A Spring Announcement!

From time to time I press pause. On both the things I like doing, and the things I find to be draining and unenjoyable. I use this practice to help me make sure I am committing time to things that spark joy, and getting rid of the proverbial “weeds” from my life garden. After a 3 week “blog break” I’m back with a couple of announcements and a little primer on where the blog stands and where it is headed. When I started this blog four and a half years ago I really had no clue what it would become, or frankly how much I would enjoy having this wonderful outlet over here in my little corner of the web world. I have loved sharing great people, places, and products with you all. So much so that even though my production company, and my family have me keeping a very full schedule, I just don’t want to give The Sentimentalist up. (And that was a serious consideration these past few weeks.) It really fulfills me in a way I never expected. I am grateful that you have humored me and allowed me to share my opinions with you on matters big and small. My readers are kind, turned on, tuned in, and just as interested as I am in sharing good things. That thrills me. Truly. But my new goal is going to be slowing down the pace of posts (some weeks you’ll most likely hear from me only once), and really honing in on the content that people like most. So I come to you today with a few changes that will be taking place on the blog, and also a few small requests.

For those who have tuned in recently let me give you the 411 on what this blog is, because from time to time I do still get that question. This blog (and most blogs) is really an online magazine of sorts – without the adds and price tag of subscription. Mine is a lifestyle blog, which just means that I focus on content in all arenas of life. A great restaurant, an artist I adore, a really worthwhile book, or even a fabulous fashion trend – are all things I might feature. And between that content I really enjoy interviewing specialists in their field, and also sharing my opinions. Some of my most well read posts (and we measure that in the industry by how many page hits I get on the post) are simple “inspiration” posts where I collect and share images from around the web that I feel inspired by, and the more emotional stuff like the post where I shared my “letter to my son” and my feelings after miscarrying. It’s all fair game over here on The Sent, because at the core of all I do is the belief that in real honesty and openness we find company, support, and growth.

And here is where the requests come in. If there are people/places/things that you think are amazing, please share them with me so I can feature them on the blog! You all are often tapped into communities and people I am not aware of. I am so grateful when you give me good ideas for content. It makes it much more interesting for other readers when we branch out a little from just my interests and preferences. And this is a bigger ask, but a part of keeping this thing afloat is the need for growth. And growth means new readers in new pockets of the world. I only have access to so many pairs of eyes through my own networks, so it would be invaluable if you would share the blog with people in your networks who might like my content. What does that look like? When you get this blog post in your inbox, or if you click through to it on Facebook, you simply need to forward the email to friends or share it to your list of friends on Facebook. The message is simple, “I follow this blog and thought you might like it too!” It’s then up to them to read, and hopefully if they like what they see, subscribe.

And if you were getting the blog delivered to your inbox, and you now just see me on Instagram or Facebook, chances are that your email service provider thought I was spam and unsubscribed you from my blog. Please know I NEVER unsubscribe readers, and I would be thrilled for you to resubscribe and check your spam box afterwards to make sure you are actually getting my email blasts. I love my loyal readers and want to keep each and every one of you. For real.

So there you have it. I paused, reassessed my content, found the courage to humbly ask for your help in growing my brand, and decided to soldier on. I am excited to hear back from you all with ideas about what content you’d like to see more of – and the things you think are kind of “meh” and could be let go. Constructive criticism always welcome. This is a dialogue, and is never meant to be a one-sided conversation. Thank you friends for continuing on the journey with me. So happy to have you along for the ride…

*And one last little tip for newbies to the blog, when I type a word in BOLD on the blog, that word is actually a link you can click on. Do it. I promise it will take you somewhere worth visiting. 🙂