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You can thank Instagram’s innovative features for inspiring this blog post today. Last Monday I decided to try out Instagram’s new ‘ask me anything feature’ and while I wasn’t sure what type of questions I’d get, or if I’d get any, I was very surprised when I saw a bunch of blogging related questions roll in. I was shocked but thrilled because blogging means so much to me and I was happy that it wasn’t a dying art form, which is how it can feel sometimes. A lot has changed since I started blogging and a lot of that has to do with Instagram, so before I go any further make sure to follow us on Instagram here.  

Okay, I digress, flashback to when I started blogging back in 2014, I was addicted to the blogging world and the bloggers creating it. To paint the picture I was a nineteen-year-old college student who would wake up every morning, two hours before my 9 AM class, head to Aromas, our on-campus college coffee shop, order a blueberry muffin and a medium ice coffee, cream, and sugar; sit in the same tall booth and open my laptop to dive into the freshly posted content. Back in 2014, I’d say 90% of bloggers were blogging Monday through Friday, which meant every day I had new posts to read, new ways to connect with bloggers I admired and read advice from bloggers who felt like friends to me. It was the original Facebook Community Group before the ones we have now and it really set the tone for my day. 

The blogging community four years ago was also so attainable and content-based, it was about connecting and creating community through value-based relatable content. It was less about links, loop giveaways and much less about selling Instagram preset. I think in the last four years a lot has gotten lost in translation with blogging as Instagram became the main focus and written content got pushed to the side. I mean, I don’t blame other bloggers who stopped blogging because it’s a ton of work. Planning an Instagram post takes nowhere near the time of what goes into a blog post; not to mention the expenses that come with running a site. 

 Now over the last year, I’ve seen a lot of bloggers stop blogging, and start solely being Instagram influencers, and it’s made me sad, to put it frankly. I would open my computer to find fewer new blog posts for my morning read through, and I quickly started to appreciate more and more, the bloggers who’ve stayed consistent through and through; because even though Instagram is all the rage, a picture is just a picture, where’s the value?

Which brings me to my point, why I’ll never stop blogging and why I love it. The reason I’ll never stop blogging is I’m too deep in. At first, I was doing it all for you, creating content to inspire you and style guides to get you all cute and cozy for fall football games. I created this space solely for user function, and as a place where I laid New England lifestyle out and provided you all with the most value and hopefully inspiration I could. 

Yet, fast forward four years later to 2018, where this space is something completely different to me. Not only is my brand bigger than my blog, we now have a flourishing TCC Crew, a Youtube Channel where we upload twice a week, and an ever-growing Instagram; what the blog means to me has changed. Not only is the blog a place that I can connect with you on a deeper level, it’s also a documentation of my life. I have my college graduation, family vacations, and my move to Dallas; all documented on this blog. I can look back at my life and see it unfold through blog posts and I love that. I get to document my life, share New England with you all, and most importantly share more than a pretty picture.

So why I’ll never stop blogging, well that’s a selfish reason. I’ll never stop blogging because I love that I’ve documented so much of my life here and watching my brand, content and life change via this platform is something I never want to lose, but more importantly, let’s talk about why I love it. I love blogging because of you. I was asked on the new Instagram feature what my favorite part of being a blogger is and it’s connecting and sharing my moments of New England living with you. I’ve meet TCC readers all over New England now and getting to share our love for New England together is something that never gets old. So if you see me in the streets or vlogging away with Tessa, stop and say HI. Connecting with you is what I love and something I’ll never change. 

Okay, now let’s talk about this outfit. I’m always a huge fan of Vineyard Vines dresses come July and August because they hold up so well in the heat. Same goes for this structured front tie dress, it’s the perfect lightweight piece for your hot summer fun. I would highly recommend ordering a size up though as it runs on the smaller side due to the front tie!  Finally, I want to check out your blog! Leave your blog title and why you love blogging below. I can’t wait to check out your blog in my morning read through.

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