Remember last February when I did the series on what I learned from being unemployed? Well, here we go again.

What I Learned from #BlogHer09

Installment #1:

Why I Blog

I’ve read a lot about BlogHer. I had found some of the conference really…extreme. Over the top. High schoolish. But, really, isn’t life like that? There are always people who are cliquey. There are always people with a sense of entitlement, or no verbal filter, or full of complaints. Wherever we work. In our families. In the blogsphere in general.

And, just like so many things in life, you get what you look for. You focus on what you choose to focus on. And those choices determine what you take away from any situation. What did I want to get from BlogHer? I wanted to spend time with 2 of my absolute favorite girls on the planet. I wanted to meet a few people, I was interested in some of the panels. And I wanted to learn about the process of blogging. And I wanted to learn more about me as a blogger.

The first panel we went to was fantastic. The three of us also had a great conversation about why and how we blog. And this is what I took away. About me.

• I blog for a sense of community. I don’t have many people in my “real” life that have struggles similar to mine. Through you guys, I have found a group of friends who get me. Who celebrate with me. Who call me out when I’m being stupid. Who encourage when that’s what I need. You GET me. And I try to provide the same back to you.
• I blog to force myself to process the ugly parts of me. I could have just sat back and lived in oblivious fatness. I could have not dealt with my baby issues. I could be in denial of how I used to eat, how I have a tendency to be lazy, how stubborn I can be. When my grandfather died, I put it all out there for you. Some days, it has been really hard for me to show you what I think I need to show you. But it is important with me to be honest with you, and that forces me to be honest with myself. And then I get to figure out what to do with it.
• I blog for accountability. Sometimes it is really hard for me to stay motivated, but it is easier when I think about not wanting to let you all down. I know from the times I’ve spun my wheels that you come back and you support me especially when I’m struggling. But I want to be able to tell you how I made good choices, how I pushed myself, how I pictured each of you cheering me on while I finished the last few minutes on the elliptical machine or when I pushed away dessert. I know you are right there with me, and I don’t want to let you down.
• I blog to bring balance. There have been times that I have felt hopeless, helpless, really really stuck. But I don’t want to present a negative picture as a whole. Looking for the positives to share with you has also forced me to bring them to my own awareness. I had a really bad day last week, but I allowed a hair wash to turn my day around because it was what I wanted you to see that day. And I wanted what I showed to be honest and genuine.

I keep going back to the notes I took while Kelly spoke during one of the panels (and this is her post about the panel). Paraphrased, of course, she said things like these:

• I write for me. You are the icing on the cake. But I write because I have to.
• I write because I love me. Because I’m proud of me. Because I believe in me.
• Blogging is like holding up a mirror and owning what is there.
• Blogging keeps me focused on me – I must process, I must deal, I must grow.

I agree with her completely. I blog for me. It’s the therapist in me. And the fact that you visit me every day? Still amazes me.

So, why do you blog?