I’m late I couldn’t not to write a comment in this post.
Also this was kinda important because I read sloth and I was like: “Damn I haven’t wirte in a long time I have to write again.
Paris B says
Thank you Efrain and no, you aren’t late! 😀 I guess its time to get back into the blogging groove! Happy to have given that much needed kick in the rear 😉
Wojis says
Happy Birthday 🙂 great piece Paris, wonderful. I love your blog, read it almost daily, sometimes I skip it a day or to, so I can wait until I have time to read quietly. Love your pieces… just a shame I can’t buy all the things you write about, or I can and it’s just to pricey. Thanks!
Paris B says
Thank you my dear! I’m happy to have you sharing my blogging journey and for also sharing your input in the comment box! I have noted your concern and will try to see if I can feature other less spendy brands/items. Problem is, I have expensive taste don’t I? LOL!
Swati says
ok, so i think in my 3 years of blogging i have done all of them – i sin at slothing the most!!! i think of an idea and i just keep it in the draft till someone else writes about it and then i am like shit i thought about it so long back!!! envy is just natural…i am just not bothering with wrath and i have tried to control lust a lot 😀 i now lust after very few select brands and my purse also keeps tight reins on my lust!! and, one thing i would love to say is congratulations and many more years to you 🙂 your post gave me more encouragment to blog…i had been facing an off time! i would love to blog like you guys – you, sesame and tine and i donno when i would get to that level but after all that i am proud of whereever i am today 🙂
Paris B says
Thank you Swati and I sorry to hear you’ve been going through some down time. I hope you manage to pick yourself up and start again. 3 years is a long time too and you should definitely be proud of that achievement 🙂
PJ says
Hi Paris,
A very belated happy anniversary! Thank you for all the wonderful posts in the last six years, and I look forward to more in the years to come! 🙂
Paris B says
Hi PJ! Thank you so much and I think you too should be celebrating your anniversary soon right? 😀 I may not comment but I still read! 🙂
PJ says
Hi Paris,
Thank you so much for being such a faithful reader! I am halfway through my 7th year of blogging, and I am certainly looking forward to celebrating another anniversary! 🙂
Paris B says
7 years! Hats off!! 😀
PJ says
Thank you…and to you too! 🙂