It was fun to crack open a little bit of our personal “stuff” last Tuesday for this post about the real $herdog (yes, I’m still patiently waiting for that nickname to catch on) and John’s J-Boom version. And a funny thing happened after sharing those. Not only did they receive over 1,200 amazingly awesome and encouraging comments (note to self: apparently you’re not a social pariah if you admit that you sometimes have strawberry cream cheese on your ear and are inclined to impersonate Cindy Lou Who) but we also got dozens of emails – not even exaggerating – asking about how to deal with criticism and respond to negative comments. And thus this post was born.
I guess by sharing all of our weird idiosyncrasies it encouraged people to write about something they’re struggling with and ask how we handle it? It also could have had something to do with this thread on the $herdog post. Either way, the emails mostly came from folks who run small blogs who have somehow fallen into larger readerships thanks to being pinned on Pinterest or otherwise thrust into the spotlight suddenly (like a feature on Apartment Therapy or Design Sponge). And the general gist of every single email was this: someone was blogging along about whatever they blog about (some of these people aren’t home bloggers at all) and then… zinger… it happened. A not-so-nice comment. And it stung.
With more readers definitely comes more “feedback” – both good and bad. And you know I’m happy to be that spunky little cheerleader on your shoulder shouting high-pitched overly-enthusiastic things like: “you can do it!” and “reach for the stars!” – so here’s my humble advice in a nutshell:
- It’s your blog.
- Be who you are. That is enough.
- Try to give the good feedback as much weight as the bad.
- Do all things with love.
Sounds corny huh? But I’ll explain how those four things have really helped us deal with the whole “you’re putting yourself out there and I’m anonymous so I’m going to tell you exactly how I feel” phenomenon. After all we’ve been told (both nicely and not so nicely) a few of the following things:
- I’m not really interested in posts about _____, so I vote you skip them
- I’m losing interest in big projects – do more little ones
- Do more big projects – the small ones are filler
- I want more Clara and Burger and everyday stuff
- I want less Clara and Burger and everyday stuff
- That paint color/art/room is ugly/not the right choice
- Stop using certain words/expressions because they make me cringe
- Stop being so cheap and spend some money
- Stop spending so much money and be more frugal
- Move faster, I’m bored
- Move slower so I can catch up
- I’m disappointed in this choice/this idea/you
- This blog used to be better because _________
- I will no longer read this blog because ________
See all the contradictions going on in there? Basically if we listened to every suggestion, well, we wouldn’t have a thing to blog about. Not a single thing. And after 2,000+ posts and over four years of doing this, we’ve definitely learned that some folks like things that others hate and some people have an opinion when it comes to how they’d run this blog if it were theirs. But here’s the thing. It’s not theirs.
Which brings us to…
Tip #1: It’s your blog. It might sound weird to point out, but your blog isn’t a magazine with a team of 30 people who poll their readers and try to please the largest group (at least I don’t think it is). The very definition of a blog is just an outlet to write whatever you want and share whatever part of your life that you’re passionate about in your own words and at your own pace and in whatever way feels natural to you. Whether you do it full time or as a hobby once a month, your only real task is to be who you are and share what you like and those who like it will drop in.
In our case, we’re just two people with a dog and a kid who happened to gain a following sharing our adventures on the home front. We just write about whatever’s going on in our lives and seems interesting to us, which has gotten us here (we’re not Facebook or Pinterest, but 5 million hits a month = crazytown to two kids like us). See, if you attempt to please every last commenter, as much as you love and value your readers, know that it’s Mission Impossible – and it could even lead to your blog’s downfall (it won’t be yours anymore). So trust yourself. Everyone else might have an opinion, but your voice really should be the loudest and your vote really should be the one that counts.
Tip #2: Be who you are. That is enough. I think most people are a little guilty of the whole wanting-more syndrome. When a show ends I immediately want the next episode to come on (and I want it to be even better than the last). When I get a magazine and it’s feeling a little thin I wish it were twice as thick. And I think boxes of Oreos should be bottomless (I expect them to refill themselves while I’m sleeping). So it’s no surprise that when it comes to blogging, well, readers are inclined to want more. They might say it not-so-nicely, or very kindly indeed. And either way it might make you feel sort of womp-womp. But it’s just human nature. And I can tell you from experience that you will be a happier person and a better blogger if you make peace with that completely normal phenomenon.
You can’t control how every single person reacts to your blog, but you can control how you blog. And struggling to eke out more to the point of exhaustion or burnout (be it recipes, sewing tips, DIY stuff, photography pointers, craft ideas, or anything else you blog about) just isn’t the answer. At least not if – in the words of Claire Danes in Homeland – you’re playing the long game. Ideally your method of blogging should make you feel more inspired, creative, and enthusiastic about blogging – which in turn will shine through so your readers get just as giddy about it as you do. There’s a reason that your blog is attracting a readership and people are coming back. So just go at your own pace and concentrate on doing things well and not making yourself sick or neglecting your family because a few usually very well-intentioned folks want something that should take ten days to be done, photographed, and blogged about in five. Forgive people for being excited and impatient. We all do it.
Of course establishing these boundaries applies to other scenarios too, so if you have a family blog and folks want more photos/info about your kids than you’re comfortable sharing, know that whatever you want to share = enough. In blogging I generally think if it feels wrong (or makes you feel tired/sad/uninspired), it’s wrong. So don’t do it. As much as I hate being told to relax (seriously, ask John, it’s on his “do not ever say that to me unless you want me to go crazy on you” list), just try to relax and do your thing.
Tip #3: Try To Give The Good Feedback As Much Weight As The Bad. The funny thing is that everyone we talk to who is wrestling with comment criticism admits they still get waaaaay more positive comments than negative ones. I mean the ratio is usually astounding. We know it just takes one cutting comment to get under your skin, but when the vast majority of people love something, it sucks to let one commenter sink your battleship. Let’s do some light math (I don’t do heavy math, but light math is ok). If over the course of a week or two, 99 people take the time to say they like your blog/post/project/house/whatever and one person chimes in to say something’s not their cup of tea, that still adds up to a 99% success rate. And those are good odds my friend- so keep on keeping on! Heck, even if a ton of your readers don’t like something but you like it, I wholeheartedly think that you should keep blogging about it. Why? Because you like it and – once again, for the folks in the back – it’s your blog. Picture me up stage wearing a pant suit and a pocket protector saying “I can’t hear you!” and holding the mic out so you can shout that chorus with me. Or dancing around in this outfit chanting it with my lovely family while serving up a heaping portion of jazz hands (Burger’s clearly hiding because he doesn’t want to be seen in this getup).
Tip #4: Do everything with love. It’s admittedly extremely cheesy (and you might hear a tiny violin playing in the background) but my favorite advice is usually summed up in that phrase. It’s actually written on a post-it note that I’ve had stuck to my laptop for the longest time. When someone takes time out of their day to say something they’d most likely never say to anyone’s face (or would they…?) I’ve come to realize that spewing the same venom that they flung in my direction won’t make me feel any better (heck, it would probably make me feel significantly worse).
So I try to look at them from a place of love. Maybe they’ve had a terrible day. Maybe they’ve lost someone they love very much and they’re hurting. It may seem weird to try to have compassion for those who don’t seem to be very sensitive to your feelings, but I’m telling you that there’s something to it. It helps me respond with humor or a quick explanation from my point of view without getting too heated. Or even just with the words “Merry Christmas to you and your family!” like I did when someone said that decorating our family Christmas tree with paint chips was akin to decorating it with tampon wrappers. Growing up my mom always said that above being successful, popular, or athletic (all the things I worried about so much back then), being kind was the most important thing. And that’s something I’d love to pass down to Clara. Sing it with me: all ya need is love.
So there it is. My brain dump. I hope it helps at least one or two of you out there who might be struggling with growing and having more eyes on you. I know it sounds corny, but for us this blog is just about sharing our adventures and hopefully helping you guys along the way. That’s why we make videos about grouting and cabinet painting and take so many photos and share every last detail – in the hope of helping a handful of you guys at home. And it’s also why we love sharing behind the scenes blogging stuff like this (since so many of you are fellow bloggers these days). I am completely embarrassed to admit this, but we wrote the Thank You part of our book a few weeks ago, and it wasn’t the part about our family and friends that made me cry, it was the part about you, our lovely readers. Crying isn’t even the word. It wasn’t cute. I was weeping. There was smeared mascara and a runny nose. The whole nine yards.
The enthusiasm, sweetness, and support that you folks send our way is nothing less than life-changing. I really mean that. The least we can do is crack open a little bit of ourselves in beyond-DIY posts like this from time to time (every once in a while we get the itch to overshare, like this and this along with our more recent J-Boom and $herdog posts). So lets get all sappy and share mom and dad quotes in the comments. Or any other older and wiser family member who said something while you were growing up that rings oh so true to you. My mom was also famous for saying “always wear nice underwear in case you end up in the emergency room” throughout my formative years. And let me tell you, she was right on the money about that too. It’s waaaaaaaay too embarrassing to go into, but I didn’t follow her advice and I royally regretted it. There were Care Bears involved. And I was 21. And I don’t think the doc grasped the concept of ironic underwear. I’ll leave the rest up to your imagination.
Update – Some of the most frequent requests that we get are for info about professionally blogging (how we made our site, how we grew our following, how we make money, etc) so we shared all of the details about how we started a blog, grew our traffic, and turned it into a full time job.
Susanna B. says
I think you guys do a fantastic job with this blog! It is such an inspiration to read it. Even if I don’t do many of the projects myself, it just such a motivator and happy place to come visit. I don’t understand why any negative reader not just skip your blog if they don’t like what they see. Keep up the good work and I can’t wait to see how that kitchen will turn out.
Laura says
I love your blog! Seriously, I’ve been reading it regularly since becoming a first-time homeowner and I often consult YHL before beginning a project… and I was never a DIYer or even much of a decorator, but you always seem to make things so doable for the average person. I mean, let’s be real… I won’t be gutting my kitchen any time soon (when I read those posts, I’m thinking, “more power to you… I’ll hire someone to do that” :-), but painting a bookshelf, making fun things with wine corks and re-producing your version of the map-with-pins-on-places-we’ve-been makes me believe I can do this! I’m even venturing into curtains (never had curtains in my life… this is a big step) thanks to you guys! Thank you for being so honest and so funny and so real. I can’t wait to own your book and buy it for all of my friends!
ps. Thanks for “introducing” me to Katie Bower… I love her blog now too!!
NatalieM. says
ok put down or swallow any beverage. wouldn’t want you to spit it out on the money maker (laptop)
My 75 year old grandma has always made a point to remind me that “The pull out method does not work”
and the best was in the middle of my wedding dress fitting. Just her and I in the open air Davids Bridal dressing room. I am bending down to the get in my dress…”Nat, do you have any questions about Sex?”
Hope that brought you the same smile those memories always bring me :)
YoungHouseLove says
Hahaha, I love that you painted a picture of yourself in the open-air Davids Bridal dressing room. That’s good stuff.
xo,
s
Robyn says
I’ve been reading your blog from about 3 years. You are an inpsiring couple & you have so much drive to complete fun, inexpensive, unique projects that it gets me off my fanny to try new things I never thought I could do. You are doing everything right, keep fighting the good fight! :)
Laura says
Who said: The surest way to please no one is to try to please everyone? I can’t recall, but it sounds super smart and is definitely applicable.
Carry on! Clearly “you” is working. :)
And I also wish I had your advice on how to put together a good nursery. And whether or not cloth diapers are really worth it. But I’ve already read and loved that post.
Happy day to you!
YoungHouseLove says
If it helps, we’re still using the same dozen cloth diapers we’ve been using since we got them almost two years ago and we love them!
xo,
s
Janice says
(( ))
A while back, the darling Ashley, at Under the Sycamore, wrote a post about commenters – and how some will tell her what to write. Crazy. It’s her blog, she can write whatever she wants. Just like you guys can. The reader has the choice to read or not. Seems easy, but maybe not always. I suspect some of the comments come from feeling like the reader knows you, and in a way we do, and responds like they might to a friend in real life. Not meant in a mean way, just part of a conversation. But there is no need to be mean.
You trust your readers with so much. It’s a very interesting concept, this idea of people sharing their lives with total strangers. But you know, 99.9% of people are just regular, decent people. That trust you give us is why we might send you a link to Facebook album with a striped sock monkey, and open it for a time for you to view it. We trust you. And you trust us to be regular decent people who will do the right thing by knowing so much about you.
It’s an oldie but a goodie, but like my Mom says “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.” Sometimes easier said than done, but always good to remember.
Keep up the great work.
Sarah says
I LOVE your blog! And that advice from your mom is the best ever…and one I am trying to instill in my children. Kindness goes a LONG way:) Have a great weekend!
Mel says
So first, I want to say WHAAAA? Comparing the paint chips to tampon wrappers? THAT is tacky, my friend. I thought the paint chips were awesome because a) they’re frugal and b) they’re so YOU! I thought, “How appropriate!” and envied your decorating (as we’re not holiday decorators at all.)
Second, this blog made me think of another blog, by one of my favorite authors, Neil Gaiman. It’s about entitlement of fans vs. writers, and he basically said (forgive the language) a writer “is not your bitch.” I thought you might like to read his perspective, so here is the link!
http://journal.neilgaiman.com/2009/05/entitlement-issues.html
Every time I now hear of someone complaining that someone is doing not enough/too much/whatever and people are doing it for fun because they want to (like writers of books) then I always remember this quote. “George R. R. Martin [the writer Neil references] is not your bitch.” Heck, I say it even when not talking about George R. R. Martin. :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- too funny.
xo,
s
Jane says
Ok, this is seriously awesome. “A writer is not your b!tch.” I feel like that needs to be a poster or something.
Renee says
This reminds me of a something sci-fi author Robert A. Heinlein wrote about writing…paraphrasing here….”Everyone thinks they can be a writer, but no one says, “I think I can be a Brain Surgeon.”
Writing (and being good at it) is harder than it seems!
I tell people about YHL all the time. (I’m a hairstylist) It’s my first ‘go to’ blog I read…along with that first cup of coffee.
And, I love the Burger and Clara stories.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Renee!
xo,
s
Julie says
I bookmarked your site years ago when I fell in love with your wedding ideas!! Do what you do!! I love it all!!!
Rebecca says
Keep up the good work. I check on ya every morning and you brighten my day- I live vicariously through you since I’m home w/ 4 kids under the age of 5 (the most recent being twins…..) and as an Interior Designer (whose not working in my field right now)… it’s amazing to see what you two are up to. Keep it up!
Susanna B. says
You guys are awesome! And the blogg is such eye candy! I get so inspired and motivated here. If a reader don’t like what they see, they can go somewhere else. It is a choice after all. Can’t wait to see how your kitchen will turn out. TGIF!
HeatherK says
Oh Sherry, I just adore you! I love your blog and your sense of style and your adorable little family and absolutely everything about your house! I find myself drawn to things that are similar to yours and I always think, “oh yes, just like yhl!” Honestly, you are the best!
Nora says
Fact, it feels like reading a friend’s blog when I read YHL. You guys are just so relatable.
Oh man, I went to the ER on sunday, and I was totally trying to pick my best pair of underwear. I kept throwing pairs back in the drawer for not meeting my ER standards.
Side note: did you netflix Homeland, or watch it somewhere else?
YoungHouseLove says
Yes! Netflix! So good. Watched the whole thing in record time.
xo,
s
Erica says
thanks for the post! i had someone in the elevator yesterday overhear my conversation with a co-worker about me choosing to leave my job to be a stay at home mom, and this woman i had never met before proceeded to go on about “how could i do that?!” and didn’t i know it would “ruin” my career if i didn’t work at least 50% time. it’s amazing how quickly people judge situations and people whom they do not know. reminds me of one of my all time favorite quotes (from a league of their own): “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard… is what makes it great.”
YoungHouseLove says
Great quote! And what a crazy elevator experience. Hope it rolled right off your back!
xo,
s
Jennifer says
This is just so nice – perfect for a Friday! :)
I loved this because it definitely applies to more than just blogging. I don’t have a blog, but I know that keeping “do everything with love” in the forefront of my mind will help in some of my *ahem* more frustrating encounters with people.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful advice. It’s clear what a wonderful person you are.
Lauryn says
Jared knows not to tell me to chill, or to slow my roll. Haha, yes! He said that me once! I *politely* told him that was a bad idea. :-)
Rachei says
This saying is so true,”If you can’t say something nice do not say anything at all!” I love your blog and I am happy that I found it over a year ago. You have both inspired me to do DIY projects, re-purpose, save money, inspire me, lead me to pinterest:) Thank you.
Shannon Baker says
Well said. I don’t think I’ll ever understand why people leave hateful comments on a personal blogs. I guess those people must be living sad lives, you know… misery loves company. Oh well. Keep up the good work- your blog is fantastic!
Mary says
Dear Sherry (and John),
Thank you so much for sharing. You probably get this all the time but, seriously, I think we would be besties if we knew each other. I downright love your personalities. Quirky, goofy, creative, big-hearted, sincere, real, and totally inclined to doing something awkward in public (Sherry’s Target story–I have done that…more than once, oops!). Though my decorating style is a little different than yours, you guys inspire me just in the way you go about dreaming up and executing your projects. Not to mention the occassional, “here’s the real me/us” posts. You gave me the courage to write this on my blog a while back:
http://mkdesigndecor.blogspot.com/2011/10/most-interesting-person-i-talk-to.html
No, this is not shameless self-promotion, I promise! Just a little proof of the far and wide waves you are making the blogworld!
Sincerely,
Mary
YoungHouseLove says
Hahah, I love it!
xo,
s
sarah says
holy crap,me, too about the underwear!!! i always heard “make sure you are wearing clean underwear!” growing up and one day I ended up in the E.R. in not the best pair and my best friend who drove me was howling in the corner (still best friends, though!) while I changed into the hospital gown. To this day I get rid of any pair of ‘roos that show the least sign of getting ratty!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh man, there was a witness with you. Too funny.
xo,
s
Colleen says
Well said, well said. Cheers!
Courtney says
I have said this before in your comments section and I will say it again.. you’re blog is like a big slice of home (RVA). I hate that I moved away but no jobs to be found after graduating from VCU. I check your blog multiple times a day for new posts because you all constantly make me smile (cheesy puns and all). Please don’t ever stop blogging! My sister is using your wedding info as she plans her wedding. My mom reads every day because she loves to paint as much as Sherry does.
I wonder how many people thank you for what you do? My guess would be a lot. So thank you- from the bottom of my born and bred Richmond heart!
PS. I read the nest comments and I think people who don’t understand your blog or who don’t care for it are one of two things- jealous because what you have all have done in terms of making a career out of blogging and the book deal, its nothing short of spectacular and inspiring. Or two they aren’t positive people- you all are more than positive- I don’t ever detected one shred of synicism or negativity. And from one positive person to another- Thank goodness I’m not the only one!
Molly says
I have two favorites quotes:
1. “Find something you love to do and you’ll never work a day in your life.” I try to live my life that way and it appears you guys do that same. It makes you feel so good when you get up in the morning. Isn’t that what life’s all about? To heck with the rest of ’em!
2. “It’s nice to be important, but it’s important to be nice.” I came across this one yesterday, believe it or not, and pretty much yelled out “SO TRUE!” when I read it.
And as a bonus for $herdog…
“A woman is like a tea bag: You never know her strength until you drop her in hot water.” – Nancy Reagan
Makes me want to raise my womanly fist high in the air :-)
YoungHouseLove says
So true, all of it! I love it. Picture me raising my womanly tea bag fist in the air! Haha.
xo,
s
Clarissa says
Great post (as usual). You guys definitely have a fan in me and I’m 99% sure that my wall and trim color choices were influenced from reading about your DIY and decorating adventures. “Keep on keeping on” is a great piece of advice. It’s the same phrase one of my relatives and I always use to sign off on emails to one another b/c they are battling cancer at the moment and we like to always end on a positive message. And so what…your undies happened to do the Care Bear Stare. I see nostalgia t-shirts everywhere nowadays b/c it’s trendy…so at 21 — you were starting the trend or at least being purposefully ironic. It’s better than being in the emergency room and your doctor finding out you have on Thursday underwear and it’s a Sunday right? Didn’t happen to me, just saying… :)
Anna says
Oh Sherry! Great advice. Especially the part of doing everything with love. It does make a difference when you don’t get defensive in response! One of my favourite mum quotes (which hundreds and hundreds of students of mine have had drummed into them….): “The word CAN’T never did anything for anybody, You CAN do it, Never stop trying” – it’s at the point that if anyone says ‘can’t’ the rest of my students respond with the quote. My mum had permanent markered on a whiteboard in our kitchen growing up.
Melissa Dale says
Love this post! Am not a blogger but I am a blog reader, stalker, whatever you want to call it! I especially love what you said about doing everything with love. It is true that when you act with love and kindness, it changes the way you feel about others and the things that they do/say. I love how positive you both are and to me, that is my inspiration when I visit your blog. You are amazing and so wise and thank you for standing up for what you truly believe in!
Best,
Melissa Dale
Megan says
I would like to say that I am soo jealous of your giant rug (just saw it in the pic above). We have a giant sectional and need a bigger rug. Not in the budget and I don’t know if I could ever pick, because if we spend the money I will be stuck with it for a while and I change my mind A LOT! I would like to be fun, but what if I get sick of it?
YoungHouseLove says
It took us a while to find the perfect rug, and every time I saw one we *almost* wanted we passed. We literally waited until we found something we were soooooo intensely convinced that we loved for us to pull the trigger- and even they we were nervous until it arrived! It also helps to tape out the size on the floor to see if it works beforehand. That can give you more confidence or help save you the trouble of buying something too big/small. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
JennP says
This is a great post, and touches on one of the things that troubles me most about the Internet… for some people, hiding behind a computer screen is an excuse to abandon everything they know about manners and common decency!
Nobody would walk into a friend’s house and criticize their drapes, a meal that they served, their grammar etc, but people mindlessly comment negative things on blogs. You’d never walk up to a person and tell them that they were overweight or had the worst plastic surgery you’d ever seen, but it’s somehow okay when you’re online commenting about celebs!
Just keep doin’ your thang! Its working for you. If you’re not getting some criticism, then you’re probably not doing it right!
Sarah says
This is why I read this blog…your honesty and positive attitude is so refreshing! Thank you!
Heather Adams says
I’m moving from South Korea back to the USA in 29 short days, and your blog has given me so many ideas for how to make my new place feel homey. Thanks for all your hard work, advice, and inspiration. :)
(My mom also said that being kind is the best thing you can do, and it’s certainly the best compliment you can be given. So, I think you guys seem very kind!)
Sandy says
My favorite one lately is “comparison is the thief of joy.” I wonder if all those “haters” really are just commenting from a position of scarcity. Worried that if you guys are rocking it that means there is a little less fame, energy, good will(whatever they are looking for) for them. Awesome post! Keep up the amazing work you guys do!
Tiffany T. says
I love all your posts..I admire you honesty and courage and down to earthness?.. I worked at the Juvenile Court for a long time and realized that everything really does happen for a reason, as far a people go. It does not condone their actions but maybe if everyone understood that a million things go into how a person is, it would be easier to show compassion. I met some really messed up kids and every.single.time. it was because of, either chemicals in the brain or how they were raised or even drug abuse (so always a reason). It’s not always easy to show kindness and it takes true strength. I admire anyone with that strength and you guys have got it!
Dona says
Thanks for sharing this…. I’ve been considering a blog and have been inspired by your website. Now I am inspired even further…. you just addressed all the things that could have derailed me if I didn’t see this post. I am going to print this out. It’s like the Lord has put you in my path with the right message I needed to move forward. Wish me luck!
YoungHouseLove says
Luck, luck, luck!
xo,
s
Gavin S. says
I’m so very proud of y’all!
P.S. Snort laughing about the Care Bears over here. Hi-larious.
Shelley says
One of the things I appreciate most about your blog is that you guys keep it on the up and up and so positive…you never let it become a negative breeding ground. Thanks for sharing how you manage to do that – excellent, wise words. It’s the main part of blogging that I don’t know if I have thick enough skin for.
One of the other things I appreciate most about you guys is word strings like “ironic underwear”.
Joy says
I very rarely comment but have found your blog immensely helpful in tackling our home projects. We bought a house that was in pretty rough condition and spent the entire first year fixing up one thing after another. I don’t think there was anything we did where we didn’t reference your blog at some point–it’s super thorough and covers all the bases and is especially useful for old houses like ours. So thank you and please know that for every one nasty comment (and even for every one good comment) there are dozens more people clicking through and appreciating your hard work!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Joy! So glad to help!
xo,
s
Tara H says
I too am a frequent reader and infrequent commenter. I love the anonymity (did I spell that right? I’m as good a speller as John, haha) of reading blogs, and this one is a good one. I don’t like hateful people, but you all are right, maybe they are having a bad day. Even though I don’t L.O.V.E all your ideas, I think you are good people with great hearts that share their lives with others. Most people don’t share a thing. I also thinks it’s weird when people think it’s okay to share that they don’t like something you did. Who cares. Obviously, you guys don’t care if people don’t like your ideas. Good lessons to live by, not just blog by. Keep doing what your doing. You’re blog is fun to read. :)
Emily V. says
I came to work feeling crappy. You guys put a smile on my face. Thank you..
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, so glad.
xo,
s
Amie says
You guys are awesome. These are great words of encouragement, and helpful hints for positivity to deal with things outside of blogging realm.
From now on I will be spamming your comments with awesomeness, to outweigh the poo-sayers.
Keep being cool, by not being cool, and loving it.
Laurie Sturtevant says
Gosh… I just tried to comment and got booted. You have so many readers who love you guys we’re all trying to post at the same time.
I have been reading your blog since I bought my first house 2 years ago. You have inspired me. My family members look forward to coming to see what I have done lately and it is all because of you.
I always check the clock at 10AM because I know it is YOUNGHOUSELOVE time!
I drove all the way to Richmond from PG County MD to go to Garden Ridge to get some chairs after reading about them on your blog. (Too bad I didn’t get to see you there!).
Remember there are a bazillion of us who love you guys and don’t always post. Not having any children of my own, it is fun to watch Clara grow up with Burger. Keep your chins up and know that you are a great influence on many silent readers.
Lindsay B says
What a great post! I’ve noticed how graciously you’ve responded to some negative comments, and every time I see that, it reminds me to always treat others with kindness no matter what. You guys are such an inspiration in so many ways. Have a great weekend!
And seriously, who would want LESS Clara and Burger? Craziness, I tell ya!
Lynne says
Hi YHL. I’ve been reading your blog religiously for over a year and I LOVE it. But I’ve never felt the need to comment before and it’s only the second time you’ve made me cry (the other was Clara’s birth story). Just know that you touch the lives of MOST of your thousands of readers and today’s post is especially lovely for all of us small bloggers that needed to know that we’re not alone in getting negative feedback occasionally. Like so many others have already said, who knows why they bother? Turning the other cheek is my attitude too but it’s not easy. I do feel sorry for people who do it and I hope anyone who reads your post and has ever done so realises the pain they cause and vows to just keep their opinions to themselves. Well done and keep up the good work. Lynne (in Scotland btw).
Katie says
Great attitude! Fantastic advice, as ALWAYS!
Kim says
You guys rock. Period. Amen. Keep it up :)
danielle c says
It’s funny you wrote about this. Sometime last week I posted the first negative comment about your blog, nothing big, just stating my opinion. But after posting several positive comments, this one negative one was the first to receive feedback from you.
YoungHouseLove says
I personally do my best to respond to any and all questions (of which we get quite a few) although I can’t respond to every positive comment that isn’t a question – as much as I’d like to! I also try to respond to negative comments because it seems weird and dismissive to ignore those – which is definitely not how I’d like to come off. But know that positive comments don’t go unnoticed and truly make our day every day! Hope that makes sense.
xo,
s
Kristen Baird says
Great post, and very encouraging, thanks for the authenticity-and all the love. ;)
Ashley says
And THIS is just another example of why I love you guys. All of these tips are great to remember for all aspects of your life not just blogging. What usually gets me down are all the Negative Nancys out there so the reminder to “Do Everything With Love” should keep me from turning into a lemming of complaints and negativity.
I don’t remember her ever actually saying the phrase, but I think my mom always hoped I would “Kill ’em with kindness” when I would routinely tell her about the mean things people would say/do to me or someone else in school.
Bethany says
Awesome. Thanks for the inspiration. I feel like the older I get, the more I “get” those cheesy one-liners from mom and dad. They are so true. Lately, I tell myself that I just never know what someone else is dealing with behind the scenes in life, and if I did know, i would probably be as nice as I possibly could.
Since we all have our kleenex boxes out today, I started reading your blog a couple years ago at a time when I was going through some big challenges. I knew I always had about 10 minutes of happy when I checked your blog in the morning, and it shone sunshine on valleys on days where there was not a lot of sun shining. THANKS A MIL FOR YOUR BLOG! ~Bethany
Janae says
I have been a reader for a couple of years but rarely comment. You guys cant please everyone. I love the quirkiness
and you guys seem down to earth. keep keepin on…next post please. cant wait for the completed kitchen reveal. btw would love for you guys to come back to savannah..I read somewhere in your achrives you guys had visited before I became a reader
Lisa says
I can say 100% that 99% of your readers are awesome for loving your blob and 1% are yellow-eyed monsters eating peanut butter and JELLY sandwiches.
Lisa says
“Blog.” Ugh. I hate myself for internet typing errors.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- no worries, I knew what you meant!
xo,
s
Tiffany T. says
ahahah Jelly… get it folks.. Jelly ahhah you know like jealous… boom! Oh man that cracked me up so hard just now!