When I’m planning I write blog topics on my calendar for each week, often scheduling the whole month at once. Sometimes those topics will be crossed out or directed with arrows to other weeks. Because inspiration supersedes planning, sometimes a post will bounce from week to week to week before I finally get around to it and then sometimes by the time I sit down to write, I can’t entirely remember what I wanted to say.

Yesterday was Valentine’s Day. It’s kind of a silly holiday, but as I’ve said before, I like it. February isn’t a very exciting month. It’s often dreary and cold and by this time winter’s charm is beginning to wear thin. A day set aside in the middle of the February to celebrate warm cozy feelings (and chocolate) is right up my street. I understand the flip side and all the reasons Valentine’s day is an ugh sort of day for many, but I like the idea of spreading love, of sharing joy, even if it’s just with yourself. Perhaps especially if it’s just with yourself.

We can be so hard on ourselves when what we really need is love.

I have to admit this post has bounced around on my calendar a bit and I can no longer remember my original intention for it (I don’t think it had anything to do with Valentine’s day). But considering what I wanted to say today and how I got here has me thinking about blogging in general.

Back in June on my old blog I wrote about being authentic and in July in this space I wrote about being rebellious, both posts, in part, about blogging. I still have some of those same feelings. I still wonder what my readers (you) want to hear and I’ve begun to wonder about the relevance of blogs today. I haven’t been reading blogs regularly at all lately, and some of my favorites have changed so much while others have disappeared.

It’s interesting, when I look back at the links I shared in my post about blogging (on being rebellious), I see that:

• Ruby has officially moved away from food blogging, focusing, instead on her two core interests: dance and the creative process.

• Maya has also moved away from food blogging and has even changed the name of her blog.

• Helen has cut down her blogging from multiple times a week to only once.

• Lindsay and Rochelle are both continuing with blogging in their own way and neither post very frequently.

I end up asking myself, what now?

I don’t want to quit writing this blog and I’m not certain I need a break, either. Maybe it’s just the winter blahs.

And so, perhaps my blog and I just need a bit of self-love.

What does self-love look like for my blog? I don’t know. Maybe it’s being even more rebellious than I thought I was being. Maybe it’s writing about topics that bring me joy. Maybe it’s sharing something just because it’s fun (for me). Maybe it’s getting out my real camera (sadly neglected for months and months) and taking photos not to illustrate anything, but because something catches my eye (like those lemon flowers). Perhaps, most of all it’s letting go of any expectations (mine included) and simply being myself.

What does self-love look like for me? Well, confidently being myself is always at the heart of it (and not always easy). More fun is taking time to do things just for me. Brewing up my favorite oolong tea. Savoring a square of dark chocolate. Spending time soaking up sunshine on a cloudless day. Going somewhere I’ve never gone before. Spritzing my face with rosewater as an afternoon pick-me-up. Wearing a pair of thick, soft socks. Watching the birds at my feeder. Planning out my garden and buying seeds…. It’s probably an easier question for you, too.

Now for one that’s not as easy… I’d love to know what you’d like to see in this space. I’m not going to do a formal survey, but want to know your thoughts. What posts do you most like to read? What do you wish I would talk about? What do you want more of (less of)? Share your thoughts in the comments or send me an email.

Thanks for being here reading my words. I hope you have time this weekend to do something just for yourself.