What Blogging Brings to My Life

What does blogging bring to my life, and what does Changing-pages bring to the life of those who are kind enough to read it?

Over the summer I completed a course from the excellent range of online courses offered by Makelight, a creative online community of which I am a member.  The course  prompted me to think about what I am doing right now with Changing Pages and where I would like it to go in the future. These are always good questions to ask with any project or creative endeavour.

Changing Pages was born in May 2014.  I can hardly believe that almost 4 1/2 years later I am still going strong and loving it as much, if not more, than I ever did.  I initially began with fear and trepidation but with loads of enthusiasm to write and share, and that enthusiasm has never left me.  Changing Pages has undergone a few changes in that time, most significantly in late 2016 when I completely overhauled the look and rejigged some of the content.  The content has since become a little more varied, my images have I hope improved, and even my technical prowess, although still lacking has improved a little too!

So if I could sum up what blogging means to me it would probably be something like this.

Creativity

Changing pages and blogging is without doubt my creative outlet.  It is my own little space of the vast world wide web where I can create something of my own and which I hope is a true representation of me.  I have total freedom to construct posts and features, create images and curate content. It is huge part of my creative life and gives me the opportunity to try all sorts of new things.

Connection

Writing can be a very solitary process.  Just you and your words and ideas spread out before you.  Through blogging I have connected with lots of other fabulous women doing the same thing.  Many of those connections have been on line with women I would never have come across in any other sphere of my life.  More recently I have also begun to meet fellow bloggers and other creative types in real life too.  This has been a real joy, and I really hope this is something I can do more of.  These connections are so genuinely encouraging and a huge creative inspiration to write more, create more and just do more!

Curiosity

Blogging has without doubt changed my approach to almost everything.  It has made me more curious about the places I visit, the things I do and the way I look at things, and capture them in photographs.  It has made me curious about what others are doing and why they are doing what they do. I now read more curiously, asking myself questions about why a book is written in a particular way, why an author has chosen a particular idea or theme. And it has definitely made me curious about authors, often seeking out events where I can hear them talk about their work. I am curious about what I see on a daily basis, constantly asking myself, how would that look in a photograph? Can I create a blog post from this? Curiosity leads to creativity.

Colour

Changing pages has brought so much colour to my life.  I have aways loved colour.  Although I admire those sleek creatures who stylishly wear black head to toe, I’m not one of them.  I’m much happier with a splash of colour.  Writing a blog and taking photographs which feature lots books and flowers, has given me ample opportunity to play with colour, to learn which colours I really like and which enhance my life.  I think much more about colour when styling photographs which in turn has made me think about the colours I wear and have around my home. The process of not only creating a blog but continuing with it, maintaining it and developing it has brought my life into glorious technicolour.

And Ultimately Joy

For you my readers, I hope Changing Pages uncovers the joy of adventure through books, travel, culture and the everyday.  I hope through reading my ramblings, you will feel inspired to pick up a book, to visit somewhere new, to create something of you own and find your own adventure.

If you want to know more, you can read about my previous blogging changes.