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.
Kathy says
This is all great life advice for all of us, even if we aren’t bloggers! Thank you! :)
Christie says
Me and the hubby are coming to see you guys at the improv show tonight! So pumped. I’ll be the crazy lady showing you pictures of our gallery wall on my cell phone. :-)
YoungHouseLove says
Bwahaha. I’ll be the red-faced girl trying to hide behind her hubby.
xo,
s
Theresa says
I think your mom’s advice is great, as well as your general blogging philosophy. YHL is my MOST favorite blog to read and I love your honesty in this post. In the words of Kevin Gnapoor (circa Mean Girls), “Don’t let the hataz stop you from doin’ ya thang!” Yea, I went there…:)
Rachel says
Well, considering that I quote you on an almost daily basis – as in “Sherry and John said…” or “YHL said this paint was best…” or “YHL did it…why can’t we?” – I feel like I know you. Obviously, I don’t and I’m not some strange stalker. But you have a wonderful ability to relate to all types of people and make them feel a part of your life. Keep doing what you’re doing! You make my day a little better to read your posts (and then go annoy my husband with “Sherry said…”) :)
Kelly says
I’m a first-time commenter, but a long-time follower of your blog. I just have to give you an “AMEN.” Love this post and love that you are real people. I don’t know about anyone else, but that’s what I want to see when I read a blog. I like knowing that it takes other people a good amount of time/sweat/worry/hard work to get projects done in their homes. I like seeing that you–like me–aren’t perfect. I like seeing what you do in your home and I know that it’s YOUR HOME. You have your own taste and style and I love that you stay true to that. I follow the same rules in my home. I have to live there, so I do what makes me happy. And if that means spray painting strange ceramic items or hanging up art from the 1970s, I’ll do it. Keep up the great work. Keep being real. I don’t even know you, but it makes me proud.
Whitney says
Thank you so much for this post! I almost wrote to ask your advice on this exact topic a few months ago when I had a serial mean commenter. It happened at the worst possible time and it really got to me. I know that it’s something that every blogger goes through, but it’s nice to hear it! XO
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, so glad to help Whitney! I remember your letter and hope it has gotten better!
xo,
s
Ktisten says
What a wonderful post!
My mom told me something similar to what your mom said – Never go out without a bra just in case you get into an accident. For some reason, that one stuck with me and I always put one on, even when its really early in the morning and I am taking the dog out with two sweatshirts and a huge jacket on. I just picture myself falling on the ice and ending up in the ER and that’s definitely enough motivation to put one on.
Love your blog and look forward to reading every day!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- that’s also great advice as I was once caught braless on a cold day by a UPS guy. Awkwaaaaaaard. Kept my arms crossed the whole time. Even while signing the slip. Must have looked crazy. Haha.
xo,
s
tamrah ryan says
Great post! It’s one of my most favorite things in the world when people are real and transparent. You guys sure do keep it real. I love it.
By the way, I was off shopping clearance the other day and I saw John’s doppelganger. Either that or you are visiting Minnesota. I almost walked up to him to ask if I could take a photo but that might have been a little aaaawkward. I actually did that once to a guy who had a haircut I thought my husband would look good in. Let’s just say it was more than a little awkward but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.
Anyway, love you guys. Keep on doing what you’re doing because you rock.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha we would have loved to see that pic!
xo,
s
Michelle says
Great post! I can understand people not liking particular personal design choices (we’re all different), or preferring more or less of something (maybe if tons of people said “I really miss X” you’d want to bring back X?).. But when it comes to sitting around on another website trashing blogs like they do on the Nest? Disgusting. Do those people seriously have nothing better to do? You’re right about the love thing. There must be something seriously lacking in their lives if they think that behavior is ok. Not everyone is going to love your decisions, and not everyone is going to love your blog, but there is no excuse for having a trashfest. Eesh.
On the bright side, your numbers clearly show that way more people love your blog (including me), than hate it :-)
Leslie says
Great job as always. Love your quirky family and your blog. You are an inspiration and you truly can’t please everyone all the time, so I’m glad you aren’t trying. Great advice, keep it all up! :)
Gwenalyn says
If this were Facebook, I would click the like button. Great advice, $herdog!
Kelli@becomingkelli says
Well said! Also, your choice of the Clara/rocking chair pic to demonstrate true relaxation could not have been any better if it was wrapped in deep fried bacon.
Amy says
I heart your blog just the way it is, because it’s real, and every little project, big project, burger post, clara video make the whole cake, icing, and sprinkles too!
In any case along with me, there are a lot of everyday YHL readers that adore you guys and got your backs! Go on with your quirky, DIY, inspiring, badass selves!
Happy Friday!
Kelli@becomingkelli says
I changed my mind. It would have been better with deep fried bacon, but not by a whole lot, because it’s already dang good!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, understandable.
xo,
s
Mamaw03T says
I don’t remember how I happened on your blog, but I hugely admire that you and John ditched your careers to stay home and do what you love. That’s something I always wanted to do, but too afraid to attempt. You two are the bravest people I know. And to open up your home, your lives to us, your faithful audience, Bless You! You’re refreshing, you give me sunshine on days that I don’t feel like picking my head up off of the pillow. I even ck on weekends just to make sure I don’t miss anything (and yes, I know you don’t post on weekends!). I thought your paint chip ornaments were clever! Brilliant! Thank you for what you do and for letting us be a part of it.
Frannie says
I love you even more now! :) Seriously, yours is the ONLY blog I check everyday and I love blogs. You guys are fabulous and I love the peek into your every day life, it is a nice little break in my day. I’ve got a full time job and a sweet hubby and a fixer upper home and a little girl so I feel so much in the same life situation. You rock.
GreenInOC says
Tampon wrappers as Christmas ornaments – genius! I’ll be saving all of mine for next year!!
Sometimes people suffer from “hoof IN mouth disease” and while they are trying to say something nice preceded by how they disagreed at first but then saw the result and how they love it (hello me!), and then it gets weird. I come back and read the comment later and think, “well, that was quite douchy, stupid you!”. Just sayin’ that your forgiving attitude is especially appreciated in those awkward comment moments!
I know your “being you” is what keeps me coming back and being inspired!
Kristin says
Well, this isn’t a parent quote but something I saw hanging on the wall of the DMV while waiting in line when I was in HS (hey, that wait can be good for something!). “No one needs a smile so much as he who has none to give.” I used it as my quote in the yearbook my senior year, and it is still one of my alltime favorite quotes. And totally ties in with your message of do all things in love. :)
YoungHouseLove says
I love it! So true.
xo,
s
candace says
I’m a huge huge *huge* fan of your blog, your beautiful family, your creativity, your hard work, your thoroughness, your passion, your drive! I’m sometimes so inspired by your projects and posts, that it overwhelms me!! Keep on keeping on – I’m rooting for you! I wish you continued success; you absolutely and undeniably deserve it. Banish those snarky comments from your mind and keep doing what you do!!
Trish says
I just started my blog in June, and I definitely struggle with the tone I use. See, I write about health and fitness, a much touchier subject than home improvement. Lots of emotions involved in weight-loss, weight-gain and lifestyle changes. I want to stay true to what I know and sometimes that means being a little tough. But, I don’t want to discourage or hurt feelings. Awhile back I wrote a post referencing some semi-anonymous people–nothing hurtful in my opinion–and found out later that people were gossiping and bad-mouthing me. After I got over my initial anger, I tried to look at what I wrote with different eyes and make sure I really didn’t say anything I should be ashamed of. And you know what? I stand by my opinion. Some people may not like it, but maybe that’s because it hits a little too close to home and calls out something they are unhappy about in the first place. Really it comes down to, if you don’t like me, or “get” me, I guess we wouldn’t make good friends anyway so why be upset?!
Sorry for the long comment. Love you guys!
Margie M says
As a 60ish year old lady who really enjoys your blog, keep up the good work and dont let comment’s by others lick the red off your candy!
Wendy - Old Town Home says
Thank you, thank you, thank you for today’s post! I absolutely take it personally every time has something negative to say about our blog, our projects, or choices we’ve made. And don’t even talk to me about how I feel when someone “unlikes” our Facebook page.
I realize when you have a blog, you’re making the decision to open up your home and yourself to compliments and criticism alike. But I’m not gonna lie, it hurt the team when someone commented on our Apartment Therapy tour that our kitchen curtains look more 1980s than 1880s. Ouch. And I may have even taken them down as a result. :-) Off to go grow thicker skin…
Thanks for the encouragement, and keep up the good work here!
Dina says
A bunch of people have already said it, but here it goes again – You. Guys. Rock.
Your level of success in the blogosphere is not unwarranted – people want to read about your projects. You write with humor and grammatical correctness, a refreshing combo. Your zest for life is infectious. I read your blog daily and my only complaint is that there aren’t more hours in the day for you guys to be able to post more for me to read. You’ve evolved over the years but haven’t lost the parts that make y’all y’all.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who read all of your wedding details with “what a great idea” running through my head. Then your first kitchen reno, recycled water, every other project and everything you shared personally (your birth story, especially), right up to your penny tile… It’s all been great, and thanks for doing it!
Don’t change a thing. Unless, of course, you feel like it. That’s cool, too.
Robin says
agreed
Amy says
Such a sweet post and I couldn’t agree more with everything. I actually think it translates so well to life and treating people with kindness even when they are unable to do so. It takes practice!
As an aside, I love the new rug in the living room!
Anne says
$herdog – Care Bears are Legen (wait for it) dary. Rock it.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha. My days of rocking those were over quickly thereafter said embarrassing event.
xo,
s
Kim@NewlyWoodwards says
This is a really awesome post. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. I certainly don’t get the quantity of comments you do, but I have definitely been stung by a stray hurtful comment. (And it seems like they are usually anonymous.) I try to tell myself that it is probably not at all about me. It’s about the other person. Maybe she is sad, jealous or just plain mean. If I pity the person, I usually don’t feel as hurt by the comment. =)
Sherry from BC says
oh my….I guess I was a bit shocked by this but I shouldn’t be surprised…..I hope I have never left a comment that hurt. I love your blog. Your choices are not my choices but they expand my horizons even when I don’t “like” them. I love your tutorials and explanations and your devil may care attitude. I learn a lot hear and it has reinforced that I should just try something and if I don’t like the finished project then tweak it till I do like it. I love your writing style. So much fun to read. My one criticism is that I suffer withdrawal on the weekends when there are no new posts. Take that $herdog…..(I don’t really expect you to do anything about this complaint but it is my main criticism of this blog…..or a backhanded compliment – take it as you will) Keep on keeping on……your blog is a bright spot in my day.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Sherry! Your comments are always so sweet!
xo,
s
Abby says
Do you work 7 days a week? Then why would your complaint/criticism be that they do not post on weekends? I think everyone deserves some time with their families, away from work.
Juls says
I’m positively stunned anyone would leave negative comments here.
I am head over heels in love with Clara and Burger, and you two are so adorable. I suspect everyone wants to be you.
My life is one big garbage dump. I’m a hoarder (if the people on those shows are 10s, then I’m a 7), I am often depressed, sometimes even suicidal, I’m in the process of watching my mom slip into dementia and having to face the worst decision a child has to make.
The brightest spot in my day is reading your blog. Even for five minutes, I can escape to a place of joy and forget my own misery. Sometimes I’ve shed tears (good ones) over the ridiculous cuteness of Clara and Burger. And the two of you are just the right amount of dork plus fun, articulate writing.
And the projects just sing! Many of them aren’t my taste, but who cares? They’re fun, you’re fun, and if your blog didn’t already have a name, I’d say call it the Big Blog O’ Joy.
As soon as I can get things settled in my life (mostly my mom issues), I’m going to copy your built-in refrigerator cabinet. Everything else may suck, but I’m a woman with power tools and I know how to use them!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh Juls I love you and feel so much for your situation. Know we’re sending out good vibes from VA for you and your mom. And good luck with that refrigerator cabinet!
xo,
s
Clare says
Such a great post – and I have zero interest in blogging (I’m not even interesting enough for a twitter account, nevermind blogging). It’s super nice that you all try to be helpful in lots of ways – not only how to grout and pick out paint colors, but also how to blog, prioritize, budget, and really, show off your humility like a new haircut.
tip #4 is how i try to operate all the time. Angry drivers, pushy people on the Metro – I know I’ve had a few days when I’m not fun, so I assume that people have their own things going on and aren’t necessarily trying to be mean. Well, some are, but whatever – I’m not the nice police to begin with.
Best advice I ever got? 10 (?!?) years ago before I headed off to college, from my (17 months) older, wiser sister – “When meeting someone new, ask them questions about themselves. Everyone wants to talk about themselves and no one wants to hear about you.” Perhaps that gave me a complex, but it also helped me meet a lot of new people and have some fascinating conversations.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes I totally agree! My BFF in college taught me to be like that (she always asked everyone how they were doing, so much so that it threw us off- why is this girl from Iowa so nice?!) – she made me a better person.
xo,
s
Sandy says
I’m not a blogger, but I’m a teacher and I tell ya, that “Do everything with love” is such a life-changer when you think about it. You never know where people are coming from or what they’ve got going on in their lives, but if you stick with love (and caring and respect), you’re so much more likely to reach them. Thank you for this post…it’s always nice to be reminded. :)
Robin says
$herdog this post IS JUST RIGHT! It’s just enough. It’s not too much. It’s not too little (well yea I do get happy when I get a 3 post day but… lol) I LOVE your big and small projects. I love your Burger and Clara posts. I like when you feature others homes and projects, I like when it’s your own. I love that it’s always you and from what I see uncensored! Good for you!
Allison says
Much love to you guys! You inspire me all the time!
Jaime says
What a kind post, so full of gratitude. I read your blog every day and don’t usually have much to say, but it’s always nice to be acknowledged and appreciated as a fan. I read a blog the other day where the author felt she didn’t “owe” her readers anything. And on that note, I stopped reading.
Elaine says
This is a wonderful post Sherry (like all of them in my humble opinino) and amazingly invaluable insight. Great ‘life lessons’ here and thanks so much for sharing. You guys are the best :) xo.
shereen says
This is my happy place, and I love you guys “just as you are”.
p.s. you are $herdog in my book – I kinda wished that name would stick for me (Shereen), but it hasn’t.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks! From one $herdog to another. Haha.
xo,
s
Ashley says
I’m a frequent YHL blog stalker, but I rarely comment… I just love reading through everything you guys are doing around the house.
This blog post compelled me to respond though, because I just wanted to add to the number of good comments out there…. so hopefully when you get 10,849 good comments and 1 mean one, that would make like 99.99991 people who love what you do! That’s basically 100% nice comments, right? (:
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, you’re sweet Ashley. You guys all are. I’m telling you, we have the best reader ever!
xo,
s
Jessica @ Quirky Bookworm says
Thanks for the tips! Maybe someday if my blog gets big and famous, I’ll put some of them to use. :)
As for your blog – love it! I started reading in fall 2009 while I was pregnant…and actually worked my way back through the archives click by click, so I’ve read them all! Admittedly some didn’t interest me, but it’s really not hard to skim something and click on by. I just don’t understand people who’d take the time to leave a negative comment or send a negative email! Obviously they have too much free time and should be out reupholstering or something.
Casey says
Wow, thank you for this post! I just started blogging & filming youtube videos and I am dreading the day that I get my first negative comment. Luckily it hasn’t happened yet but I haven’t even been blogging/youtubing (is youtubing a word? If it isn’t I’m making it one now, haha) for a month yet so there is definitely still time.
And, OMG, 5 million hits A MONTH?! I was excited that 26 days into my blogging I’ve hit 600, haha! You guys have definitely inspired me to write more and, as you say, “do everything with love.”
Eileen Gallagher says
$herdog, this is such a lovely post and really are the tips you need to live a quality life: be yourself, focus on the positive not the negative, and let love rule. (Now I am hearing Lenny Kravitz in my head.) I don’t often post, but I read your blog regligiously every day and discuss stuff with one of my friends who is also a reader. And I just plain love it!
My mom has LOTS of words of wisdom that she is willing to share with anyone, but one that always stands out is “You will never get this day again – once it is done, it is done and it is up to you to decide how you will use it” – it serves as a good reminder that life is short and there are no do-overs – be the best you can each day.
YoungHouseLove says
Such a great quote!
xo,
s
Lu Ann says
Don’t change a thing! Love your blog and who you “are”!
Ammie says
I shouldn’t have, but I went to the Nest to look for these snarky people. I couldn’t believe these people!! Good for you for letting that type of junk just roll of your backs – it’s admirable that you can keep such a positive attitude with all that out there. I just imagine that these mean people didn’t have moms there to tell them things like ‘be kind’ or ‘if you don’t have anything nice to say…’ and that makes me feel pity for them. You guys rock – keep it up!
Care says
Good words of advice!
You had me cracking up at the “relax” thing! My husband also has that on his “never say to me list”. I don’t normally get too riled up, but for some reason being told to relax is so annoying ( read infuriating ) haha!!
Heather says
I needed this today. I just got an email from someone who didn’t like a review of a restaurant I wrote and ripped me to shreds about how I’m jealous and I don’t have my own bakery, so I have to tear other people down and blah blah blah. Am I not allowed to not like a cupcake??? Geez.
It’s hard sometimes, but you’re right. You have to please yourself with what you write and do. And you guys especially have to please yourselves, because you’re not blogging about food, you’re blogging about the transformation you’re making to your home. You have to make decisions that you like, and that make you happy. Homes are a very personal thing.
I for one love your blog. I don’t love all of your design choices (i.e. the horse canvases), but I love your enthusiasm, I love your overall style, I love the Burger & clara posts. You may not make every reader happy, but you’ve made this one very happy. Getting a notification in my reader every morning of a new post from you always brings a smile to my face.
Keep up the great job! You have a beautiful home, a beautiful family, a thriving blog and a book deal coming out. Ignore all of the negative haters,
Tae says
what an encouraging post! thank you :)
val says
LOVE your blog, you guys, your projects, your colors, your philosophy, Clara and Burger, and your success! congratulations to you on everything. Really, i think it and you all are fabulous. Tune out the snarky comments, “they’re just jealous”, as my mom used to say. Keep up the great work!
Sara says
I’m guilty of leaving more “negative” comments than positive ones – though I don’t think I’ve said anything I wouldn’t tell you to your face. I just feel like my [hopefully] constructive criticism adds more to the conversation than a constant stream of “I love this!!!”. But I *do* love 99.9% of the stuff that you guys do. You amaze me, inspire me, and make me laugh. If I could only keep one blog in my reader, it’d be yours! And I’m not even that passionate about decorating my own house. I just think you’re great people and I enjoy that you let me come along for the ride. Thank you so much!
Nichole C says
It’s so great you posted this! It is ridiculous how people would critisize or suggest changes to your blog – it’s great the way it is! That would be like saying, “You would be great if you weren’t so…you…”
Keep up the awesomely awkward work! :D
Amber says
Your blog is my favorite and whenever I scan through comments I’m surprised people take the time to be negative. Thank you for sharing with all of us. You inspire me to try new things and work to make my house mine. I also appreciate the reminder that it’s ok that my home isn’t “done” even after 3 1/2 years of living there. It’s a work in progress :)
My dad always said “Life’s not fair, get used to it”. As a kid it seemed harsh but as an adult I think it’s some of the best advice I was given.
Annie says
Your message “Be who you are. That is enough.” is now on a post-it on my computer monitor. Thank you.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, you’re making me blush.
xo,
s
Nicki says
Nice post Sherry! I know there are people out there very comfortable with sharing their opinions, but it is still hard to believe some can be so thoughtless or maybe careless with their words. Tampon wrappers? C’mon! Doesn’t even make sense to me (well one cuz I have a big stash of paint chips myself and I love them).
I love your blog and how you write with honesty. Cheers to how you and John handle yourselves with the not so niceties. You guys are tops in my book :)