Solitary Confinement!

May 31

May 31 Solitary Confinement!

Today is Wednesday the 31st May 2017 and this time next year I'll probably look back on this post and think to myself that "YES" I'm glad I wrote this and glad that I came clean with the reality of my daily routine as a blogger working from home.

Blogging is a lonely occupation especially if you are like me and work from home already. By its very nature it spells being prone to loneliness and exclusion from the outside world .This is the very reason that we as bloggers are exceptionally vulnerable to feeling the bite of the blues.

Now , in my opinion there are two types of people out there just as there are two types of Bloggers .................THE EXTROVERTS..........and.................THE INTROVERTS.......and I think the solitude of Blogging affects these two personalities types in completely different ways.

Naturally extroverted people who like and thrive on "hands on" people to people interaction find it particularly difficult when they find themselves in a situation where they are blogging all day from home with little interaction from other humans except the virtual kind.

I myself fall into this category and can sometimes be lured into the quietness and solitude of blogging and then find myself craving some human company. There is a certain comfort in online communication with other bloggers but it is only fleeting. It doesn't last for most EXTROVERTS and as soon as the button is pressed and the black screen appears so too does the dark cloud of loneliness. Of course there are several suggestions that can be made to alleviate this problem and are particularly easy for most extroverts to do.......

However , for the moment lets consider the INTROVERTS and how they cope with the Solitude of Blogging..........

Introverted Bloggers have a completely different experience online than their more extroverted counterparts . The online experience of blogging can be a very liberating one for the INTROVERT it can enlighten lonely people and empower them by providing information and social interaction that may have been previously lacking in their lives. Interacting , connecting and sharing on social media especially blogs can lessen the burden of solitude.

Blogging provides a platform for solitary introverts in which to express themselves. It provides a safe haven (if you like) for people who wouldn't normally have the confidence to express their opinions and through their blogs they find their voice. Introverted people who talk about their solitude and isolation through blogging will usually find that in time they can reverse that very introverted personality as they gain confidence through free self expression via their posts through stories and photos.

Blogging builds a virtual community for both the Extroverted and Introverted blogger and that in itself is a good thing. That is , unless it is regarded by the said individuals as the only or entire means in which to quench that isolation. Nothing compares to the feel of a real flesh on flesh handshake or hug or kiss greeting. In other words , though we may feel good that we have our online following and friends and that we have gained confidence in doing so its equally important to have friends (especially blogging friends) in the real world too. We need to use that confidence that we created through our online presence to make new friends in our real life communities . After all nothing compares to a real life "night out" with actual people having actual fun!!!!!!!

Face to face connection however can be few and far between. This is where local blogger meet up groups (not virtual) come into play. These are so important to the well being of the said blogger providing him/her with vital human social connection and interaction while still being able to connect within their own niche/genre group.

There are several of these blogging groups all over the country in Ireland where I live. Small and larger groups are blossoming in every town and city, which can only be a good thing as it gives us all the human touch and connection that we need as bloggers to feel more complete.

Groups like GIRL CREW BLOGGERS have a great and powerful blogging community all over Ireland both online and in reality. I became a member of this group when I first started blogging in October 2015 . I was lucky enough to find this blogging group through Girl Crew online. Though the group has a strong online presence it also had an equally strong one in reality. We met every Tuesday evening for a couple of hours and we would discuss our blogs and the various issues we would have with them. The conversation would become more sociable and personal as the evening progressed and we would find ourselves connecting as people not just as bloggers and soon we were all firm friends.

Social interaction so Important as a Blogger.......

I always felt way happier having had the Tuesday meet ups and better able to cope with the solitude of working on my blog for the rest of the week. It was comforting to know that I had my community of bloggers there to support me. Most of our niches were very different from each other and I being one 1 of only 2 fashion bloggers was fascinated by all the other bloggers various niches which included Travel , Food , Fitness , Well being and weight loss and photography . So lots of interesting interaction was to be had.

I'm referring to the group in the past tense as the group had stopped meeting up for a while due to work commitments but I'm happy to announce that it will be re-establishing itself this summer and so I will gain the comfort and knowledge of knowing that there is a friendly face and a listening ear for all the woes and frets of a lonely blogger like me.

In conclusion to this post here are a few tips I'd like to share that may ease your day and make your blogging experience that little bit more manageable should you find yourself in the position where you are blogging on a more full time basis. 1 MAKE A SCHEDULE There is nothing worse than blogging for hours and to realise that its 4pm and you haven't eaten since breakfast!........and have a splitting headache to boot.

2 TAKE A BREAK This may seem like an obvious one but you'd be surprised the amount of bloggers that don't (me included!). Its so important to take time away from the computer and not just to give your eyes and ears a rest but also your mind. Do something else ....feed the dog , do some chores etc. 3 EXERCISE I can't stress this point enough and I am as guilty of not doing as anyone else. Sitting down all day in front of a screen can play havoc with your back , neck and shoulders not to mention your bum! Get outdoors , get stretching , fill your lungs with fresh air . Go for a walk/run . Jog with the dog!....... But get active!

4 BLOGGING SUPPORT GROUP Join a Blogging group not just an online one but a group that meet in your local town/City. This will help you both with the growth of your blog and your own solutions to feelings of solitude and isolation. 5 HUMAN CONTACT Very important to make the effort to talk to real physical people during your blogging day. Arrange to meet with a friend for a quick lunch or coffee or visit your granny/sister etc. 6 EAT WELL! It may seem again an obvious one but its kind of hard to do so if your in front of a computer all day. Prepare your food in advance , stock up on healthy snacks and plan your meals ahead and you will feel the better for it. 7 SLEEP WELL! YES!..........So few of us sleep well these days and hours spent in front of a computer fries our brains and we go into hyper activity mode! (At least I do!) Ha Ha!........ Switch off the computer at least an hour before going to bed . Drink a soothing relaxing drink like a herbal tea or calming drink and wait for the softness of sleep to exhaust you................... Sweet Dreams!...................................................................................................

Hope you enjoyed my post on The Solitude Of Blogging and that it has helped at least a few of you hard working bloggers out there . I would love to know your thoughts on the Solitude of Blogging in the comments below.................

Talk soon Lots of Love VIOLINKIT XXX