Never did I imagine I would have friends not reading my blog. When I started my blog, I was overjoyed. EXCITED! I was pursuing a passion and wanted to share with everyone my love of health, food and fitness. My mind was spinning with possibilities of where a blog could go. I never felt so strongly or motivated by something before.
I've had a very successful professional career in corporate america, but I never felt I was making a difference. Sure I enjoy the work I'm doing and the people I work with, but you rarely see the end result of your labor. Blogging gives me an opportunity to see a result, touch other people's lives and hopefully, make a difference in the world.
When I started this journey, I thought my friends and family would read my blog, be there by my side supporting me along the way. After all, I've had a lot going these last years and with all the weird stuff life has thrown at me, I thought friends would be inclined to read as a way to keep up. I imagined they would cheer me on, encourage me to do more, pick me up when I fell down. Much like I always imagined when crossing a finish line a loud cheering crowd screaming, "go Megan!"
When my friends ask me how things are in life, my immediate thought is "it's on my blog, why aren't you reading? I may post a lot of recipes, but it's my life journal." I hold myself back from saying those things because I've learned that doesn't change whether or not they read.
Why are your friends not reading your blog?
Not Interested in Your Topic
Maybe they're just not interested what you're saying. Not everyone wants to hear about running or see the recipe you made that day. It's not everyone's thing.
Everyone Has Their Own Life
Everyone lives in their own bubble and I don't mean that in a bad way. Everyone has their own day-to-day life filled with joy and challenges. As you juggle work, school, health, fitness, family and everything in between SO ARE THEY.
It's no different than friends who are married with kids. I continued living my single life while their lives changed. They have families with spouses and children and they are the most important things to them. For me, fitness, recipes and my blog are my "children." My friends are interested in me, the person not my recipe of the week and that's the way it should be.
While your blog may be important to you, it may not be to your friends.
Not Everyone Has a Passion
The thing about having a passion is not everyone has one. It's a hard to explain to others why you stay up 24 hours to resolve a technical issue or why you're always taking selfies and food pics and posting them on Instagram.
Passions are dreams and it's hard to describe to others how or why you put so much time and effort into a dream. People don't understand it unless they have one too. That's why bloggers connect so easily with other bloggers because they get it.
The best thing that happened to me was connecting with other bloggers because they along with YOU, my readers, are my loud cheering crowd screaming and I couldn't be more grateful for that friendship and community you have brought to my life.
What I have come to realize about friends not reading your blog, is that it's ok. I'm sure there are many reasons why my they don't read, but the fact is I won't change that. It's about accepting. Accepting friends for what they really are and what they really mean to you.
Nuresha Perera says
great post
Christine@ Apple of My Eye says
I actually am the complete opposite and was super shy about my blog at first. I don't think I told anyone other than Kyle or my friend Tiana about it for the first 6 months and I only posted the link to my blog for the first time on my Facebook a few months ago. For some reason it embarrasses me that people I know in real life read all the small things I post and my recaps haha!
Skinny Fitalicious says
Many people said that. It's interesting how we have different perspectives.
laurie damrose says
Great post,I started reading this post because there's a contest going on ,but I have really enjoyed all the postings,so I subscribed so I don't miss any more posts.
Laura @ Sprint 2 the Table says
I shamelessly share my blog posts on my person FB page and invite friends to "like" my blog page. I assume they don't read... and I'm sometimes pleasantly surprised when they reference something I wrote or try a recipe. I don't think most people read regularly... and that's ok. I guess not everyone is as fascinated as blog-land as I am?! Haha!
That said, I wish my mom read it more. She keeps wanting me to use thing thing called the telephone?!
Skinny Fitalicious says
Ugh...I hate talking on the phone & when it's my Mom it's always an hour ordeal. I avoid them except when it's her.
Britt@MyOwnBalance says
I feel the same way! Some of my friends read my blog or at least read it occasionally. Other friends never read it! I don't mind so much that they don't read it, it only bothers me when they don't realize how much I value it and sort of put me down for treating it like a second job (i.e., I can't go out at 8pm on a Tuesday because I'm at home working out and then blogging etc). Or when they write it off as a stupid hobby or something that isn't important and then expect me to participate in their charities, events, etc. I just try to realize that true friends value what I do even if they are not that interested in it!
Skinny Fitalicious says
Ugh...yes so many people think it's a silly hobby. They don't get it.
Ashley @ Kick Ash Mom.com says
I think I kind of like that most of my friends don't read my blog. It give me more of a chance to be me without them putting in their two cents. Also, I know some of my friends that read want to be part of it with me. As flattering as it is, it's my personal space. I feel bad telling them no.
Skinny Fitalicious says
It is liberating in a way!
Elsie @ Sharing Healthiness says
I am new to blogging so not a lot of people know about this fact yet! I am still a little shy about revealing too much of me because of what they will think or if they would like what they say. I guess I feel more comfortable sharing my experiences with other bloggers since they are going through the same things as I and know what I am talking about! Ha.
Skinny Fitalicious says
Definitely! Other bloggers really get it.
Frances says
Great question! My daughter-in-law blogs, but I can't get the url from her or my son. So it's a situation that goes both ways. I'd love to see pictures of their trips and animals, but it's not convenient for them to send them separately. Needless to say, I'd be a regular reader! I just chalk it up to wanting to frankly talk on her blog without having to filter it through what her m-in-law might think. So I just accept it and don't think about it. I found your comments very interesting - thanks for posting!
Skinny Fitalicious says
True, I don't allow some of my relatives to see my personal facebook page.
Amanda - RunToTheFinish says
This is so funny to me because for a long time I didn't tell anyone I knew about the blog. Then it became my job and I was like wait up people I know are reading?! We'd be chatting and they'd say oh I know I read it. Freaked me out. Then yes I started to assume I had nothing to tell anyone, but no one reads everything and trust me sometimes it's way nicer if they don't
Skinny Fitalicious says
Haha...very true! I know some of my relatives stalk my blog regularly.
Gianna @ Run, Lift, Repeat says
I started my blog when I began to run and train a lot. I was pretty sure the majority of my friends were tired of listening to it and they didn't run (minus a couple). So I started the blog and met a whole new group of people! My friends might read if I post to my facebook but other than that, I doubt it nor expect them to. And family same thing. I use my social media - blog, instagram and twitter pretty much to connect with runners/fitness people and keep facebook for friend use.
Skinny Fitalicious says
My blog has evolved to the same, but that wasn't how it started out. I connect more with other fitness professionals & foodies via my blog too.
Hanna says
Great blog!
This was a really great post, and I'm glad I found it. Most of my friends probably don't read my blog, but for some reason it's never bothered me because I guess I expected they wouldn't.
Another thing I've learned is that just because they aren't engaging doesn't mean they aren't reading. When I post my blog on Facebook, I might think no one is reading because no one says anything, but my blog stats tell me that people are clicking that link. And I'll have people ask me in person about my Year of Living Without project, which always surprises me because whenever I post about that on social media I don't get many comments or interaction. So even if people aren't talking, they are paying attention. Although I still wish they would engage more - throw me a bone here, peeps!
🙂
Skinny Fitalicious says
Good point! There's a difference between readers & those who are engaging.
Kim @FITsique says
Its always good to keep things in perspective and recognize that what you love your friends may not have an interest in! I am always a little intimidated when my friends read my blog for some reason, maybe because most of them are successful fitness professionals themselves!
Skinny Fitalicious says
Haha...I'm more intimidated when my family reads my blog.
Kirtley Freckleton @ The Gist of Fit says
Totally love this post--SO true right?!
I thought the same thing when my cousin asked the other day. Then I came to the realization that my life is SUPER cool to me, and at least it is to one person haha. People are busy--and honestly, I don't think I could keep up with my friends' blog if they posted daily. Life gets busy.
Again, awesome post. It's clear that you are passionate about what you write about, which is super cool.
CHEERIO!
Skinny Fitalicious says
Thanks, friend!
Wendy says
I've experienced the same and I'm good with it too. I actually embrace it! It feels better to me to have real fans than friends feeling obligated to be fans! Very liberating! Keep up the good fight!
Skinny Fitalicious says
Very true! You want your readers to be as excited about your content as you not out of obligation.
Linda @ Fit Fed and Happy says
I'm the complete opposite--I share some intimate things on my blog that I would not be comfortable if any of my friends knew so I try not to tell them I have one.
Skinny Fitalicious says
I probably should watch what I say about others.