Restart

"Sleep + Restart + Shut Down" by Acid Pix. Used under a Creative Commons 2.0 Licence

I had noticed a few posts recently in my Twitter feed from respected and valued people in my PLN (@ccoffa,@medg56 and @hbailie) who in an attempt to revitalise their blogging had signed up for the  #youredustory challenge.

It was interesting to read the reasons why each of them had signed up for the challenge. In considering whether or not to sign up I thought I should first reflect on why I had neglected my own blog for so long.

So, why don't I blog?

When I created my blog, I wanted to use it as a vehicle for recording, reflecting, and sharing with others. Even back then I was hesitant about the whole process. So much (everything) we do in education is about people. What I often want to reflect on and write about relates to people and the challenges and issues I face with them. I would love to get some insight from others in how they too deal with similar situations but writing up the latest issue I had with a difficult student or a colleague who didn't share my vision for where I thought we should be heading didn't seem appropriate to publish in a public forum. People know where I work (or could very easily find out) and I was concerned how this would reflect on the school and also on me as a professional.

Personally, I've also been really tired and unmotivated. Travelling back and forth takes it out of you and there are only so many hours in the day for what needs to get done. In writing that sentence I realise it makes me sound lazy and I can hear all that positive motivational talk inside my head about having just as many hours in the day as everyone else, and saying no to things and organising what my real priorities are... It never ceased to amaze me how these incredible people in my PLN were doing all these amazing and innovative things and here I was trying to keep on top of everything I needed to do. Blogging was also something that I already found hard. I tend to be a slow and considered writer and it takes me ages to organise my thoughts into something logical. Many of my posts would sit there as ‘drafts’ and would either go unfinished or no longer be relevant by the time I was ready to publish them. (I am already struggling to write this piece. It's taken me several hours and I keep going back and re-reading and making changes and even considered deleting the whole post altogether) Pushing blogging aside was an easy thing to do.

I usually like to take the time to reflect at the end of the year and look at what I've achieved and where I want to head to next. I've always been one to do my vision board and map out my goals but this year I've put this off because I really wasn't in a positive frame of mind and wasn't quite sure of where to next. In reading the information about the challenge, this stood out for me:

I have been blogging for the past two years and I struggle with feeling like I need to blog more, share more, and show more of my struggle.

So, In undertaking the #youredustory challenge I will not only try to blog more but share more of my story and my struggle.