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Friday, April 27, 2012

My Big Break & 3 Life Lessons

Happy Friday everyone! I'm back and better than ever. It's amazing what time away can do for your outlook and perspective. At the end of March, I decided to take an unprecedented hiatus from my blog and from my social networks like Facebook and Twitter. Yeah, I know. What was I thinking right? Well before you assume that I just fled the blogosphere and never looked back, let me explain.


In all my 3 years since LoveBrownSugar's inception in July 2009, I've never taken a blog break. My decision to take a break was ultimately a combination of exhaustion, lack of motivation and confusion. Between my site not yielding the results I really wanted, to my disappointment with the way the online publishing industry is functioning, to my anger at brands and individuals who continuously take advantage of bloggers like myself, I decided a hiatus was in order. This combination of feelings plus added personal stresses led me to step away from the keyboard to really think, evaluate and rediscover why it is I do what I do. It may be hard to understand, but us bloggers really put alot on the line each time we blog. We're putting our hearts, souls, insecurities, our shortcomings and everything in between on a page for you all to look at, evaluate and judge. And at times, it can be taxing. And if you're not careful, you can start to question what your purpose is.

Even if you're not a blogger, have you ever felt these feelings about your life? You know, those "Why am I here? Why me?" feelings that you just can't shake. If you've never felt like that before, it can be really scary. I'm writing this post, not as an excuse for stepping away from my site for a while but as motivation for anyone else who may be feeling the way I was almost a month ago. Here are three important lessons I learned during my time off:

1. It Gets Better.

When you're going through something, whether it be emotional issues, physical pain in your body, problems at work or home, relationship problems, it's important to remember that trouble won't last. Even though, in your current situation, it might seem like all hope is lost or that your suffering is insurmountable, just remember that things always get better. Ever heard the phrase "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning"? There are no truer words. Whatever you're going through, remember that it will be short-lived. And that you will come out of it 100x stronger than you came in. Take a second right now and reflect on all the hard times in your life up until this point. And even after all that, you're still here right? See.

2. Be Quiet & Listen.




I do alot of talking. I always have. I was the girl who came home from grade school with A's but with a small note from the teacher "Talks too much in class!" next to my grade. Giving presentations were always my strong suit because I'm not scared of crowds. It's inevitable then, that I've emerged as a social media specialist by profession and that I make my living writing, tweeting, and essentially talking (in some way, shape or form), all the time. But sometimes life situations call for you to sit back and listen. Whether it be listening to advice from your friends/fam about what you should do, or listening to your Higher Power about what direction you should take in life, quiet time is always necessary. Because true direction comes to people who have their ears open and their mouths closed.

3. Count Your Blessings.


Before you assume your situation is the worst it could possibly be, take a second to really think about all you have going for you. Literally count your blessings. Pull out a sheet of paper and list all the things that are wrong in life on one side, and all the things that are great on the other. 9 times out of 10, the good will outweigh the bad. Don't forget to list things like "I'm breathing" and "I can see" on there. People tend to forget that things we take for granted, others have to live without. This exercise will undoubtedly give you perspective. Regardless of what you're going through, you're blessed. Never forget that.

Now I know this post isn't about fashion or beauty or shoes or the Knowles family, like my normal posts (yes I'm obsessed with all these things). But I strive to always be completely honest with you guys about my life and what I love. I hope these lessons are ones that you guys can use in your own lives. Because aside from style, we all need a little inspiration now and again.
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28 comments:

  1. Oh man, you spoke to everything that I'm feeling right now! I'm so exhausted and people who aren't bloggers in my life don't understand. Blogger takes a lot of you and I agree that so many companies take advantage of us. This has given me a lot to think about, maybe soon I'll take a hiatus for a month. Or at least a vacation :)

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  2. Very well said. I wish you achieve the success that you are looking for, as you continue to motivate people like myself. I find a lot of inspiration on your blog and I hope that as you continue on your journey, you find fulfillment. Evelyn

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  3. Thank you for sharing the reasons for your break & what you learned from it. I have learned in this short time of blogging to step back and not post as often. Once or twice a week is fine. That keeps me feeling like I'm doing this as a hobby. Not because I have to.

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  4. Welcome back!!!! Girl,when I first started blogging, I felt like a failure becasue I wasn't posting at least once a week. I love blogging, but like you said, it can take a lot out of you and you are exposing yourself. Thank you for posting what you learned during your break.

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  5. Thank you for the wisdom! WELCOME Back.

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  6. Welcome back, we missed you! Good for you for knowing when to step back, its a good lesson for the rest of us bloggers. Now get back to the fashion, Lol. Jus kidding.

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  7. Welcome back! :) ur blogging was def missed!

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  8. Welcome back Christina!!! Oh I have missed your blog posts!!!!!!! I just mentioned you at a blogger event I attended last week and how you inspire me. I love this post and sometimes you just have to sit back and evaluate your life. I am sharing this post with my friends. I will truly start counting my blessings and be thankful for what I do have and not worry about what I don't have.

    XoXo,
    Ashley
    ASassyWoman.Com

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  9. Glad you found your way back :-)

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  10. Wow is post is very inspiring indeed. I get those moments too when I sit back and ask why I am doing all of this . But at the end of the day the good always outweighs the bad .Welcome back girl !!!

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  11. Welcome back and thank you for posting this! I am going throouuuggghhh it right now and you're right, I gotta keep thinking, one day I'll be fine. One day I'll be so much stronger from what I'm going through right now. And during this time, I do try to count my blessings because I know there are people out there who have it much worse! This post is exactly what I am trying to do for myself currently!

    Thanks for posting, glad you were able to get back to "balanced" during your break!

    -Kris

    www.thekrisbliss.com

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  12. Awesome post...thanks fro sharing your reflections and welcome back!

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  13. YESSSSSS Thank you for being so honest!!!!!! I feel the same way at times! Thanks for baring the truth Christina!

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  14. This is my first time every visiting your blog and this particular article really caught my eye. And a few things stood out to me:

    1. I appreciate your honesty and openess
    2. It made a lot of sense to me as a fellow blogger and it kind of help put many things in to perspective for me
    3. I really feel the passion in what you do.

    God alays blesses those who seak him out and want better for themselves.. So keep up the seemingly good work and much success to your blog

    Shon Irving @ STOP CRYING OVER SPILLED PERM
    www.facebook.com/its.only.perm

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  15. LOVE this! Thanks! Welcome back miss!! :)

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  16. LOVE IT!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for expressing the feelings I have been feeling all along

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  17. I'm so proud of you and you KNOW you inspire me. Your humble spirit is so precious and it has to be protected with reflective time with self and the Higher power that beckons you to come up higher. You have such a positive impact on me and all your readers for sure. Thank you very much for sharing.

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  18. Thank you for being so honest and sharing your feelings ;-)

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  19. THANK YOU! VERY MUCH NEEDED REALLY HIT HOME!
    -J

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  20. Yep, I can totally relate. I've felt this way many times in my career/life. I've found that just stepping away for a moment to get some perspective works for me in these situations.

    The times that I didn't step away on my own, I would end up kind of "forced out" and something that was better for me would emerge.

    Thanks for sharing your story!

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  21. Thanks so much for sharing, Christina! It is truly uplifting to realize that we all land on the same page, even if at different times. Really makes it easier to begin the next chapter, refreshed and pumped. You are awesome (as if you didn't already know);)

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  22. this is a very honest post, christina. i think all bloggers who take it seriously share your sentiments and it's important to always take breaks. i took mine for six months and came back feeling refreshed and ready to go.

    we all know you are very passionate about what you do. as long as you continue to stay honest and remember why you do this, you continue to reap great fruits from your labor.

    <3 ya, lady
    KB

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  23. Ive been following your blog recently and I absolutelty adore it.
    But this poat just made my day...Ive been feeling just that of late..confusion..hopelessness..uninspiried,but his truly has lifted me up.
    Thank you so much for postig this and may success and happiness come your way always.
    with Love,Tifah.

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  24. Christina I would like to invite you to a yoga class with me...yoga has helped me get through tough times such as these. Let me know when you want to be down

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  25. Beautifully communicated, Christina! Inspirational! Thanks for sharing this. We can all relate. You completely made my day with such positivity!

    Denise

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  26. I absolutely agree with you. As a blogger, I put a lot of time and energy into posts and sometimes its a downer if its not received well or if brands want you to do things for free. However, we must continue to press on, vent, listen more, and keep striving forward. Very introspective post!

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  27. This post is exactly what I needed!!!! I can totally relate. After my blog was hacked I took almost a year off because i was exhausted, disheartened and needed to regroup. I just relaunched my blog and it feels like starting from square one...

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  28. I found this blogg to be extremely insightful!! Thx =)

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