Sunday 12 June 2016

How Does A Blogger Combat Questioning Their Worth?


Have you ever had that momentous moment, a light-bulb scenario, where you come up with this absolutely, amazing, fantastic idea for a post, so you start planning that post, deciding on the main points, how you're laying it out, the general direction, whether it's long or short, sweet or savvy, only to find that somebody has else has published their version of your ideas on the same subject already?

Being in the business of blogging and books, it happens more often than I'd like. As much as I'd like to say it doesn't bother me, it does. I'm left questioning myself, my ability, my knowledge, my words, how much I've learnt and what it means to be teaching other people because I love it. It leaves me wondering..

What's a girl to do when she questions her worth?


I receive a lot of praise for my content, both from friends in the business and people I admire and look up to, and it feels absolutely amazing, it's like winning an award every time, and yet it's still not enough. It's not enough to stop the voices telling me my words don't matter. It isn't enough to stop thinking my input isn't as worthy as somebody else. It isn't enough to stop me questioning myself, and everything I do, say and think.

I guess it's one of the many downsides of suffering from mental illness, the downside of never feeling like you're enough, the feeling that what you're doing isn't really as amazing as people say it is, or you think it is. For every compliment I receive on my content or my link-ups, there's plenty of not-so-great thoughts too.

Is what I have to share different to what's been said before?


Everyday, there are bloggers all around the world, typing their first words, creating their first social media profiles, taking the first step on their journey, and it's highly likely their content with be extremely similar to somebody else's already online. Whether it's a case of inspiration, copying, or plain not being aware, the issue of originality is one that is rife amount of community, so it's easy to see how somebody can start to question whether what they have to say is really worth saying, especially if it's already been said before..

In the past, I've taken inspiration from other bloggers and their content, and there's never been anything wrong with that, but surely it's impractical to assume that just because somebody else has said something, you can't put your spin on the topic too? Surely it's impractical to think that your words have any less importance or should be held in a different regard just because somebody has tackled the subject before you? Is it understandable, that sometimes, I feel like a fraud, like my words and my imput, and my gift to the world isn't good enough, in comparison to somebody else?

It'd be silly to never write something ever again, or share a tutorial or a discussion, or a deep-rooted negative thought, or an inspirational, positive piece, because it's what I do, and I know that in the real world, it's appreciated, it's loved, it's enjoyed, and what I have to say and do is enough. I know I shouldn't question my worth, because as long as somebody is listening, as long as my well timed words keep somebody typing, creating and achieving, then I'm doing something right.

Sometimes though, just sometimes, it's harder than you think..

Have you ever questioned your worth and your words?

7 comments:

  1. Oh oh absolutely. I think all writers/bloggers/artists do this...I think it's probably criteria for being an artist sometimes. XD But I kind of combat it with the knowledge that sure everyone else has discussed That Certain Topic, but I haven't, and my spin on it will be unique to me personally. But I definitely doubt my topics! And it's kind of hard when you work hard on something too, and then it gets very little response. That always makes me wonder if people are tired of my content.

    (Thanks for linking to that post of mine too, btw. :')

    I think it's okay to question our blogging worth, as long as we don't let our doubts eat us. Because as often as get feelings/doubts in my blogging abilities there are always people out there enjoying my content. (And also! I nearly forgot! My last discussion was a response to a YA hating article, but I got cold feet just before publishing because I KNOW people have discussed it before. But I hadn't. And I was talking about it with my parental and she said "There are always new people joining the blogging world who won't have heard the arguments and perspectives" which was really encouraging!!)

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  2. Well, recently my Nanna started reading my blog and she thinks it's hilarious so that's definitely an ego boost. But yeah, this definitely happens to me as well. Not so much with blogging, but DEFINITELY writing - someone has already written a similar book, or has a similar writing style, or is just better.

    But then I guess it's about realising that your lens is never going to be the same as someone else's - you're always bringing something new :)

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  3. Ugh, yes yes yes. I am in the middle of this right now. It's bad. It's been like, this perfect storm of not-so-great blogging and personal events that lead me to wonder if it is even worth it. I mean, I doubt my worth in general a lot, so it's pretty clear how/why it's been transferred to blogging. I have such highs and lows with it, sometimes I just love it to bits and pieces, and sometimes... well, actually, those times I love it too, I just feel bad BECAUSE I love it, and because I feel like I am not doing it justice, you know? It's hard. It's hard to put yourself out there, and then feel like maybe what you have to say isn't really something that anyone needed to hear. And I don't want to stop, ever, but sometimes I wish I did. Does that even make sense? Like, I wish I didn't like it so I didn't torture myself. Usually, something will pull me out of it, so my fingers are crossed that it does. And I have to learn that I can't get my validation from outside sources, but I think that's a lifelong battle. Great post, thank you SO much for sharing this, it is so, so relatable.

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  4. As a very new blogger I often deal with the feeling that nothing I say will ever be different that what anybody else has already said. I also really struggle with feeling that I am not creative or funny, so I will never be popular.

    One of the things that keeps me going is the fact that even if 10 people before me have written the same basic post, if I haven't read them then maybe my readers haven't either.

    I also remind myself that I have never been concerned with being popular in real life, but have been content with a small group of friends. So, I should let that be satisfactory online as well.

    Most Recent Post: Critical Elements in Designing a Post Index?

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  5. I definitely question my worth. I compare myself to others too much I guess. I've been blogging for over 4 years and don't have that big of a following & response compared to other bloggers who only started a year ago or so. I don't care about the amount of followers I have per sé but I do care about the response I get to the work I put out there on the internet. I feel like this is all my own fault though, that it's my fault I don't have actual friend-friends in the community and that it's my own fault my blog isn't as much of a success as other blogs.

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  6. I question my worth, mostly because I am new to blogging and there is so much to figure out. The only thing that I feel is within my range is the writing new content part and when I find out that someone is already done with the fantastic idea I just had, I get super sad. But I think the lesson in that is to just try and be more outside the box. I don't want to feel bad about the fact that I have much more progress to make.

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