It has been interesting to see some similar themes emerging as I explored the blogs of others.

1. People feel uncomfortable commenting.

2. Unusual blog names attract attention.

3. Everyone is really positive.

Point one is something I understand, I sometimes feel a little as though I am intruding in some way when I comment on someone elses blog. Point three ought to get us all past that, but in case that’s not enough, I did a quick Google search and came across this post on commenting. It is old, but the points are still useful to consider.

Point two set me off deliberately looking at blogs with less flashy names, though it does make me think about whether I ought to have had something more “exciting” as the title of this blog. More about that in thing three I expect!

If you are reading, do say hello

So now I return, with enthusiasm and a little more time, I’m taking my advice from last year, to keep trying, setbacks are a learning opportunity.

I had a bit of a think about what I want to get out of my CPD23 experience:

• Learn more about WordPress. I can make it go, I want to make it fly!
• Gain some clarity and direction for my career.
• Encourage a regular blogging habit.
• Reconnect with “library land”.
• Use it as an excuse to have a go at vlogging.

If you are reading this during your thing 2 explorations don’t be shy, say hello! Let’s do this together.

I’m not really new to blogging as such. I have a Live Journal that is due to celebrate it’s tenth birthday later this year. It started as a way to talk about and share things happening in my life. It has also become a way to look back on things and reflect. In these ways, the LJ is not so different to a “professional” blog.

BUT it is different. Why? Because I definitely feel like I can write any old rubbish in the LJ. It’s read by me and my friends, and locked to the wider world. It’s personal. It’s “private”.

This blog though, is really not private! Which is where it becomes daunting. This is probably why it becomes so difficult to transition between the enthusiasm to set up a “proper” blog, and the ability to actually keep it going once I’ve started. I saw another blog post just this morning which made me feel more positive about this. From a series of false starts, the only way is up.

Another thing I read reacently was a little section in an NLP book about how “There is no such thing as faliure – only feedback”. The crux being that as adults we tend to expect to be able to do things brilliantly the first time and if we don’t then we feel like a faliure. Our approach should be a more childlike, try, try, try again! Setbacks are a learning opportunity.

So, I’m here to try again. I’m here thanks to the inspiration from taking part in “23 Things for Professional Development”. I’d seen other variants of the 23 things, and so when I saw this new one with the additional professional development focus I thought “why not?” so here I am. To have a go and to not be out there alone whilst doing so.

Good luck everyone!