Quitting is a term we are all familiar with. When I was in elementary school and was bored to death by piano lessons, I quit. When I realized I hated baking in the sun while playing tennis in middle school, I quit. When I found blogging to be something I absolutely loved in high school, I quit. One of these things is not like the other.
The introduction to this post might give the impression that I’m just a quitter, but I persisted in so many facets of life that I loved while growing up. Cheerleading, letter sending and my love of Taylor Swift to name a few. I found blogging to be in the category of pastimes I enjoyed, but I quit after a little less than a year.
Why did I quit something I loved? The general problems associated with high school would be the answer. There were so many things I loved about high school, but the constant awareness that people knew about my blog and didn’t accept it crept up on me every time I would post something. Taking photos on a busy street in my small town would make me so nervous. I was afraid to tag where I bought my clothes out of fear that someone would say something about how odd it was (which they did). Each time someone I knew in real life would follow me on my blog, I would feel a pang of anxiety. During the first run of @classicallygrace, I received odd remarks and probing questions. I would obsess over these comments and think about them each time I went to post. Eventually, I just quit posting. I quit talking about my blog. I quit taking photos. I quit.
When I started my Instagram blog in 2014, the concept of blogging was much less understood. There were hundreds of blogs on Instagram at that point that I greatly admired, and I followed each one with focus. Those people in high school who had never heard of posting your outfits online- not so much. Me quitting @classicallygrace 1.0 was not their fault. It was mine. I overlooked all my family and friends who encouraged my blog, my writing, my photo taking. I let the dozen voices cheering me on to be overshadowed by the handful of people (subtly) beating me down.
Now in 2019, I stand in a place of much greater confidence and belief in myself, my message and my purpose. Breaking away from the mold of doubt in myself and starting my blog back up again has been the best creative outlet and passion project I could imagine. I often think, what if I hadn’t quit? Would I have more followers now? Would I be a better creator? Then I remind myself there is a purpose for everything, and God knew I needed to be shown what not blogging was like to appreciate the space I am in now more. I am reminded of the verse,
Ecclesiastes 3, New Living Translation
A Time for Everything
3 For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.
9 What do people really get for all their hard work? 10 I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. 11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.
He has made everything beautiful in His own time. That verse reminds me that my blog is on His time. I am on His time. I couldn’t be more thankful for that reminder, and maybe you needed it today.
God spoke to me this weekend when I received an outpouring of love and support surrounding my blog. I was featured in an Instagram round up on the banana republic website, and my mom (my greatest supporter of all) posted it on her Facebook. I was so surprised to see so many comments of congratulations. It lifted my spirit, and brings tears to my eyes as I write this.
If there is something you are scared to start, do it. If there is something you love, but you’re thinking about quitting, don’t. Persist. Carry on. Keep going!
To my friends in high school- Embrace your weird hobbies. They are what set you apart from the crowd. Don’t worry about the people not supporting you. Don’t obsess over the tiny details that won’t matter once graduation comes. I wish I had practiced these principles during my time in high school, but I am so thankful I have this blog to tell other people how to avoid my mistakes.
If you made it to the end of this post, thank you. If you follow me here or on Instagram, thank you. If you like or comment on my photos, thank you. If you have given me a single ounce of encouragement during this journey, thank you.
*Photo from HootandaHoller shop on Etsy*
