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.
Are you CCK or CCV???? (I mean, I know you’re both…) I was thinking you were phasing out the CCV. love your blog!
Anonymous,
*Sigh* I don’t know what to do! I think CCV sounds more catchy, but now that my blog is called “chocolate-covered katie” I’m afraid people won’t know what “CCV” means. I explain it in my faq, but most people probably don’t read that page… Identity crisis! 😕
What do you think?
Maybe I am making too big a deal out of it LOL :).
Hi Katie,
I just started reading your blog and I love it. But, I’m also going to be honest, I couldn’t help thinking that you just seemed too *perfect.* From your extravagant daily meals to your perfectly photo-shopped photos of yourself, I was starting to think, geez does this chick ever have a bad hair day? But after reading this post, I definitely understand why you portrayed yourself in that way. You are so brave to let the real you shine through. Props to yoU!!!
Mariah,
Haha yes, I definitely have bad hair days! My friends get annoyed with me; I am very bad about de-tagging myself from photos :(. I’m trying (and succeeding, little by little) to learn that one doesn’t need to be perfect all the time! No one wants to be friends with someone who’s afraid to let her hair down and live a little! 🙂
You can do it Katie! I would be super excited to learn more about you because I love reading your posts every single day!
I am also the guarded type, EXTREMELY careful about showing too much of myself and what not. I don’t think my readers even know what region of the country I’m from! I should probably start sharing a little more. I know I would feel better doing it because there are some things in my posts I leave out because I’m scared…and then the post isn’t as good!
Anyway, Good luck overcoming your fear! Can’t wait to read more!
Hi, my lovely! Just wanted to say Hi and Happy Summer! Sorry I haven’t commented in forever. Lots of cr*p going down here, but I’ll be sure to check in now. I’m so proud of you!
I don’t mind sharing personal stuff but I am pretty quiet and don’t volunteer a lot of info. I guess I’m more transparent about my struggles on my blog than I am anywhere else.
You sprinkle some chocolate back into that blog of personality!
Aw, way to be brave, Katie! Y’know, I don’t always comment on your “regular” posts; I think I more commonly comment on your confession/personal-type posts, and I always end up saying things like, “Don’t feel bad about commenting less/what other people think/etc!” But really, I’m like you – very sensitive and worried about hurting others’ feelings, and sort of unwilling to be really personal and open at first. So I suppose I shouldn’t give advice and then not take it myself. 🙂
That said… I’m excited about your new blog directions! I think you have lots of wonderful stories and insights to share, and I’m looking forward to hearing them.
Katie, you’re seriously one of the most compassionate and caring people I “know” lol. Your blog is nowhere NEAR boring, but I’m still looking forward to these new posts… particularly, the ones dealing with peer comments and eating healthfully at parties. I’m going off to college this fall, so these posts will REALLY come in handy.
That being said, take a chance to pat yourself on the back… you have created such an AMAZMING blog. Don’t let the other comments and critiques undermine your outstanding efforts. Keep up the incredible work… I can’t wait to read your new posts!
Katie, this is so wonderful! I’m very, very exciting for the new changes and I think they’ll be great.
I completely understand your concerns about what people think. I find I worry about that too much, and it’s something I’ve been trying to work on. I think it’s wonderful that you’re letting your guard down.
It takes me a little bit longer to warm up to strangers, as well. I don’t care if my closest friends see me looking nasty, but my blog readers? No, thank you. Maybe one of these days I won’t care so much. 🙂