Next March marks the eighth anniversary of Dream Green DIY’s launch, and, of course, the eighth year that I’ve been able to hold down my dream job. I remember my dad always encouraging my sister and me when we were growing up to find a way to get paid to do what we love, and I somehow managed to make exactly that happen.

I don’t mean for that to sound big-headed or as though I take this role for granted—I thank my lucky stars each and every day that I get to be creative for a living. I know that it might not last forever and that the blogging industry might not even be around my whole working lifetime, but I’ve got my fingers and toes crossed that I can do this for as long as I possibly can. If I can do it until I retire, you better believe I will.

But that’s kind of what I wanted to talk briefly about here today: the changes that have happened in the blogging world since I started out seven and a half years ago. Of course, it’s natural for any kind of business to evolve, but lately I’ve been a little worried about the direction it’s going in.

If you read other blogs, you’ve probably picked up on the fact that things are different then they were when you first started following along. Have you noticed that bloggers are starting to post a little less often on their actual blogs, focusing instead on social media? Or maybe you yourself have stopped reading blogs regularly and follow along on social media instead. It seems to be the way things are going, and that doesn’t so much scare me as it makes me sad. I hate to imagine a world where blogs are dead and social media rules.

To me, blogs are such intimate spaces built especially for their own unique audiences. They are smaller, more communal and positive corners of the Internet where the goal is to start and continue conversations that readers can choose to be a part of. On the other hand, I feel like social media is so driven by societal instincts on a much larger scale, which inevitably welcomes criticism and negativity.

That might just be my own opinion (actually, it definitely is), and I’m sure there are positive spaces on social media that lift people up on a daily basis, but I just feel like it’s a slippery slope. I hear so often about other working creatives who are burning out and I personally think that social media is partially to blame.

I’m honestly so grateful that my numbers have always been on the lower side because that gives me the freedom to be myself and not feel quite so beholden to the masses of people who tend to judge, criticize, and beat down those bloggers who have larger audiences. I’ve always felt like you—and all DGD followers across the board on social media—have been my biggest supporters and lift me up whenever I’m feeling down. There is absolutely no way for me to properly thank you for that. No way! You guys are the best of the best.

I guess I just wanted to pop on here today and assure you that DreamGreenDIY.com is here to stay, and that @dreamgreendiy on social media isn’t going anywhere either. My number one goal has always been to inspire you (and maybe even your friends and family, too, by way of an extension!) and I feel like the blog will always be at the heart of that creative conversation. Social media is genuinely so much fun for me, and I love having the chance to interact and follow along with so many of you in that fast-paced space. That said, the blog is “where it’s at” for me on a daily basis. It’s where I feel at home and where I know I can trust the people I’m talking directly to: you!

One last quick note that I want to make extra clear. There is no wrong way to be a blogger. That’s the beauty of working in an industry that’s so brand new in terms of the bigger picture. So, if you’re a blogger who has made the shift to social media, and you feel like it’s the right thing for your business, I think that’s wonderful! I’m excited to follow along with you, wherever you are! I just thought it might be interesting for you all to hear my own experience and perspective in case it helped you see where I’m coming from and where my priorities are.

Would you be open to sharing how you feel about the blogging world circa 2018? Are you feeling the tide shifting toward social media, too? Do you check blogs as regularly as you did this time last year? Am I being too old fashioned?! I’m really curious to hear what you think, whether you’re a fellow blogger or a reader. Feel free to speak candidly! Sometimes it feels like I’m just talking to myself here (it’s just me and my computer in this room, after all), so I’d love, love, love to hear your voice.

*Photos by Meredith Sledge