I have written this post a million times in my head, but now that it’s time to put my words to the screen, I’m at a loss of what to say. I guess I will start at the beginning.
When I started my first blog nearly five years ago – See Bride Run, remember those days? – I was just 24 years old. My fiancé and I had just moved to Orlando so he could go to graduate school, and I was working at home as an urban planner. It was very hard to meet people, and I had no one to support me in my quest to maintain my new healthy lifestyle, so I started a blog. You see, I had been a loyal blog reader for months, and one day, I realized, “Hmmm! Maybe I can blog, too.†And so it began.
I never realized what my decision to start a blog would do to my life. Because of this blog – and because YOU read – my outlook on life changed completely. I am not perfect nor did I ever pretend to be. I wrote about my struggles as much as my triumphs. I shared things with you that I hesitate to share with people in my real life. As a result, through blogging, I began a more positive, happier, and healthier person. This space made me who I am, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
But the best thing to come from Healthy Tipping Point is, undoubtedly, Operation Beautiful. Did you know that, in the four years since the site began, I’ve received well over 13,000 notes? I’ve gotten a note from every continent! I understand that not everyone ‘gets’ the movement, but it has touched and transformed the lives of literally thousands of women. I’ve received three e-mails from people who were on their way to commit suicide when they found a note – and because of a kind word from a stranger, they halted their plan. And all of that would’ve never happened if my wonderful readers hadn’t supported the cause.
Because of blogging, I’ve written three books. I’ve had some opportunities to do some amazing things. I’ve met incredible people who also had blogs (especially Kath, Tina, Theodora, Monica, Gina, Meghann, Anne, Julie, and Emily). I’ve met some of the sweetest, kindest readers. People that really and truly cared about me and my family. Since starting my blog, I’ve gotten married, moved to another city, started a small business, and had a baby. What a slice of my life to share! Such big things have happened to me, all while I recorded in on the Internet for the world to see.
But, alas, everything changes. I have spent too much time over the last few months feeling stressed to the max, wondering how to juggle it all. Professional blogging – and by that, I mean blogging for a wide audience, with the expectation to publish multiple times a day – is not necessarily incredibly time-consuming, but it is very, very emotionally and mentally demanding. Quite honesty, I wear too many hats between HTP, Operation Beautiful, speaking events, freelance writing, helping to run the clinic, and – above all else – being a mother.
My friend Heather recently posted on her Facebook wall: “Everything single thing cannot be a priority. Something has got to give.†And that is how I came to this (very, very hard) decision.
I’m stepping back – not away! – from blogging to focus on other things in my life – namely, being a mother, running Operation Beautiful, and supporting our family business. Instead of seeing me two or three times a day, you can expect to see me once or twice a week. I have blogged for so long… nearly five years… that I can’t imagine walking away completely. I think about giving birth to Henry’s little brother or sister and not being able to tell my amazing, wonderful, caring, thoughtful readers, and I start to tear up! Maybe after a while, I’ll return in full force. Maybe not.
But for now, a step back is exactly what I – and my family – needs. I do want to say that absolutely nothing is wrong in my life. No illness in the family, no marriage strife. I’m doing this because I love my life and value the things that I have. I’m doing this because I understand now, more than ever, what being healthy really means – a true balance in all aspects of life. I’m doing this because I look at Henry and I know, without a doubt, where my priorities are.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for reading Healthy Tipping Point. I hope you’ll stick around through these changes. I can’t possibly express how much my readers have meant to me. I will never get the pleasure to meet most of you, but from the bottom of my heart, thank you, thank, thank you. Your support made me a stronger, happier, healthier person, and I will never forget what your readership gave to me.
See you on the other side!
Love,
CaitlinHTP
Beautiful post! I know this was a hard decision for you to make, but I think you made the right one for you.