Playing By My Own Rules

With almost three months of blogging under my belt, I've been doing a lot of thinking about this blog and where I see it all going. I've made so many amazing connections and blog friends in such a short time. I'm so glad that I FINALLY followed through on something that I've always wanted to do. Yay for going out on a limb!

The problem is that once classes start my priorities are going to shift in a dramatic way. School is going to be my highest priority and there will probably be an adjustment period where I can't blog as much.  I need to hit the ground running with my studying and acclimation to school. 

At the same time, I think blogging is going to be a great way for me to keep in touch with my loved ones and with this community that we are building here. I need this space for accountability, catharsis, and stress relief. I need to read about your lives and your personal journeys. My life doesn't need to completely center around studying medicine. There needs to be a balance. 

Part of this balance is going to be making sure that I'm taking care of myself and my personal needs. Maybe that's why I'm so excited to start medical school - I get to be unapologetically selfish (I'm an only child so I'm pretty good at it). In order to be the best student possible I have to make sure I'm getting my workouts in (for health and for personal sanity) and getting enough sleep and eating healthy so I have the energy and stamina to study my butt off.

I guess my point in all this is that things are going to change around here. I've been trying to keep up with what everyone else is doing and I haven't been focusing on why I started to blog. To add to the confusion, I haven't even really established what kind of blogger I am. Am I a "twenty-something blogger" or a "healthy living blogger? Am I a "medical student blogger" or a "lifestyle blogger"? I'm not really sure which is why things seem to be all over the place right now.

What I've learned the past few months is this: I'm not cut out to follow the unwritten blogging rules. It stresses me out. Numbers and followers and sponsors and giveaways. From now on, I'm doing things my way. Maybe I'll have giveaways, maybe I won't. Maybe I'll keep sponsoring, maybe I won't. I'm writing my own rules. I'm hoping by embracing this notion, I'll be a more efficient blogger and writing will start to be a stress-reliever instead of a stressor (and more fun!). The status quo will  not work once I start school - and that's okay. There are so many bloggers that I look up to and admire but I can't keep comparing myself to them!

I hope you all will continue to stick around even though things might be changing. I hope you will share in my journey through medicine and gain some insight into the life of medical student. Please know that I am forever greatful for the support everyone has shown me thus far!  

Despite the changes in my time and priorities, I will make a few promises to myself and to you. 

1. I'm still going to be posting 3-4 times a week! 

2. My fitness/health journey is going to be a huge part of my writing & will continue to be honest and candid.

3. Medicine is going to take center stage in many of my posts.

4. Weigh In Wednesday is still on!

5. Soon I'm going to start vlogging to save time and just check in!

I'm really excited for the future and I can't wait to see what happens next. Keep doing what you do, blogland and I'll keep trying to keep some balance in my crazy life.