When I started this blog seven years ago I didn’t really know what to expect. All I knew was that I wanted to begin writing about topics that mattered to me. Of course, I hoped others would find them interesting and helpful, but one never knows for sure. The idea of rightsizing had never even occurred to me at the time, and neither did I have that much interest in positive aging. Fast forward seven years and I still find myself drawn to ideas that are encouraging, intriguing and uplifting to both myself and others. But along the way my interests have deepened and broadened in ways I never imagined. So if on this seven-year anniversary (or birthday) of my blog you will humor me a bit, I want to look back over the years to recap a few highlights. Your reward for indulging me is a short quiz asking what YOU like, and a free gift.
Here are a few thoughts about blogging and SMART Living 365 in general.
- The hardest thing about writing blog posts. My greatest stretch comes from trusting my ideas enough to write about them even if they don’t fit a pattern or seem to fit my brand. All blogging experts tell you that in order to succeed in blogging you have to stay on topic. That might be true, but it sounds a bit too much like a “job” if you are just doing it to try to please other people—or generate income. Instead, I’ve chosen to follow my instincts and through that process, I’ve learned greater trust in that still small voice within. Priceless!
- The best happy-surprise about blogging. When I started it was all about the writing and the desire to communicate. What has happened through the years is how I’ve been able to connect with a handful of writers and other bloggers that I now call good friends. While it might seem strange to say that people who I’ve never met in person can be a close friend, what I’ve found is that other writers and people who read my blog regularly share more in common with me, and care more about things I care about, than many people I know IRL (in real life.) My online community has become a big part of my “tribe” and I value that so much.
- The top read blog post in seven years. According to Google Analytics, the top read blog post in seven years continues to be the post “Is There Really Proof of Heaven Or Life After Death.” Who knew? I find the subject interesting but find it even more fascinating that so many people are drawn to this subject.
- One Of The Least Read Blog Posts That Surprised Me. Again, according to Google Analytics I was surprised to see that one of my least read posts (out of 405 written) was “Five Life Lessons I Learned From Dad and Other Thoughts About Father’s Day”. With Father’s Day right around the corner, I would love to know what you all think of it and see if my ideas there deserve more attention.
- SMART Living 365 readers. According to Alexa, a website ranking service, SMART Living readers are far more likely to be women over 45 with a college or graduate degree. Also according to Alexa, 57% of my readers are in the U.S. while the remainder are scattered around mostly among English speaking countries. Although I would like to be more diversified, it is natural that a person like me would be most likely to be interested in the topics I cover.
- Something most people who read blogs don’t know. I think the illusion about blogging is all a blogger has to do is sit down, crank out a post (or two) and wa-la! Our thoughts magically appear for all the world to see. Unfortunately, the menial truth is that it takes nearly as much time maintaining a site, finding photos and uploading, and then spreading the news about your site as it takes to write anything. I am in awe of those bloggers who put out several posts a week because it takes an enormous amount of work that most people don’t realize. Of course, there must be a payoff of some sort, but it isn’t always easy!
- Worst Comment I’ve ever received. Most bloggers enjoy comments very much. It is wonderful to know that people are reading something you spent so much time writing and putting out there. Because other bloggers understand that more than most, they often make the most comments on other blogs. But it is always nice to hear from others and each is appreciated. Well nearly everyone. Recently after posting a blog post about Rightsizing, I received a comment that basically asked “Why are you writing about rightsizing again? It’s boring and not at all helpful. And stop talking about yourself all the time and think about your readers.” Thankfully I don’t get many of those, so I just have to laugh when I do and keep going.
- Another unexpected surprise. Something I would never have anticipated when I started SMART Living was the large number of invitations I am receiving to do book reviews. Many of the books I cover here are offered to me free in exchange for the review. But not all, some I just want to read. As a person who loves to read AND appreciates being offered books I might never have found on my own, I love this current unfolding.
- The easiest blog posts for me to write. On average I spend between eight and fifteen hours a week on my blog. While I always enjoy biting into a meaty topic to see where it will lead, the easiest article for me is the “List Post.” And yes, some of you might remember I wrote a blog post about that as well titled, “To List Or Not To List.” Chances are very good you will see more List Posts in the future! I also enjoy researching quotes so those are always fun and easy for me.
- The greatest benefit from blogging on SMART Living 365. It is said that what you “think about you bring about” and what you “dwell upon you become.” During the seven years, I’ve been writing posts on SMART Living I have trained my thoughts to constantly seek out ideas that are empowering, inspiring and uplifting. And the more I do it, the longer I do it, the more I am rewarded by constantly thinking about ideas that serve a quality life rather than the alternative. That ongoing focus has changed me in more ways than one can imagine. While I sincerely hope others benefit from reading what I write, I am immensely grateful for the gift it provides me every single day.
Okay, so what about that quiz and your free gift? Because I find it rewarding and interesting to know what you think about some of my topics, I decided to ask you straight out. Please do me a big favor and pick/click (up to three) of the things from the list below that you enjoy reading about the most. (use any browser except Firefox!) In return, and in honor of my seven years of blogging I offered a free ebook download of my latest book Positive Aging—A SMART Living 365 Guide to Thriving & Wellbeing At Any Age. The book was free on Amazon for five days June 8-12, 2018. Thank you to those who downloaded a copy. I sincerely hope you enjoy it!
SMART Living 365 and all of you are such an important part of my life. While I certainly don’t know all the people who read this blog, just the idea that you are out there and you care about many of the ideas I explore here gives me hope for humanity and our future here on planet Earth. While there may be lots of challenging things going on in the world today, knowing that a “tribe of people” are staying resiliently and practically optimistic is important. And like Margaret Mead said and I think it is SMART to remember, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has.”
[polldaddy poll=10021198]
Okay your turn! Do you have any other feedback you’d like to give me? Like I said above, I do enjoy hearing your thoughts and am always grateful if you take the time to share them with me. Other than that, I hope you enjoy your birthday gift from SMART Living 365!
Hi Kathy:
Like you, over my years of blogging, I haven’t really stuck with a brand. Rather, I write about what interests me in the moment. Nor have I followed a posting schedule. Probably I have fewer readers than I would have had if I followed this standard blogging advice. But it works for me, and has the great advantage that I don’t feel stressed about having to post at a particular time or on a particular topic. It has allowed my thinking and blog to evolve.
That said, I also love that fact that a blogging community has formed across several of the blogs that I always read. It was a surprise, a really nice surprise.
Jude
Hi Jude! Yes, isn’t it wonderful to find a rhythm that works for us as bloggers? For the most part, I think that is a key to sticking with it over the long haul. I also agree that finding a blogging community is an unexpected reward. ~Kathy
I’m so glad I found your site. I am the Blogger, Vlogger and Broker/Owner of Active Adults Realty in Delaware. 100% of our clients are Baby Boomers and Retirees and most of my best ideas come from questions they ask. In fact, I find that more people are watching the videos instead of reading the blogs. In 2018, I am posting one video each Monday and one written blog post each week. I also publish several email newsletters each month, but I do have help. I concentrate on the writing or the video and my Virtual Assistant takes care of finding the images, the SEO, the publishing, etc. It saved my sanity!
Hi Kathy SB! Thanks for stopping by. And it does sound like you are a very busy woman. That’s interesting that so many of your followers like your videos because I’m really not a big fan. I do watch them now and then, but reading is much more interesting to me. I find my attention wanders more when I watch videos but reading always grabs me in a deeper way. To each his own I guess. With that said I will have to check out your blog posts! And good for you for finding help! Either way, I hope you love what you do because that is all about rightsizing and being SMART! ~Kathy
Congratulations on 7 years of blogging. I’m not surprised about your top read post. It’s a topic that most people find fascinating because there is truly no definite answer. I think it’s the mystery that draws people to this topic. Blogging is hard work but greatly satisfying. I enjoyed reading your blog insights.
Hi Suzy! Thank you. Yes…isn’t that interesting about that post? I certainly don’t think it is the best of what I’ve written but clearly, the topic is interesting to many. And yes, like you say, it is likely the mystery that attracts people to it–and certainly, the subject is one that touches us all. I’m glad to hear you’ve found a benefit to your work. I’ll have to stop by and check out your work. Thanks! ~Kathy
I’m a little late to the birthday party, but yay, 7 years, Kathy! What an accomplishment! You write meaningful articles that resonate with any reader, regardless of age. I remember meeting you in person at BAM and you saying you only write once a week. At that time I was posting 3-4 days a week (and for me, that was a key factor in building my readership and engagement)! I was impressed by your statement but the more I read your amazing articles, the more I see that it would take a good amount of time to research, write, find images, all that care and feeding! You have found the right formula for yourself–it obviously works after 7 years! It is a huge number of bloggers who blog for a few months, never engage, then drop off the map. It is indeed a lot of work, but the relationships both you and I (and many others) have built as a result of blogging is priceless, as well as being able to meet in person more than once!! Thanks for the free book!
Hi Terry! It’s NEVER too late to come to a party in my opinion! 🙂 And thank you. I do think I’ve found something that works for me. How are things going for you? I know you backed off a little (I’m not surprised with all you have going on!) but I think we all need to find a “formula” that balances the rewards with the work involved. And who says we can’t change our mind now and then? Nice to hear from you and I look forward to getting together again with you next time you are in the desert! ~Kathy
Congratulations on your 7-year blogging anniversary, Kathy. That’s impressive, especially since you’ve stuck to the Friday schedule for so long. It’s a good point that blogging takes up a tremendous amount of time. The writing part – in my case – is actually the quickest. The photo searching, editing, captioning and formatting takes heaps of time. But, reading up on other people’s blogs and commenting by far requires more time than actually creating my own once-a-week posts.
My first blog (It’s Irie), I ran during the entire eight years of our sailing life, but totally on my own schedule, depending on internet availability. Comments were not common back then, except for the last couple of years (2014 and 2105). I received some negative comments back then as well, having to do with my post about bad experiences on the island of Curacao. It’s brave and genuine of you to share this negative comment with us, by the way. Back to my own blog back then, I left the negative comments on the blog (everyone has the right to share their opinion), but responded in the sense that these are our own blogs, and we basically get to write about what we want. 🙂
After It’s Irie, I’ve been running the Roaming About blog now for 2.5 years. Commenting is a huge part of my social life!
Great idea to put the survey together. It seems like my answers are mostly in line with the majority of your readers. Except for the retirement topic. 🙂
Hi Liesbet! It sounds like you and I have been “blogging” about the same length of time. I think I mentioned to you at one time or another I first started doing an “environmental” website–sort of like a blog on the Joomla platform. It was interesting and I learned so much about being sustainable. But after 3 years of that, I was running out of things to say about why solar was so important and a little bored with that focus. That’s when I switched to SMART Living with the hopes that the “name” was broad enough to write about those things I really wanted to write about. I also switched to WordPress so that I could manage most of it myself and never regretted that either. And thanks for pointing out all the time that comes from answering the comments on our site as well as visiting as many of our blogger friends as possible. You are much better at it than I am. Sometimes I get distracted and a week will go by before I realize I haven’t visited my friends. It takes time AND determination. Still, as you say it can be very rewarding. ~Kathy
Since I’m so new to your blog I felt completely unqualified to vote in your poll – but I did anyway
I’m one of the people who voted for ‘more personal’. For me as a reader, that’s what makes a blogger real and creates the connection – otherwise I may be just reading a newspaper article.
I”ve been blogging almost as long as you and I find it interesting how many different styles of bloggers there are and the motivations they have for their writing. Personally, I write for myself. I blog as a way to keep myself engaged with ‘staying on the edge’ of my comfort zone – constantly pushing myself to explore and engage with the world. Without it, I have all the potential of being a hermit. hmmm – now that I think of it, there may be a blog post in there somewhere ?
I absolutely agree with your comment about the need to have a story or point to a post otherwise it just becomes a ‘so-what’. If it’s a so-what to me as the writer, how can I possibly hope for a reader to be engaged.
Looking forward to reading more of your blog and getting to know you
Hi Joanne! Who knows where the question marks came from ??? Anyway, I did an edit and took them all out but one. Meanwhile, thank you for voting anyway. I think it is always helpful to see what others are most interested in reading right? And thank you for explaining why you blog because I completely agree that it is important for us to blog for the reward to ourselves. It takes a lot of time, effort and intention so I think we need to be getting a benefit from it to keep going. It sounds like you certainly have–and YES, there is a blog post in there for sure. It’s nice to get to know you better and I am also looking forward to reading more on your blog. ~Kathy
Seven years? Congratulations! I only passed the five year mark recently. And I for one love the right sizing posts. It’s how I found your blog in the first place.
Hi Jennifer! Thank you! And thank you for letting me know you REALLY like those posts that focus on rightsizing. More to come for sure! ~Kathy
Congratulations, Kathy! 7 years blogging is quite an achievement. And congratulations (I think?) on attracting your first troll. I have yet to…ahem…land one. The poll is a great idea and I submitted my choices, which are right in line with the rest of your tribe.
As for personal stuff vs. researched posts – I think there is room and an audience for both. I like to know who I’m reading – it’s important for me to get a sense of the blogger and their life, and if there is no sharing then I lose interest quickly, no matter how intriguing the topics, because I can’t make a connection.
My own blog is pretty personal. It’s therapeutic for me to write about my life and get my thoughts down, and I think that maybe a reader might look at my life and be able to glean something – whether it is good or a pitfall to avoid – that could help them with their own lives. Or at least to feel that they are not alone in what they are feeling or experiencing. At the very least, I hope they can have a good laugh at my expense! 🙂
Keep on bloggin’!
Deb
Hi Deb! Thank you! And actually that comment wasn’t my first troll. I got my first one on Reddit when I linked one of my articles and it was really vicious. Yeah, I thought I could reason with them but VERY QUICKLY learned that engagement just makes it worse. I’m very fortunate on my blog that I haven’t had anyone like that ever again but I would never make them public and I NEVER reply. They want an argument so if I don’t think they add to the conversation they are never included. I think it is so important to know that not everyone will like what we do, but that doesn’t mean we have to give them a forum to tell the world about it!!!
I also want to thank you for bringing something up in a way I didn’t express, and that is how “therapeutic” my blog is to me as well. While I do journal 6 days a weeks and that’s my primary therapy 🙂 my blog is also a form of that. I don’t write anything that I don’t think is helpful to me or others in some form, I just don’t always state how it is helping me. I also agree that we all hope that others are getting something from reading our blog that helps them in their own lives–and yes, even if that is just letting them know they are not alone. Oh, and nothing wrong with a good laugh either. May we all find the hope and inspiration we need to continue with blogging OR anything that helps increase our happiness and quality of life. ~Kathy
Hi, Kathy –
I know that I commented on this post, and that you replied to my comment, but somehow I can’t seem to find that here. No worries at all. I did want to mention that most Firefox users likely are aware that FF often does not display survey check-boxes, Still, if you are able to mention this in your post, that would likely be helpful.
Hi Donna! Yes your first post is on the blog post. You might need to refresh your browser. I’ve noticed that I’ve had to do that more often myself lately. I wonder ifmy website is causing that???? Anyone have an opinion? ~Kathy
Thanks, Kathy – Refreshing worked.
Sadly, I have no idea what causes this.
I blame everything that goes wrong on my site on self-hosting! 🙂
7 years! I’m in my 4th year, so I guess I have a long way to go! I enjoyed this post immensely, especially your links to the most read and the least read. Analysis is a big part of what we do in the attempts to satisfy our readers, although sometimes, if an idea appeals to me, I’ll just write it and forget the analytics! And it was comforting to know that even very positive you can get a bad comment. I floated on for three years without one negative person experience, but recently I’ve experienced it tenfold! This person started preceding every comment with “I disagree with…” or “I’m insulted by…”. At first I answered her with vague comments, hoping to deflect her criticism, but recently, I’ve decided not to respond to her at all. I’m not unsubscribing her, because I value all readers, but it seems some people just have to let loose to make themselves feel better!
Hi Diane! Congratulations on your 4 years….so many bloggers have come and gone that I think it is important to acknowledge those of us still hanging in there!!! And thank you for letting me know your thoughts about my posts AND some of the comments on your blog. I agree that I value all my readers and I am open to questions and opposing thoughts about what I write. But what I do insist on is that people be civil and kind in their remarks so if I feel that the comment is aggressively negative, I don’t think they are really one of my readers to begin with, right? I never unsubscribe someone but I do delete the comment. If I can’t think of a positive and helpful way to respond, then the comment likely doesn’t belong on the blog. Does that make sense? I would love to get some feedback from other bloggers on this issue too (so jump in there if you are reading this too.) Maybe there is another blog post about just this idea? Thanks again for your thoughts! ~Kathy
Hi Kathy. Great post. I would have read it anyway, but you totally had me at the photo of the chocolate cake. I LOVE icing and icing that is chocolate? It just doesn’t get any better.
Kidding aside, several things – I read and commented on your Father’s Day post. I do think it deserves more attention. I hope you’ll rerun it.
Thank you for the timely reminder of Alexa. I’d found the service a couple of years ago before I started my blog, used it extensively and then, when I went looking just recently, could not remember the name of it.
The poll format was terrific and easy to use. I’ll have to remember that in October when Profound Journey celebrates its second birthday. (Yup, I’m a rookie, a newbie, a baby compared to you. I aspire to be just like you and have your longevity when I grow up.
I dutifully voted for three as instructed, but I want them all except for financial freedom. Not that I wouldn’t find your financial freedom info of interest, but it doesn’t feel like it fits your brand the way everything else does and I can easily get that info from someone who talks exclusively about that topic.
I think the more personal/less personal piece should have been a separate question since it’s not a theme that you’d write about, but a way you choose to write. I think I’ve written to you before about this question, but let’s talk about it a bit more.
We are very similar in our desire to share information that will be helpful to people, and in our belief that many people overshare. I used to have a coffee mug with the quotation, “You’ve obviously mistaken me for somebody who gives a damn.” That was my point of view when my publisher asked me to blog about taking my dogs for walks around my pond, or what I ate when I went out for dinner. Seriously? Why would anyone ever care about any of that? I don’t even care about any of it.
So I refused to play. It’s also why I can’t be bothered with social media. I truly don’t care what my friends and family are up to in their day to day lives, and I can’t begin to understand why anyone would care what I’m doing.
I carried those beliefs into my blog and focused on writing research-based articles on topics I found interesting that I thought would also be helpful to others. A few bloggers encouraged me to write more personally but, to be honest, I don’t find totally personal writing all that interesting so I wasn’t swayed.
However, I’ve always believed that most connection and therefore deep learning happens through story. There are certainly great nonfiction stories, but I think that most people learn when they are able to connect to a story told by a human being they ‘know’ and trust. So since last October, I’ve tried to incorporate more personal stories into my posts as long as those stories serve a larger purpose.
I was unnecessarily worried about two things: that I wouldn’t be able to write more personally, and that people would disconnect in droves. Neither has happened. I’m enjoying the writing more because as I write, I am having insights that touch my life and, I hope, touch others. My readership is growing and, more important, my engaged readership is growing as evidenced by the thoughtful comments left on my site by many people, including you.
Look at the response to your tribe story, Kathy. I think you’re on the verge of a subtle but significant shift where we’ll still get lots of great information to help us rightsize our lives, but we’ll also get a little bit more of Kathy. If there’s a seven year itch in blogging as there supposedly is in marriage, I think a little more personal is a brilliant way to scratch that itch.
Congratulations on seven years, my friend. I am looking forward to the next seven.
Hi Karen! Thank you so much for your “profound” thoughts on this post. I appreciate you taking the time to share what you are really thinking and how I might improve because that is such a major theme in my life. And just by your story of how you decided to incorporate a more personal side to yourself than before on your own blog makes it even more helpful. Of course I did have to laugh when you said, “…I can’t be bothered with social media. I truly don’t care what my friends and family are up to in their day to day lives, and I can’t begin to understand why anyone would care what I’m doing.” The thing is, I do care what my friends are doing….not if it’s what they had for dinner of course, but I enjoy seeing photos of family and keeping up with travel and significant life events so it works for me. I think what is critical is finding that “razor’s edge” where what we share is interesting and helpful but not TOO much. FYI…I would love to see more photos of you and your dogs!!!! And as for a 7-year itch–it will be REALLY interesting to me to see if it kicks in and then what I do with it. 🙂 ~Kathy
This lack of interest in the dailiness of other people’s lives has been with me forever. Even when I was in my twenties and my friends were all having babies, I cared about the baby’s name, I cared about my friend, but people would ask me afterwards what the baby weighed and, although I’d been told, I wouldn’t have the first clue. I’m just missing the gene that says these personal details matter and I’m finally learning to own that fact.
As for my dogs, I’m long overdue an update post so you can count on one soon. Once I find the informative angle that will serve as a context for my personal story. 🙂
Hi Karen…your response reminded me of the Buddha quote that goes, “Knowing others is wisdom, knowing ourselves in enlightenment.” I agree that it is so important to know what matters to us so I promise not to tell you what I had for dinner last night, hahahaha! And actually, now that you mention it, one of the BEST reasons I like Facebook is because it reminds me when people have birthdays and other events….because like you, I NEVER remember those kinds of details! And while I look forward to your next post about your dogs, I TOTALLY agree that it is good to have an angle. Thom is always popping in with SMART ideas for me but I always ask him, but what is the angle. ~Kathy
Hi, Kathy –
Congratulations on 7 years of blogging. I greatly enjoyed this post (it was one of my favourites so far)! I greatly admire your honesty, your research, your diligence and your remarkable ability to reflect.
I needed to switch out of Firefox in order to participate in your survey (Polls do not show up on Firefox). I was voted for more personal, as I find your personal posts to be highly engaging (and again very honest)!
I look forward to meeting up soon!
Hi Donna! Wow! High praise indeed. Thank you for that. And thanks for letting me know Firefox doesn’t work with the survey…. hmmm…I wonder if I need to put that in the post? And I’m not surprised you enjoy some of the more personal ones because that style is one of the things you offer on your site so very well. I’m going to play more with it in the future and see what comes of it. I’m trying to model myself after Thoreau who was constantly living his life as an “experiment” in what works. ~Kathy
Dear, Kathy hello for a long time I did not keep in touch. I got in the very beginning of my idea to start blogging as and used to read your posts and send comments, but on the way I got unsatisfied with job I was thinking because I didn’t have much comments on my posts. I’m thinking about to recontinue my blog it is also suggestions my friends too. Reading about your seven years anniversary of your blogging inspired me too.
Would you suggest me something about my idea and guide me how can I get more comments and become as a Happ blogger.
Hi Amin! Nice to hear from you again. I hope you have been well and happy on your side of the world. And I’m sorry that you sort of dropped away from blogging. It does take more work and effort than most people realize. And as far as advice, I think you have to really, REALLY want to write to make it work. If it is only to generate business for your work, it likely won’t last. I think if you look back over my first posts so long ago you’ll see that I got VERY few comments and that is because there weren’t many people reading my blog!!!! The first couple of years the signups were incredibly low. It was my determination and desire to continue writing that made me stick with it. I do believe there is a lot of reciprocity in blogging that can be beneficial…but even then, if your heart and soul isn’t into writing it likely won’t last. Answer that question and go from there. ~Kathy
I voted so you know my thoughts there. The only other thing I need to add (speaking as a father) is that if more people listened to what their fathers say the world would be in a lot better shape!
Hi Tom! Thanks for your vote. 🙂 Although just so you know, I have no idea who is voting for what…it’s completely anonymous. And I agree with the father comment. Of course, when you are young you think you know FAR more than your dad…it’s only looking back from where we stand that we can see their wisdom, right? ~Kathy
Happy blogging birthday, Kathy! I always look forward to seeing your Friday posts in my email. I’m one of the four people who picked “more personal” as one of my three choices. Since you and I love to travel, some of my favorite posts of yours have been about your travels. I also loved reading the answers to your questions… isn’t it interesting how things evolve as we move along as bloggers? I don’t think any of us had a clear idea of what we were starting when we first hit “publish.”
Hi Janis! Thank you! And thank you for being specific about my post ideas. I know you’ve taken up quite a few projects with Gratitude Tuesdays and your doors and now I think you have some guest blogging going on–so I know you are open to lots of new ideas. And isn’t it another wonderful quality that we CAN change as we move along? I’ve actually toyed with doing more travel blogging but I did that during our trip to Oaxaca (sort of anyway) and it was LOTS of work and sort of detracted from my travel, so I’ve done less ever since. We are going down to Lake Chapala MX in August and I MIGHT be tempted. We’ll see. Thank you as always for sharing your thoughts with me. ~Kathy
Since I’ve wanted to explore photography in my retirement, I thought that some of the photo prompts like Norm’s Thursday Doors and my GratiTuesday posts would give me that opportunity. It does take me away from my initial blog theme of retirement, but as a few people have reminded me, it really is all about retirement and how we embrace it. Also, I don’t blog about my trips while I am traveling for the very reason you stated. I usually write down a few ideas and write up my posts when I return (one of the reasons that I just recently posted my doors from Oaxaca… a trip I took a year ago).
Yes…that is a good alternative. Write about the trip when I return. Does that mean I get to write the trip off as a business expense? 😉 And I agree that your posts still fulfill an aspect of retirement so that works for me too! 🙂
Congratulations Kathy! 7 years is a long time and your posts are always a good read. I like the thoughtfulness and research, quotes and interesting topics you pick. It has been my pleasure to get to know you through your posts. Looking forward to more years of thought provoking reads from you!
Hi Haralee! Thank you. I feel like we’ve been friends for a long time now and it makes me feel good that you are STILL reading after all this time. 🙂 I think it is interesting how some of us just connect here online and others, not so much. I can’t remember how long you’ve been posting (as long as me?) but I am one of your fans too and look forward to much more cross-talk in the days to come. ~Kathy
Kathy,
Happy Birthday to you and your blog! My sister got me hooked on your site, and I so enjoy reading my Friday mornings with you. I like that you write about a variety of topics so keep on writing whatever you wish.
Hi SLD! Thank you for taking the time to let me know you are enjoying SMART Living. And I think most of us bloggers like to believe that those who follow along are open to most of what we write about or you’d be long gone by now. But always feel free that if you come across something that I would likely be interested in, either drop me an email or write it in a comment. I LOVE following breadcrumbs to new ideas! ~Kathy
Congrats on 7 years! You’re an inspiration to many of us as we struggle to continue to find meaningful topics to write about. And thanks for pointing out your blog has evolved a bit over the years as well. I actually had a hard time picking just 3 in your poll! I’m learning about many of these things right now – finding meaning, being mindful, searching about spirituality…and of course, I love the topics of positive aging, happiness, and rightsizing. It’s a bit scary that I got your profile almost to a T (LOL) and I’m thrilled to be part of the tribe. It’s also one of the perks I’ve found in blogging myself!
Hi Pat! If my path can provide any inspiration to anyone else I am quite happy. I am fortunate to be almost overwhelmingly curious about all sorts of things but every now and then I will still sit down and say, what am I going to talk about this week. I actually have a folder filled with hundreds of ideas but unless one of the tweaks me on writing day I just leave them in the folder. I figure if I’m not interested, how can I expect others. I am SO-O-O happy to hear that you enjoy all the topics I list and I am thrilled to be in the same tribe as you. ~Kathy
Hi Kathy, congratulations on seven years of blogging you have inspired me to keep going. I agree with all of your comments regarding communicating with other bloggers, the most or least popular posts which always are a surprise. I also found it interesting to read how much time you spend on blogging as sometimes I feel it can take over my life. Re the comments, I’ve yet to have a negative one but really you have so many positive ones you know you are doing the right thing! I’ve taken your quiz and again congratulations and Happy Birthday.
Sue from Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond
Hi Sue! I am happy and proud to inspire anyone to keep going at something they enjoy and brings benefits. 🙂 And I know you’ve been doing it long enough to know that it is often a mystery what will attract people the most. I think that’s why I eventually decided that I had to write based on my own interests and guidance because there is no “formula” that I’m interested in. And as far as the comments… what I think is the funniest is the comments where you can tell they didn’t read much more than a line or two and then left a comment. Really? I’d rather they didn’t bother–of course most just then want a link back to whatever site they are promoting. But then you are actually one of those that I admire very much because you publish something a BUNCH of posts times every week. That is a LOT of work so good for you! ~Kathy
Happy Birthday to you Kathy! I happen to enjoy all of the topics you write about. We seem to be on similar paths. I do smile though when I see you reference or write whole posts about Abraham. I find great truths and inspiration from their recordings. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me/us. And thank you for the lovely gift of your e-book. I look forward to reading this weekend.
ps- I also like your lists:)
Hi Cheri! Thank you so much for popping in here and sharing your thoughts. It’s ALWAYS gratifying to know that people appreciate your thoughts so thank you for saying that. AND thanks also for letting me know you like the posts where I talk about Abraham. I listen to him/her/them almost every day so I can’t help but write about some of the things they talk about. I continue to find their work helpful because they always remind me to stay positive, pay attention to how I am feeling, reach for better thoughts and remember that “things are always working out for me.” Thom is a little amazed that I can listen to them so much because he thinks it’s repetitive. But I find the questions and answers come from every sort of direction and that is fascinating to me. You too? Anyway, I hope you like the book and that it continues to give you ideas. Chances are you have read some of the material before (it is what I call blog-to-book) but I find that it really is a good focus on one topic and that can be very helpful. Please let me know what you think. ~Kathy
Hi Kathy,
I am enjoying reading your book. I had to put it on pause for a few days and will get back to it this weekend. And thank you again. Like you, Abraham is a part of what I do every day, starting with a daily email post. (It’s funny to me the comments you get from your husband since my husband says the same thing.) I also get a daily post from Alan Cohen. These start my day off on very positive notes. When you say you listen to them everyday while walking, by what means? Do you buy sessions from their website or another way? I’d like to listen but not sure how to go about it. Thanks so much for writing such interesting posts. They are thought provoking and I do enjoy them very much. Cheri
Hi Cheri! What a GREAT way to start your day with such positive info. As you might of guessed, I’m a big fan of Alan Cohen too. As for the talks…there are hundreds on Youtube. I have a program called Audio Hijack that allows me to record whatever is playing on my computer. I dislike sitting and watching videos so this lets me record them and then listen to them on my iphone (with my wireless earbuds) every morning when I’m walking. I don’t just listen to Abraham either. I listen to lots of podcasts and others and like you, know that it is helping me to set my day as positive as possible. Although I love it when Thom walks with me, I REALLY miss my daily input! ~Kathy
Thanks for the quick reply Kathy. I’m eager to figure out how I’ll do it on my smartphone. Yea!! Maybe I could drop you a note later to see what else you listen to that I might find intriguing. I’m always open to new thoughts and ways of expressing them. The amount of podcasts available seem to overwhelm me. ~Cheri
Hi Cheri! Oh yes, please send me an email at kathy (at) smartliving365 (dot) com and I would be happy to share some of what I listen to. As you say, there are SO many to choose from. Don’t we live in exciting times to have many great resources available? I look forward to hearing from you. ~Kathy
Happy, Happy seven years !!! And here’s to 70 more !!
Hi Larry! Thank you! And here is to many more years…not sure about that 70 though. But I’ll go for it if you stick around to read it!!! 🙂 ~Kathy
Hi again, Kathy,
I think you are right about what the stats mean and come to think of it we do have a “graduate degree” of sorts. I always thought life smarts were more comprehensive and meaningful than book smarts anyway. Thanks again for the ebook I will definitely let you know what I think once I have read it. 🙂
I really appreciate your blog ! I say I am pre-retirement and trying to figure out what I want my retirement to look like. Your blog, and the others you share are so helpful. It is so wonderful to have a good role model of someone still living a vital life and thriving rather than reading things about people who are just finding ways to “exist” or make due. You are about abundance when so many are about scarcity. I am 53, a single, empty nester and am excited about the next chapter in my book. I just am searching for what I want written in it which is a bit harder than I expected.
Thanks for the free ebook! (fyi-the kindle ebook is not showing as free on Amazon yet.)
Oops, it is out there free. Just needed to click the “other format” button to see the kindle price.
Oh good! Glad you got it figured out. And I just learned that the “print version” is on hold now because someone has hacked it and put it online on unauthorized sites! YIKES. Not sure what I am supposed to do about that. Ah…the joys of blogging and writing!!!
Hi Jenifer! Thank you. I hope that you find the book enjoyable AND that it offers you a few suggestions that you might find helpful–especially in the area of getting older. You’re a bit younger than me but I REALLY wish I had known some of the things that I have learned about the benefits of aging instead of all the bad news that is often portrayed. And you might also consider searching topics related to rightsizing on the blog. (of course you can buy the book but all my SMART Living books are mainly available on the blog) Rightsizing is something that may help you the most with your next chapter. ~Kathy
I have maintaining a blog even longer than you, so I LOVE hearing about your own experiences as a blogger, most of which agree with mine! But I can beat you with your “Worst Comment” topic. I had an asshole who wrote an untrue, terrible and just plain mean review of my latest book on Amazon, and it didn’t even make any sense! Luckily Amazon took it down eventually…
Please keep on writing!
Hi Laura Lee! Yes, I know there are a few of you out there who have been blogging longer than I have and I know how much effort it takes. Thank you for confirming MOST of my observations…and I’m glad I haven’t had a trolled comment like you did. Of course, I do have a comment moderation program in place so if a comment comes in that is “not SMART” it doesn’t get approved. The only 1-star review I’ve received out of my six books was on my novel. And what the person wrote in criticism was actually very factual. My book doesn’t fit certain categories and I really want people to know that before they bother to buy it. Of course, I’m hoping that people appreciate my writing on both the blog and the books, but I’d rather they be honest than not. Now as for nasty….that is never helpful. Good for you for getting Amazon to take it down. ~Kathy
Hi Kathy, what a great idea for your seventh birthday post! I think it is always appropriate to do some looking back and evaluating the path taken as well as the path forward to mark the year. Great idea likewise for the mini-poll of your readers to see what they like/think. It is wise to know your audience in order to understand where they are coming from too. Thank you for the e-book, I voted for my three and then downloaded the book. I am looking forward to reading it, which I can do anywhere due to the fact it was zipped wirelessly to my iPhone Kindle app – I love how handy that is!
Alexa is right I am over 45 (56 actually) although I don’t have a college or graduate degree although I did attend college and fall into the other 43% because I live in Canada (northern Ontario actually). I am new to your blog so Alexa can be forgiven for being just a bit off. LOL 🙂 I am pleased to be a member of your tribe as well as we do seem to be seeking the same things. You have a wonderful blog here from what I have read thus far so please keep going. I look forward to reading more of your posts in the future and want to wish you a very Happy Birthday! 😀
Hi Susan! Thank you so much for your good wishes! It has been an amazing and wonderful experience AND I continue to meet such wonderful new people who are also putting out helpful work on the internet….and no worries about being a College Grad…I’m not either!!! But I think those of us who are into life-long learning fall into that category. We might not have a piece of paper but we do have a “graduate degree” of sorts don’t you think? More than anything I think that stat shows that the people who read my blog are thinkers. Anyone looking for a short sound bite or a pretty photo won’t be that interested. So I’m always happy to find people who like to dive into subjects in a deeper way. AND I’m also happy you got a copy of the book. I would LOVE to hear what you think once you read it. ~Kathy
Happy blogiversary Kathy – and no seven year itch in sight! It’s been lovely getting to know you over the last few years and you continue to inspire me with the thought provoking topics you write (how was I only supposed to pick three from that list?!) Looking forward to what you have to share over the next seven years! xx
Hi Leanne! Thank you! I know you have been blogging for quite a few years too so I appreciate the encouragement for another seven years. As we both have witnessed, it sounds a lot easier than it actually is and so many others who start eventually drop by the wayside. Those of us in it for the long haul need to keep encouraging each other right? I so believe that the positive message that you put out is important. Let’s keep it up! AND I am also looking forward to seeing what you share in the next 7! ~Kathy