My blog is going through a change.
(No, not that change!)
I started this blog for fun. As the number of readers climbed, it made me a little nervous. I became much more cautious about privacy; I stopped posting friends’ photos and shared much less of my own personal life as well. But I’m afraid this might’ve made my blog rather boring. Recipes are fun and all, but everyone and her brother has recipes to share. I want to put the personality back in my blog.
Hence the change. Obviously, this doesn’t mean I’m going to start listing all my personal info in posts like a naive idiot. Hello blogworld, here is my credit card number. Here is my social security number. But you won’t use them, right, because I trust you.
There’s another reason I’ve shied away from getting too personal: I’m overly worried about hurting others. I know full well that a large number of people who read my blog are girls (and boys) recovering from eating disorders. So I worry, hating to think that they might find something in my posts upsetting. They struggle enough as it is; I would feel awful if one of my photos or posts added to their suffering. But the fact is that no matter how careful I am, someone is going to be offended/upset at something I write at some point. I can’t always worry about posting certain words or photos because it might upset someone. That’s not fair to anyone.
I am healthy. So why should I feel like I have to hide my body? Yes, I have a responsibility, since I’ve chosen to publish information publicly (as I wrote in my first Hello from CCK post). But you, as a reader, also have a responsibility to take good care of yourself. Only you know what type of blog content upsets you or isn’t healthy for you to read. If you don’t take good care of yourself, who will?
What does all this mean? It means, from now on, my blog is going to be less fluff and more real. The recipes will still be there, but I’m also going to share much more of my day-to-day real life.
“Being real” means showing not-so-perfect photos: I’m talking “no-make-up” pics, monochromatic meals, foods on mismatched plates, and sweaty post-run photos. It means allowing you to see the true me: I’m not perfect and do not have all the answers. If you’re thinking, “Ugh, Katie, I have enough real-life issues of my own. I don’t want to hear about yours. I’m only here for the recipes,” then please feel free to skip my posts on the days I write more personal posts. As I said above, I promise to still share many more recipes. But I’m also excited to share more than just recipes.
you once wrote that you had a personal post that you still needed to find the courage to publish. will that be one of your future “being real confession” posts?
anonymous,
As a matter of fact, yes it will :).
Sweaty post running photos? LOL you ARE brave!
Your blog is one of the first I started reading over a year or two ago. 🙂 As much as I love trying recipes now & then, what I REALLY love about bloggers is that I can relate to them as honest people with similar interests. I like hearing stories about people’s lives. But I also understand the privacy issue, as I have often flickered back and forth between a boundary of “tell much” and “tell nothing.”
The point of having a blog is for you to enjoy writing, photographing, expressing, being creative, interacting with community members. You don’t have to be some online vegan image with upkeep; you can just be Katie, who happens to be vegan. 😉 Maybe your posts will include vegan stuff, maybe they won’t. Doesn’t matter. KATIE is where it’s at!!!
If people get offended, then they should have the common sense to stop reading your blog. Ta da!
Am I definitely one of the guarded types. I absolutely hate it when anyone finds out about my personal life because I’m always afraid they don’t know the whole story and may come to the wrong conclusions, etc. By being guarded, I have been able to avoid many problems and conflicts that many of my friends have had in the past. However, by closing off my personal info to the world, I may be shutting out potential new friends and experiences that I would truly enjoy. You’ve really gotten me thinking about this, Katie! Anyway, I envy your courage to open up to us a little more and I’m looking forward to reading your posts. Way to go girl!
Sydney,
Haha don’t envy my courage… I don’t have it yet! I figure that if I say on the blog what I’m going to do, then I can’t back out ;).
Whoops… my previous post is supposed to begin with “I am”
Your posts weren’t boring but I look forward to seeing what happens next. 🙂
I’m pretty guarded… more so in real life than on the internet, though, for some reason. o.O
I love reading your blogs, not just for the recipes (although they’re great too!), so i look forward to your future posts!! I’m a very guarded person….. i am hoping that blogging will help me be more open! x
Katie, this is sooo awesome to hear!! One of the reasons I like reading blogs is to learn more about people. Recipes and stuff? I can google those. I would LOVE to hear more about your life and what you do and stuff. You are totally healthy and you exercise for fun and you eat! I know first hand that just because you are thin does not mean you have an ED. My sister is 5’3″ and barely weighs 100 herself. She is trying to put on 10 lbs and eats like it’s no one’s business! So lets see those beautiful pictures of you and your life 🙂 Sans make up and all, trust me I do it too. It’s not pretty sometimes but even when I re-read my blog sometimes, it’s fun to read and FUNNY to reflect.
But you’re absolutely right though, you shouldn’t have to filter yourself THAT much because its other people’s responsibility to take care of themselves, not for you to baby anyone. Of course that doesn’t mean we can go about saying anything and be offensive, but you get what I mean.
I think Im pretty open, pretty real. I have a bit of a “attitude” sometimes so for new people, I try to reign back on that at first. Wouldn’t want to scare anyone off.
i think ur taking ur blog to new heights and I LUV IT!!!!!!!!!
I’m really looking forward to the “Dating “meat-and-potatoes” boys” post!! 😀
<3 jess
xoxo
good for you! one of the reasons I enjoy your blog is because of your “voice” and writing style – I am looking forward to hearing more of that through your stories.
I love your blog and you must feel to only post what you feel comfortable with. Don’t feel you need to share more than you have to.
Also you are not responsible for other people’s actions and although it is important that you take care in what you write, you are not responsible for how people react to it – that is in respond to what you were saying about people with EDs. Also you are healthy and what better than seeing the thoughts of a person with a happy healthy attitude to eating? If you know you are healthy then you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.
Looking forward to all the topics you mention. Esp about dealing with people’s comments – as someone who is pretty skinny I am used to people making comments about what I eat and my weight. Although it can be pretty annoying, generally it really doesn’t bother me as I know that I’m ok and that I’m healthy (although it is really annoying sometimes!). My doctor isn’t worried and I’m happy – that’s all that is important!
Re being guarded – I’m way too open! I always regret telling people things about myself and I wish I could be more guarded.
Jo,
Maybe you could give me some of your “openness” and I could, in tern, give you some of my “shyness” and then we could both be perfect ;).
You already WERE my favorite blog! I didn’t think it was possible for your blog to get better, but you’re proving me wrong.
-A friend
Although I LOVE all of your recipes, i’m very excited to see your upcoming posts! 🙂 You seem like such an awesome, real person and I admire you! I’m looking forward to outings with friends, because i have that same problem 🙁
Hey pretty one, so looking forward to reading more about the “real” Katie!! But of course your recipes will still be my number one choice to turn to when I´m hungry and uninspired 🙂
I love the fact that you cherish food the way you do and are a vibrant and healthy role model for so many of us!
Have a great day,
xoxo Mel
P.S.: I stopped blogging @ Urban Girl Scout Cooking and this is my new blog! Please feel invited to take a peek if you like! <3 <3 <3
Holy crap Katie…this speaks volumes to me! I am so that girl that keeps her guard up! I just recently started posting pictures of myself and my family. I never want to offend people (with my weight) and I hid myself to keep from being judged! I am so glad to hear others say the same. I feel like I have to be me and people will either like it or not, but that is their choice! Thanks for saying this…it makes me feel more comfortable in doing what I have started doing which is to share my life experiences with my family’s eating restrictions and how our food enhances our lives…not hinders it!