It’s not easy being a blogger. In a fast-paced, media-saturated world, there are so many content avenues vying for readers’ attention that those of us who regularly pour our hearts out on the internet are left wondering whether anyone is reading our worlds, and, if they are reading, whether what we have to say even matters.
As a blogger myself, I realize I’m biased. But I think that a blogger’s words do matter. Whenever we bravely put words to page screen and share our stories with the world, people take notice. It makes a difference.
This months links are all posts that mattered—to me, and possibly to you, too.
5 Questions That Will Make You Emotionally Strong // Eric Barker
“Your brain produces thoughts. That’s its job. But that’s not directly under your control. So just because something is in your head, doesn’t mean it’s ‘you’, and should therefore be taken seriously.”
What it Feels Like When Your Kids Are Growing Up // Emily Freeman
“One moment the sun is not visible and the next, you need to pull out your sunglasses. Yes, it’s gradual. But there is still a moment. It is distinct. You can see it with your eyes and feel it in your bones. Something has shifted. We’ve crossed from darkness into light. Unlike the sunrise, I can’t check my phone for the moment when my little kids became big kids but it’s rearranging me.”
The Enneagram and the Difference Between Needing and Being // Leigh Kramer
“When we are truly ourselves, we are at rest with ourselves. We accept ourselves and that often means (other healthy) people accept us, too.”
How To Make Friends As An Adult // Annie Wright
“There’s actually a lot of very wonderful things about now consciously attempting to make more friends as an adult. For starters, you likely know yourself better and can now seek out more like-minded, similarly oriented folks in a way that you just don’t get to do when you’re all lumped together thanks to zipcodes in high school.”
Hospitality:: When You’re an Introvert // Adam McHugh
“I believe that listening is the truest form of hospitality. This is good news for those of us who don’t relish opportunities to invite groups of people into our homes.”
When You Fear the Blank Slate // Anne Bogel
“In theory, I adore a fresh start, a clean slate, when I have abundant options ahead of me and no mistakes behind me, yet. . . . In practice, the blank slate paralyzes me. The potential may be exciting, but the decisions freak me out.”
Tackling Transitions // Vinita Hampton Wright
“We never know how fragile our identity is until transition shakes our foundations. But when our main identity is as a ‘child of God,’ there’s room for lots of variety! And we know our purpose: To love others with God’s love.”
How to Listen to Podcasts: A 101 Primer // Tsh Oxenreider
“1 out of every 5 Americans listens to a particular podcast at least every month. People who consider themselves podcast devotees average about five episodes per week. So, it’s gotten much more popular. But—this means 4 out of 5 Americans still don’t listen to podcasts.”
If you’ve read something that spoke to you this month, or wrote something you’d like to share with us, please leave a link in the Comments!