Bali Indonesia
I woke up wide awake at 2:00 AM this morning after sleeping for just one hour.
So I decided to write this post.
Why?
I feel energized. Publishing content feels fun.
Publishing content feels relaxing too. I feel in the flow. The words come up fluidly from my mind, to fingers to the laptop.
How?
I am blogging in moderation
Blogging in moderation means doing things in the flow. Consider this to be not too much but not too little either. Doing the right amount of work from a psychologically detached mindset is where it’s at. Do what needs to be done but not from a vibe of neediness. Never blog with a thirsty approach but do the work required.
Think of the blogging middle ground.
Never force it. But do not wait timidly on the sidelines either. Do not push things from a place of strain. But never fall prey to blogging like a stingy miser.
Like the Baby Bear, finding the “just right” blogging energy is the sweet spot. Yet establishing this point is not necessarily easy because fear clouds the mind.
I erred in both regards over the years. I pushed it, blogging like a headless chicken. I also delayed, holding back because I feared loss. Neither approach manifested much blogging success because the middle ground yields optimal results.
Things began to cook for me when I found that midpoint.
I blogged consistently yet never went overboard.
Calm Your Mind
Calming my mind through careful observation made the difference.
Consider meditating. Give yourself time in silence to watch your thoughts. Start with 5-10 minutes daily. Add increments as your mind quiets.
Become self-aware by watching your thoughts.
Create mental space to find your blogging sweet spot.
Up Early
I knew to publish this post because it felt relaxing.
But old blogging me may have decided differently.
Old blogging me would have wildly charged forward to publish a post from a scarcity mindset. My mind would have clawed at an opportunity to publish a heavier volume of content, being gifted with some early morning blogging hours. I would have forced it. I would have pushed it.
Obviously, this sits on the “too much” side of the sweet spot.
Write with ease not tension.
Blog abundantly not from scarcity.
Never force things.
Relax.
Blog with moderation.
Think long term to embody the proper frame of mind.
Think Long Term
Blogging with moderation demands you to think long term.
Stretch out timelines to treat blogging like a leisurely marathon versus the frenzied sprint that I ran on and off for years.
I eventually thought well outside of 24 hour time frames. I thought in terms of months first. I then thought in terms of years.
For example, I wrote this post not trying to squeeze out as much content as possible within a 24 hour time frame today. I thought about the long game before sitting down to leisurely write this content.
Think of the long haul to chill out. Never blog with an “all or nothing” mindset because burnout inevitably follows.
Beware swinging to the other side of the blogging pendulum.
Blogging in moderation does not mean waiting, delaying, hemming, hawing or being timid in your actions.
Blogging in Moderation Still Means Being Consistent
I have been intermittent fasting for the prior few months.
Imagine fasting for 17-18 hours a day. I eat light between two meals; lunch and dinner.
I also started hiking for 10 miles plus daily. Two days ago I hiked 21 miles.
I woke up feeling depleted an hour ago at 2 AM. I did not feel hungry. But my intuition told me to ingest carbs, salt and sugar.
I did.
Now I feel much better because I consumed much needed calories. My impulse told me; I did not eat enough food yesterday.
Asceticism is not the goal. Sacrificing by swinging too far in the “not enough” direction injures one just as much as going overboard in the “too much” direction.
Buddha learned this by trial and error. He ate heartily for a while, basically starved himself for a while and found the middle point of consuming a moderate diet.
Bloggers need to get to work consistently.
Publish long form content at least weekly. Write 1200 to 1500 word blog posts. Add practical details. Be thorough. Be persistent. Be consistent.
Never hold back for the fear of giving away the farm. Pros publish a heavy volume of detailed content to establish a strong foundation for their online business. Work for free to eventually work for pay.
What Side Is More Difficult to Master?
I have no idea because everyone walks a different blogging journey.
Going overboard plagues some bloggers. Holding back hurts other bloggers.
I frankly hurt myself following both failed strategies. I pushed myself like a blogging pack mule. I pumped the brakes and blogged timidly for a stretch.
If I had to pick a predominant error, I think that pumping the brakes too often became the bigger problem for me. I feared wasting time. I feared failing. I also feared being criticized. Each fear scared me into not blogging consistently. Sometimes I dawdled on the sidelines versus doing the work. Other times I pulled my punches instead of publishing thorough content.
My blog suffered – as did I – for doing too little.
But I also made the mistake of trying to do too much too quickly.
Find the mid-point.
Conclusion
Blog in moderation.
Never force things.
Do not hold back.
Blog consistently from a relaxed mindset to find your sweet spot.
