Sometimes, in life you miss the obvious. If you've ever played Boggle or any word search game, you know this already. You look and look and search, but just don’t see the word you’re looking for or the easy word that’s right in front of your face. It’s right there, but you miss it. You open the fridge and look for the ketchup and you have to ask who hid it, even though it was on the opt shelf right in front of you.
The obvious slaps you in the face, but you don’t see it.
I did that recently, with my blog.
There’s an old saying says “Live and Learn!”
I think I named my blog very appropriately for me as a person, but I “fail and learn.”
I think I named my blog very appropriately for me as a person, but I “fail and learn.”
A few weeks back, I hit a speed bump in my vast blogging experience (3 ½ months - supposed to smile here). I really put this blog out for the purpose of encouraging others with insights, learning experiences, fails and a bit of laughter, but I failed miserably in one area - I overwhelmed a few people.
In my excitement of starting this project and sharing (what I thought would be helpful tidbits for life), I over-shared my blog and it bugged a few people on FB. It was suggested to me that I needed to stop advertising my blog - I didn’t see it as advertising, but sharing an encouragement with others.
It was advertising…I just didn’t see the “ketchup.”
In the learning curve of starting something new and my laser focus personality, I frustrated some folks and had to back-track and seek forgiveness for sharing too much.
I had to sit back and think about my goal for my blog.
Was it to get attention for me? Was it to truly encourage? Was it just an outlet? Was I impacting others? Did I make it right with those folks I bothered?
I sat back and realized I failed - I’ve told you failure is good, but it still hurts, when your fail impacts others (BTW - most all fails impact others). I had to learn and grow and rethink and change and focus on the audience, rather than the audience total.
The cool part is that we’re allowed to fail and allowed to get better and allowed to improve, so I will keep trying.
Three people, that day, discouraged me, because I had frustrated them (not with what was said, but with giving it out too much). I changed and "advertise" less now (in fact, almost never on that list).
That same day, I had four people tell me how encouraging my blog is to them, and that I should keep doing it. They helped me refocus too. The Lord knew I needed the encouragement to keep trying, but trying with the right motives. Glad He keeps us in check daily - I sure need it!
I learned that there is a balance to enthusiasm and a balance to spreading good thoughts, and I had the privilege of growing from failure.
If I bothered you or over-advertized, please forgive me...Truly, I want to be a help.
If I bothered you or over-advertized, please forgive me...Truly, I want to be a help.
Lessons Learned: Missing the obvious happens a lot. Sometimes the risks you take, or the efforts you make produce failure, but if you never tried, you would never see any success, and you might not be able to help someone else. Failure helps you to be more sensitive to others.
Thoughts: Do you ever miss seeing the ketchup? Have you ever failed like this? Did you correct it? It’s hard isn’t it?
