There’s always more to life than meets the eye. From the outside, life of a blogger seems dreamy and beautiful, almost unreal, like the many Instagram shots. But more often than not the challenges it brings are forgotten. Blogging isn’t easy and neither is the world that surrounds it. So here are a few confessions from a passionate blogger (ME!). These are things I have felt and learnt in the past few years of my blogging journey.
Confessions of a Passionate Blogger
Blogging Confessions:
- Dealing with inner demons and self doubts
- Comparing yourself to others
- Having that pressure to always create great content
- Facing the real world
- Ever since Italophilia started, I’ve lost and found myself between these. But mostly facing the real world has been difficult. Why??
Because passion is a word that is hard to understand, it is often misunderstood for craziness and obsession.
My closest friends, whom I banked for support of my blogging journey, never encouraged or appreciated me. In fact they simply never even showed that Italophilia existed. I’m not trying to gain sympathy or be full of myself but being a niche blogger on Italy in India is seriously hard to find so what I needed was support!
But I didn’t get it from many of my close friends.
To top it all being all this happened when I was in my late 20s and kept wondering- did I make the wrong friends?? Why are they so self involved?? Unfortunately I don’t have answers to these but it was all a huge setback. I lost contact with a few people whom I didn’t expect to lose and even wrote about something similiar here. Today, I can count 2-3 people (barring my immediate family), who support my blogging journey.
Check out this book- How to Start a Blog
Blogging is Difficult
I’ve begun to realize blogging is super fun yet difficult. Consistency, passion and support are the three most important things that are required to blog.
In my case I received support from the online community and strangers! These are people who have followed me wholeheartedly without expecting zilch, these are my closest pals. I may not have met them but they seem to be there for me. They are more real to me than my “real life friends”.
And they have taught me to be okay doing what I want.
- It is okay to have more downs than ups
- It is okay not to make big bucks from posts
- It is okay to be who you want to
- It is okay to write for yourself
- It is okay to not be part of the herd
- It is okay to be vulnerable
It is okay to do what you want.
This blogging journey has also made me who I am today. The enthusiasm to travel to the farthest corners of Italy and discover to meet new places and people is what Italophilia is. Remember that my passion lies in the simplest of things- finding a new Italian word, talking to a friend about my favorite TV show or reading about a new type of regional food. Italophilia is what it is because of my passion.
So even though Italophilia never triggered anything for my closest friends, I hope that for you at least Italophilia will be your go to friend when you want to read about Italy. I hope that my words comfort you when you’re missing those streets and people in the same way I do. I hope you can be inside that nostalgia all day every day like I do.
Meanwhile, I will continue to be my usual authentic self and show in your inbox as often as I can. Who knows one day I may be writing a similar post on confessions (I actually hope not!) but for today this is all I had to share.
Until next time,
Ishita
Further Reading:
- 5 Italian Coffee Facts you should know
- Caffè Tramoni – A Milanese Luxury Coffee Brand
- Bar Farnese: Coffee near Campo de Fiori
29 Comments
Cristina
December 30, 2019 at 4:26 amCiao Ishita
I read this post several months ago, but for some reason was not able to leave a comment. i have had problems with that before. Hopefully it works this time.
i have many family, friends and paesani who are super supportive and read every blog post. They may not comment if they are ‘low tech’ people, but when they see me in person, they usually give me feedback. This is great! Some only follow on facebook, but i don’t even know if they click on the link. this is annoying-as is facebook in general. i also have a lot of friends and family who have never bothered to look at my blog. They are not interested and that is ok-but no one has ever actually discouraged me. I don’t bring up blog related conversation with these people unless started by someone else.
Maybe i read it wrong, but what you describe sounds like you have friends who are not just not interested, but are outright discouraging you from the blog thing-to the point you have lost some of them as friends! Mannaggia! This is awful! Perhaps it is different for me, as so far I have not attempted to make $ from blogging?
The only explanation i have for your friends’ reactions is jealousy-the big ugly green monster. Either they are jealous of your success, or jealous that it has taken your time away from them. They should be happy for you, but that is not how everyone thinks. Much as you would like support from your IRL friends, i think the people you do not know are even more special. they do not have to be nice to you or even acknowledge your existance-yet they do! For me this is really special about blogging-knowing that someone you have never met, in a galaxy far far away…..thinks you write meaningful stuff and even takes the time to let you know that. That is how i see it anyways. Don’t let the unsupportives discourage you, as in the long run, they are in the minority. Ciao, Cristina
Italophilia
January 4, 2020 at 11:38 amCiao bella!! I get your replies now, Maybe it was a technical glitch then?? I agree about low tech people and others who are never bothered about reading posts. I expect nothing from my family in fact. They support me night and day and needless to say without asking 🙂 I do have many people around me who support me for my blog but like you, I too do not bring up blog conversations. There are some friends however who should go the extra mile. I would have done for them!! In fact with a particular friend, I did. But I think I was wrong to expect. I think unfortunately it was jealousy too 🙁 Thankfully I’m past that now. I don’t care as much as when I wrote this post…. it affected me greatly that time and I was sad.. But got to move on:). Thanks for your words and love. It means so much. Un abbraccio from this part of the world. xx
Cookingwithloveandspices
November 10, 2019 at 8:19 pmJust be yourself. Don’t worry about the rest.
I live in Texas, USA. I am visiting my family in Amritsar, India. Having a great time re-connecting with my family. Other than visiting my family, my favorite country to vacation in is Italy. I have been there several times. Before I plan my next Italian trip, I will visit your blog again for tips that I can use. I have some Italian followers who want to host me. I am looking forward to such a generous and awesome opportunity. I better find the time to learn how to speak Italian.
Keep writing !!!
Italophilia
November 10, 2019 at 8:30 pmThank you for reading the old posts 🙂 Happy to help you with any tips. Which part of Italy are you visiting?? The people of Italy are lovely xx Grazie a buon viaggio.
toothpicktales
September 14, 2019 at 11:35 pmKeep that independent spirit! Make yourself vulnerable. Others might not respond they way you wish they would but when you lay it all out for others to see, they will see themselves in you.
Italophilia
September 17, 2019 at 7:11 pmAww thank you so much! Yes, I think there’s a lot truth in that statement..they might see themselves in me 🙂
Elfin
September 11, 2019 at 12:48 pmHow did I even miss this post, Ishita? So sorry because it’s a topic very close to my heart, as you can imagine. Thanks for sending it out again in your newsletter.
I’m not a blogger yet but I know exactly how it feels to have something you love doing so utterly, make a living out of it and have very few people who get what it is that you’re doing. Most people where I live think I laze about in the house all day when on the contrary, my work days are longer than theirs with the difference that what I do, truly makes my heart sing. I’m never unhappy with my work.
Have we chosen the wrong friends? How can we be so misunderstood by people IRL?
But these are the wrong questions. We’re the lucky ones and someday people will catch on to that, Ishita.
And you, more than others, are a pioneer, doing something original and entirely out of passion. You’re making a difference. Nothing can be compared to that.
Italophilia
September 14, 2019 at 11:32 amHappy to share it again 🙂 I know what you mean about people thinking all you do is laze 🙁 It sucks and to be honest blogging isn’t exactly what I thought it would be. Just as exactly you might have felt about teaching Italian online.
I do think we have chosen the wrong friends at times. Or maybe they aren’t the real ones. I’m also fortunate to have met virtually and in person too, such lovely people!! You are very kind to call me a pioneer .. THANK YOU!
Andreas Moser
August 21, 2019 at 1:00 pmFirst, I was disappointed that family and friends didn’t read my blog.
Then, it helped me realize that they are not as important to me as “strangers” who show an interest in my life and my thoughts, some of whom know me much better than my relatives.
Finally, it gave me the freedom to write about friends and family openly, knowing they don’t read it anyway.
But it’s also the medium, sadly. A lot of friends follow everything I do on Facebook, but they just don’t understand how to click on a link and read the full story on a blog. Or they do, but then they still comment on Facebook, leaving the blog empty.
I realize that I have a lot more passive than active readers, because sometimes, someone will mention something that I wrote, although they never commented or never told me that they are reading the blog.
Italophilia
August 25, 2019 at 12:51 pmI too was equally disappointed as you Andreas. But you are right about the point of freedom. It makes me feel no one is unintentionally judging me since they aren’t reading. I have most of my family members on my Facebook page too but they too never click on my links. A like usually doesn’t help because like you mentioned these readers being passive, don’t help the blog grow.
LuLu B - Calabrisella Mia
August 19, 2019 at 12:54 amThank you for being so candid! You have said some things that I think many bloggers or anyone following their passion might face. I think it’s so important to support each other in any way possible, big or small. And I also think it’s really important to remember why you started following your passion because it’s so easy to get lost along the way (I know I have on a number of occasions). In the end, do what you love, there will always be someone who appreciates it! 🙂
Italophilia
August 19, 2019 at 1:55 pmThanks Lulu. it wasn’t easy writing it but I had to.. I’m glad you have my back just as I have yours. We do need to support each other and I guess always remind each other that even in our worst days what made us start our blog was Our love for Italy!!
KareninCalabria
August 15, 2019 at 11:13 pmI’ve also found that you can’t count on family and friends to appreciate what you do. They have other interests. You have to find your own community, which you have done. At first, it’s sort of surprising and a little sad, but then you get used to it…
Italophilia
August 16, 2019 at 1:38 amUnfortunately it’s the hardest. I wrote this post keeping all of this inside me for the longest time. I think I got used to it a long time ago
Valorie Hallinan
August 13, 2019 at 8:41 amIt is such a lot of work to do what you do, and you are so good at it. It takes a lot for me to stay faithful to a blog, but you seem to me to have found the perfect niche and slant. Honestly, I think part of the challenge for all of us doing this type of work is that people just don’t have time, or take the time, to read anymore – not even a blog post that takes four minutes to read!
Lorelle
August 12, 2019 at 6:24 pmYou are 100% right Ishita. You know it’s all ok.
Blogging is not easy, and definitely comes with the ups and downs, sometimes more downs than ups. But, you have connected with so many wonderful like minded people all over the world, and we all truly appreciate your work and passion for Italy.
I’m so glad you do what you do, because if you didn’t, I would never have connected with you. Sending you a big hug. Xx
Italophilia
August 12, 2019 at 10:11 pmTrue Lorelle- not easy at all. I absolutely am very grateful about connecting with like minded people such as yourselves. I didn’t want to make it sound ungrateful but it is what it is. No sugar coating.
MANSI
August 12, 2019 at 3:03 pmYour passion and all of the work shows! 🙂
So proud of you. kudos!
Italophilia
August 12, 2019 at 10:09 pmSo nice of you to comment here, Mansi. I saw your message on IG. Thank you so very much!!
Walter
August 12, 2019 at 2:00 pmAnd to think I thought I was the only one that had friends who could not care less about my photography or videography! I guess they see us in a different light because they saw us in different ‘shoes’, if you will, so they do not see you as a blogger or me as a photographer. Who knows. I do not have the answer but one thing I do know and that is that YOU have done an amazing job, with your passion.
You have my 100% support because I love your blog, how you blog and I just wished more people followed you rather than those senseless and fake ‘influencers’ out there. You teach people something new and show them to really appreciate discovering new places, experiences, different lives. You have a knack for writing in a way that it makes you want to keep reading and only one other blogger I know has this gift (Janet).
So keep doing your thing and know that I love what you do and I am so glad you chose to make Italy your second home! Ciao from an Italian that loves your work!
Italophilia
August 12, 2019 at 10:06 pmI agree with you on them seeing us differetnyl but when your close ones don’t appreciate or stay with you, it hurts. And that is the reason you are also not probably taken seriously as a videographer or photographer. Anyway, Thank you so much for always being so kind. Hope to see you in Rome one day!! I seriously would love to have a spritz with you. I’m very touched, it means so much <3
coral waight
August 12, 2019 at 12:53 pmI’ve never, till now anyway, had a chance to go to Italy, Ishita, so I love reading about your experiences and especially seeing the photos.
Italophilia
August 12, 2019 at 1:40 pmThanks so much Coral. Very kind of you
Tracey Bacic
August 12, 2019 at 12:48 pmI understand how you feel. I think it’s even more important for you because it’s your job, your income as well as your passion. It’s hurtful. I guess Italy is not their thing. They don’t feel any common ground. Take support where you get it – from people who read your blog, and carry on doing what you love. I found it hard that my family hardly ever asked about where I’ve been, they don’t ask to see photos, they certainly don’t read my blog. Now I think – ‘it’s OK’.
Italophilia
August 12, 2019 at 1:41 pmI know right?? I guess I’m not the only one facing the situation. Maybe they don’t want to know about the things we write/ do. Like you said Italy isn’t their thing probably and there isn’t any common ground. I know that in some cases it could be jealousy too anyway, Virtual hugs to you xx
Valorie Hallinan
August 12, 2019 at 12:33 amI have many friends and also family members who never read my blog. They are not interested, and that is just fine, although it took some getting used to. However, they also do not question or criticize me about it. They simply have no clue or interest in what I write about. (I’m a book blogger with somewhat esoteric taste and so I get that they would not read my blog, as most don’t have time to read books – although I hope that I write in such a way that it’s interesting to read even if you don’t have any intention of reading the book.) I’ve found that often writers are not read by their friends, and I also believe that blogging has changed: so many people write blogs, and they have become less popular. I have always admired your work, being an Italy lover myself, and I think your blog really stands out….you do good work!!
Italophilia
August 12, 2019 at 8:01 amIt’s still strange that your closest pals never share/promote or even talk about it and often act as if it never exists! I think because I’ve been trying to make it work as a full time profession I expected more. But what’s done is done.
I really want to thank you thougg for your appreciation, it means a lot 🙂
Valorie Hallinan
August 13, 2019 at 8:39 amIt is such a lot of work to do what you do, and you are so good at it. It takes a lot for me to stay faithful to a blog, but you seem to me to have found the perfect niche and slant. Honestly, I think part of the challenge for all of us doing this type of work is that people just don’t have time, or take the time, to read anymore – not even a blog post that takes four minutes to read!
Italophilia
August 14, 2019 at 10:49 amThank you. It took me a lot of time to find my voice but I did. I’m glad you see that. Yeah, I don’t think it matters if people read but a small support of sharing the post also matters. I understand not everyone will be interested in Italy like I am, but supporting is more important a cause. I’d do it for my best friend even though she didn’t!