Why Do You Blog? Can Writing Heal You? Does It Make You Feel Better?

Great post! I am a Dance Mom that was struggling with the drama at our studio. To help me cope, I started SnarkyintheStudio.com. It's amazing how helpful it is! I now see everything that happens as blog fodder. The Studio Owner fails to plan ahead or communicate again? No problem, I will turn it into a story and find a way to laugh about it.

I started my blog, like many of us, for different reasons than those for which I maintain it.

Initially, it was called Little Exorcisms, back in 2003, and I wrote about everything that bothered me, with the goal of turning it into something funny. It was more cathartic than creative.

 I think my writing has matured a bit, just as I have, and now I just kinda think life is funny. I mean, it HAS to be. So, now that I've realized that no one ever reallllly 'finds' oneself, my blog title has become: All Over the Place, and I treat my life like one hilarious mishap with wonderful interludes. And it is always such a treat to share, and I find my confidence growing along with my willingness to be open about all the lovely and not-so-lovely details of my experience.

Blogging has made an honest woman out of me.

All Over the Place (Montreal) ( http://yousillygirl.blogspot.com/ )

I fell into blogging about 8 months ago.  My husband and I launched a children's story website and I started a blog on it as a way of putting a face on our site.  Since it's a children's site, I'm pretty careful about what I write. The adults read it, but I still want the site to be safe if any kids do read it (unlikely).  My challenge has been to write in an engaging manner, keeping it clean :)
I've found that I enjoy writing and I think of my posts as a journal or record that I can look back on some day.

I started blogging on Blogher recently because I wanted to have an alternative site where I could write more freely and discuss things such as politics that I wouldn't put on my other blog.

It's certainly been an adventure!
http://www.storyrhyme.com/jcsblog 

Even when I don't have the ability to frame thoughts on a topic, I appreciate others blogging when they can, because I can read and identify. Sometimes it helps me clarify my own thoughts to read the way others have phrased theirs. I hope that when I blog I provide a similiar help to my readers!

http://ConscientiousConfusion.blogspot.com

Blogging helps me so incredibly much!  I find that putting something on paper (or up on the internet in this case) helps me to think through it and actually helps me to move on from things in a way that talking about it doesn't...

http://mycheckedbaggage.blogspot.com/

Blogging is quite therapeutic for me. If I'm mulling something over in my head whether it's about parenting, or another life issue, writing it down helps me enormously and it also provides me an avenue to get some feedback. 

This isn't the only reason I blog. It's a good way to plan sometimes, in fact I wish I did more of it to make myself accountable (someone above mentioned that) and it's quite true for me.

The other main reason is to just write because of my love for it.

And, yes, it does make me feel better which is why I continue to blog.

Jen at Semantically driven ( http://www.semanticallydriven.com/ ) and Safari suit ( http://www.safarisuit.com/ )

I share my ups and downs and observations to not only heal myself but hopefully those who read my babble.  I have been through hell and back in the last couple of years and the only thing that kept me sane and alive was my humor.  I share through my writings.  I share through my observations of my life and my days to add some humor to others lives.

The one thing I have observed no matter how bad my life has been others have had it worse. 

 Yes.  It helps me to vent, but also...

I have something to say. 
No one else is saying "it", or says it in a way I want to read it.
To help others. 
It's a creative outlet.
Developments/improves my communication skills.
I'm NOT a writer.  I'm a communicator, and an educator so I have different reasons than most.

An entertainment & culture blog for women of color
              ( http://greydaysoul.blogspot.com/ )http://GreyDaySoul.blogspot.com

My Celebrity blog - http://RoseRollinsFanBlog.blogspot.com

I started my blog to help others heal (and laugh) but in the process, I am healing myself.

The mission/mantra for my blog is "Don't Give Up...Giggle On!"

The inspiration for the site was born out of tragedy. 3 years ago my friend, Jim, decided to kill himself. Since I was also on a self-destructive path, his decision actually stopped me from making the same mistake.

I keep his memory alive through service to others. If I can convince just one person not to kill themselves, his death will not be in vain.

Keep blogging ladies and God Bless!

Christa @ www.giggleon.com ( http://www.giggleon.com/ )

I just want to say thank you. I started a blog here tonight as a result of your entry so that I could experiment with the notion that writing in this medium could help me navigate the dark hallway I am bumbling around in right now. I'll keep you posted.

jpcoops

Blogging is extremely healing for me...or more clarifying. I think this is a very individual thing, though. It really depends how much a person opens up on their blog.

Blogging has shaped the person I've become. 

I am a freelance writer typing away at a novel in my spare time. I started my blog to have a place to direct family and friends who ask, "So, what are you working on now?" When they hear my answer, they often add, "That SAME novel?" 

I thought I was doing it for them, letting them in on the long process going on at my desk, introducing some of the characters I've been working on, and maybe even garnering some excitement for my lengthy project.

It turns out that blogging opened up a whole new creative outlet for me beyond the journaling I do each morning. Talking about this crazy project in my blog has clarified some of the biggest parts of the process for me and has allowed me to relax and think better when it's time to get down to business in my fictional world.

 Visit Windy at www.thebackstorycafe.com ( http://www.thebackstorycafe.com/ ).

one of the main reasons I have two blogs, one for personal stuff, one for writing fiction.

Getting thoughts out of my head is a learned thing; there was a time in my life all of this stayed locked within.

Writing fiction is a new phenomenon for me; I never tried before. And now I'm 320 book pages into a blog book. 

What I've found is that writing fiction is as cathartic and healing as writing details and observations from my life (which by the way, I've been rather remiss in doing for a couple of weeks.) This story has sort of burned within my imagination for a long time. Now that it works its way out, it serves a purpose in helping me cope with life issues.

I could not have imagined 4 years ago I'd be writing on two fronts regularly and protractedly, that there would be fiction being placed out there for anyone to see. Scary stuff it would have seemed, but now... it just is great fun that serves good purpose.  

nelle ( http://refractivethoughts.org/ )

&

llhaesa ( http://llhaesa.org/ )

I first began writing to hope that I could heal myself after a major trauma that I caused...but since then its become a joint venture between my husband and I to try to put something out there that may help someone who went through what we did.  I guess we want to be helpful. 

I can't not write.  I feel the need to express myself all day long.  Because I work from my home and homeschool my children and live 1300 miles away from lifelong friends and family, I find that blogging, whether or not I have an audience, helps me to feel like I'm communicating with the world.

I started blogging to keep in touch with many people who know my husband and his eleven children.  I don't know who they all are, but they are out there and do read my blog.  I also share our family life because we have five who have now left the nest.  My blog serves as a bit of home for those who have come of age and miss home or siblings.  I also live far away from all of my relatives.  My blog helps them keep in touch with me too.  So I guess it's a form of public journal aimed toward family and friends of the family.

I recently started two new blogs, one for my future business I am building: DC Designs, a home based business designing and selling customized gowns and garments.  I hope to launch a line of clothing that is geared to the more modest private school segment of consumers.

My other blog is about our pets.  Purely for fun and to teach my kids some writing skills and to elicit some sharing about the pets, to keep them on task, this blog just shares what is up in our large family with our currently four pets for any pet lovers who care to know.

I am considering a blog to share my goals and dreams, but haven't taken that step yet.  This blog would serve to keep me accountable to my dreams for if I share them publicly, I've made a more serious committment to strive to reach my goals to accomplish those dreams.  It's a bit scary to share, though, because you open yourself up to criticism.  I've recently lost ten pounds, but hestitate to speak of it because I might gain it back!  :P  I am on a personal inner journey which I think could be an encouragement to others, but again, time, family and vulnerability keep me from doing so.  Perhaps I'll re-consider...

Deb Momofsixteen

I blog for so many different reasons, to share information, to network, to express myself, but most of all, I blog as a creative outlet.  Not only do I love to write, but blogging challenges me because I'm writing for me AND for my readers.

 http://blog.cleveland.com/cluelessnewlywed

may be really therapeutic, but I feel great about the possibility to share the information that I have gathered and that is too much to keep in. Also - it is a way to express yourself freely, to create contacts, to feel part of other communities.

Blogging is one of the most valuable  achievements of our time that changes our lives in an unknown up to now way. It is communication. And human beings obviously need that.

trendoffice ( http://trendoffice.blogspot.com )

It is a wonderful experiance to wright a blog. It gives new ideas on different-different topics. It lets us think about our surroundings.

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Ella

<a href="http://www.legalx.net"   rel="dofollow">     california dui</a>

 I've always loved to write. I was shy as a child (times have changed!) so it was a great way to express myself. Still is. Some days it's just great therapy....it's like talking to myself but better....so many times I write something (even foolishness) and women will write and say "YES!!! That was my day,too."  They get it.

As a single mom to 5, I don't get a lot of time to be social. Blogging is social...it's a connection to the outside world and others who understand the toils of motherhood and womanhood.

Cheryl

http://dailyblonde.blogspot.com ( http://dailyblonde.blogspot.com/ )

 When I first moved to Honduras, I was alone in the evenings alot, because I didn't have many friends at first. And, I chose to live with a Spanish-speaking roomie to force myself to learn more Spanish. My Spanish was poor, so I needed something to keep my mind sharp. Blogging helped me to focus my thoughts, and to become aware of what I was experiencing. Also, I wanted to keep in touch with family and friends in the States. Blogging was a way for me to share my new experiences with them. I am still blogging, and so far, my sanity has survived.

Laurie, a gringa in Honduras,

 laurieishere.blogspot.com

Tara S. Dickherber, M.Ed, CPC

As a life coach I'm finding blogging a great way to help people find me, get to know me, and thus feel comfortable with me.  It has a theraputic tone for me, but since it's mostly for business I keep a lot of my private life private.  As a professional I encourage people to write.  In fact recently I encouraged a counseling client to consider the blogging world to open up her social avenues and get connected to more like minded people.  It also keeps me accountable as well.  It definitly helps me stay connected with other women.  Now that I'm home mostly with my daughter I don't have that social contact I used to when I worked full time.  

I started blogging to feel visible. My husband is an artist, and his star shining so brightly often puts me in the shadows. I wanted a place where I could force myself to step out into the open. It's hugely theraputic for me, particularly after long weekends of being "the artists wife" while we build his career, to have a place for me--my thoughts and ideas and jokes. I don't pretend I'm solving any problems for anyone else, but I am solving a huge one for me.

Ginger/Ramble Ramble  ( http://rambleramble.com )

Lifeexperiences

I started blogging mostly for the knowledge I receive from everyone (sometimes not good knowledge, but knowledge all the same)  I find it interesting, and other peoples point-of-view makes me think.  Thinking makes me smart. Challenges me to open my thoughts, expolore how and why people think the way they do.  I am far from thinking "my thoughts are right and yours are wrong".  I am sure in myself, but I have to be well informed before I make my mind up. 

I also like to think that blogging will help people,  No matter what the situation, there is always someone out there that can relate to you, might even be able to help out when wanted/needed.

I came to a point where my life wasn't working, and I needed to make changes. I read self-help books and searched my soul, but never really took any action on what I learned.

Then I had the idea that there are women like me, who are set on creating a new path for themselves, but stuck on the beliefs and behaviors that brought them there. If I wrote a blog for those women, describing my situation insights, and progress, then I'd have a duty to follow-through on my attempted changes.

Imagining an audience of like-minded women gave me an incentive to follow-up and make the changes I couldn't make on my own.

 (http://www.halflifecrisis.com ( http://www.halflifecrisis.com/ ))

I don't blog as an outlet or as therapy. Blogging is too public for that. I blog because I enjoy interacting with an audience that's larger than my real-life friends.

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I blog at MomGrind ( http://momgrind.com/ )

I manage my kids' activities at UpToUs ( http://www.uptous.com/ )

There are several reasons I blog. One is to share information that others may not have found, and put my own "spin" on it. Why I like it, think it's important, or completely dismiss it.

I also blog to reflect an average life: so readers might know that they are not unique. That what happens in their day happens in lives everywhere. We are not as isolated as we think.

This means that occasionally I blog serious things that I feel or that I'm living. I blog it because it's cathartic (atleast I hope that as I wipe sheets of tears and streams of snot from my face while I'm composing), and because I want others to know they are not alone. That all of our lives have truths that resonate with the universe.

I also occasionally blog with the message aimed directly at one or two individuals. The meaning is still universal; the message it a gentler way of delivering it to someone who need to hear it.

While these are not the majority of my blogposts, when I feel compelled to write them, I know that it's the universe pushing me to put some truth out in the world.

Debra
A Stitch In Time ( http://astitchintime.blogspot.com )
Weight for Deb ( http://weightfordeb.wordpress.com )

Mostly I find blogging to be an outlet, a way to talk my way through some of the ups and downs of life.  Being that I struggled with infertility, multiple pregnancy losses, and the death ( http://simply-b.blogspot.com/search/label/heart%20... ) of my first born I find that blogging helps me find the humor ( http://simply-b.blogspot.com/2008/09/u-of-m.html ) in the daily situation with my kids now that I finally have some here!  I love the quirky ( http://simply-b.blogspot.com/search/label/joyful%2... ) little things they do and I love being able to blog about them and laugh about them.

Life According to B ( http://simply-b.blogspot.com )

.

I love learning about new things (news/products/etc.) and sharing it with others. Blogging is such a great way for me to do so with other moms/parents. The other great thing that I love about blogging is being able to do giveaways. I never tire of reading winners write "Thanks so much. I NEVER win anything!"

Kimberly/Mom in the City ( http://www.mominthecity.com/ )

I can definitely see where blogging would be theraputic. I don't think I could go that route with mine--I like to keep my private life private. But just as some blog to share details of their daily lives, I blog to share details of the freebies & deals I find. Plus, it gives me the satisfaction of being able to place a timely story, especially when I don't come across the lead until well after the publication deadline for the magazines I write for. So in that way, blogging does make me feel better. I can do more with the research that I'm doing anyway.

Jenn

Atlanta on the Cheap

http://www.atlantaonthecheap.com ( http://www.atlantaonthecheap.com/ )

I write a lot on the Chronicles blog ( http://thechroniclesofmunchkinland.com/ ) about how my writing has been following my healing journey. Writing each stage, set back and stalemate of this healing process has been encouraging because I can see the progress I have made. Even when I am stuck in a depressive mode, I am able to look back and see how far I have come since the last time that I was stuck in a negative spot. 

And I don't just do it for me. I write for the birth mothers to come who will be trying to find their own paths to healing. I write so that they know there is hope during those dark, trying days in the immediate aftermath of relinquishment. I write so that they may know that they are never alone, even years out when grief sideswipes them in the eyes of their parented newborn. I write so that they can see that setbacks don't have to be an end to a healing journey.

I write as much for them as I do for myself. I want them to know that they're not alone. And I need to know that I'm not alone.

FireMom from Stop, Drop and Blog ( http://stopdropandblog.com )

And: the Birth Parent blog ( http://birthparents.adoptionblogs.com ) and The Chronicles of Munchkin Land ( http://thechroniclesofmunchkinland.com )

I blog because in my line of work I am alone most of the time.  I work with my machines and I write up reports.  I can spend days in the company of one maybe two people and never really have to talk to them. I also do not live near any of my family and can spend weeks with only my children and some polite soccer, football or dance moms.  So I find myself yelling at the TV or radio a lot.  Now I can get my rants out without my children thinking that I need a padded room.  There are prospectives I bring to a dicussion that no one else can because we each come to the table with different thoughts, experiences and backgrounds. 

Michelle

I blog because there are things I want people to know.  I want people to think about things instead of stumbling around in the dark, not understanding what's happening to them or people they know.

Ultimately, I suppose that deep down, I'm hoping that more information and understanding will lead to a better society, since people will be making informed decisions.  On the surface, however, I really enjoy the conversations I have with my friends because of what I post.  Blogging allows people to learn about you asynchronously.  They can look at whatever they want and decide whether they want to interact with you or not.  That way, when they finally meet you, IRL, f2f, they have an idea of what you think about and like to do and talk about and interactions are way better than "cold calling", starting out with "so... what do you do?... where are you from?.

I also enjoy not having to repeat myself in redundant circumstances.  Some things come up in conversation every.single.week, like how women ask "Why do men catcall?" ( http://billcammack.com/2008/07/25/why-guys-catcall... ).  Before I started blogging, I would have had to have the same conversation over and over, which is a tremendous waste of time as well as a bore.  Now, all I have to do is link them to my post and let them read it on their own and either comment on the page or get back to me directly with what they think about what I wrote.

I'm sure there are lots of other reasons why I enjoy blogging, but the last one I'll mention is that I enjoy placing things where people can find them if they're looking.  When I meet someone, and I inform them what my site is or what my name is, they have the opportunity to learn more or NOT.  I get as much information from noticing who DOESN'T read my blog as I get from noticing who DOES.  That way, I can focus *my* attention on people who have demonstrated that they're interested in what I think or have to say, and our interactions are mutually beneficial.

~ Bill ( http://billcammack.com )
I blog at billcammack.com ( http://billcammack.com )

I feel fine writing for myself. A lot of the time, I feel stifled by blogging, especially now since there have been a few instances -- well publicized ones -- of bloggers criticizing other bloggers, or accusing each other of stealing ideas. There's just so much to remember blogging that it's not very freeing at all.  I'm sure this gone on for some time, and I'm only noticing it now. As a newbie blogger, I didn't care if I stepped on any toes because there aren't that many to step on when your readership is fewer than 10 people a day. 

Available Light ( http://kathy-p.blogspot.com ) & Five Dollar Radio ( http://fivedollarradio.blogspot.com/ )