Thoughts on Blogging: Embracing my Fears

When I first started my blog around six years ago, I imagined making it big in the food blogging world. I passionately cooked successes after failures and documented my favourite recipes on Sea and Salt to share with the world. At the time I felt trapped in a job where day after day I felt no spark but was too frightened to leave. In every spare moment I was trawling the internet, feeling inspired by Aran Goyoaga from Canelle et Vanille, Molly Wizenberg from Orangette, Ashley Rodriguez from Not Without Salt and of course, Julie Powell's expired blog The Julie/Julia Project made even more famous by a certain movie...

In retrospect, I can see how many others shared the same dream. That doesn't mean mine was any less important to me but it certainly did make me feel that this space was some how diluted in the world of food dot coms. This feeling was compounded by the reality that I tightly held my fears close and the idea of navigating out of the darkness seemed unobtainable as those fears had become so frighteningly comfortable.

I eventually did move on from that exhausting career with the support of my partner and the possibilities that fell before me seemed to awaken my silent potential. To describe that inspired feeling I would say it felt like I was more open to change, more open to love (including self-love) and open to nurturing my small ideas into something more tangible. I began to meditate, practise yoga and manifest the things I truly wanted to learn and achieve. We even started our own business, Sea and Salt Photography.

As my life has changed, so too has this space. The evolution of Sea and Salt has grown from food blog to travel blog-come-family blog and more.

What it has always been is a space to share my creative writing, thoughts and personal photographs. To date, my most viewed post is my recipe for baked camembert cheese with honey, followed closely by the posts I have shared over the years containing my most honest writings on trying to conceive, parenthood, the odd giveaway I share (funded solely by myself) and one particular creative piece I wrote about a Hendrick's gin and tonic (not surprisingly, it also contains a cocktail recipe)...

This space will continue to change as I collaborate with other creatives on a new venture to help connect with others in new and exciting ways. Sea and Salt continues to grow because I face my fears head on, I lean into them with hope and gratitude for the freedom and lessons I experience along the way. Surrender and be open to new possibilities. This is my mantra.

To those of you who have commented and visited over the years, thank you.

Thank you for the words of encouragement and support. Thank you for sharing your own stories and thank you for being here.

It means the world to me.

Bella xx

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