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.
Angela Wells says
Singing ” I love you just the way you are……”
Karen says
It feels great to be right about a hunch. You guys are just really nice people! Your little girl hit the jackpot in the parents department. From what I’ve seen on this “little” blog of yours, the two of you didn’t do too badly either. The motherly advice that came to my mind? “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” Keep up the great work!
P.S. Just dying to see your finished kitchen!
Jenna says
Thanks for the post! When I graduated from high school my church gave me a quilt and my mom had chosen the following quote to be embroidered on it: “in all that we do, let us do it with love”. I’ve always loved that message and it’s such an important reminder to give grace and love–even when it seems hard. You guys rock and thanks for continuing to do what you do and being you! (that was not only cheesy but also rhymed–I love it!).
YoungHouseLove says
Love that quote so much!
xo,
s
pendy says
Great post. No one reads my blog except me, really, so it’s not a problem I have. However, I do read a lot of blogs and it always bothers me when I see negative comments on them. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. So simple.
Oh, and my aunt always told us to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. I’ve found that to be awesome advice applicable to every situation life offers.
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, I love “love one another.” So true.
xo,
s
Meredith says
This is great advice to someone with a small (and what feels like seldom-read) blog. It’s so hard to put yourself out there and I admire how well you guys do just that every day in front of TONS of readers! Your “do everything with love” advice is my constant reminder that responding with kindness is always the best reaction… just for life in general.
Keep doing what you’re doing! If people don’t like it, no one is making them read!
Lola says
I have been a fan of your blog for a long time. And everything you’ve said here is so true. If you don’t like what you see or read, then just skip to the next website!
The problem with internet is that people have a screen to hide behind so cowardice and judgement run rampant. You guys seem sto have a pretty good handle on managing it though.
One questions though – with the influx of “blogging” being excepted as employment in our society – what’s your opinion on the inherent narcissism associated with it? Clearly you’ve made a choice to share your life with the world – but do you ever find yourself thinking…man, we spend our entire days just talking about ourselves. Would just be interested to hear your opinion on that perspective.
Cheers
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, I think it probably takes a “sharing spirit” to be a blogger – although I’d argue that not all bloggers are these super outgoing people who don’t mind putting everything out there (I have extreme stage fright but somehow sharing on the computer is a lot more comfortable for me). I do think some might say they like chronicling life in general which is what attracts them to it (we started our blog as an online DIY diary just for ourselves and close family members to watch things happen and remember all the moments along the way). We’re definitely talking about ourselves and our experiences but also sharing info that might help others too, so I think we just look at it like any job that deals with dispensing info in a personal way (ex: a columnist for a shelter magazine talking about her home life or a newspaper’s home editor trying out a new product and writing about their experience). Although we love that blogging a little more casual – and more forgiving of perfect grammar. Haha. I think our backgrounds in advertising probably come into play (we helped brands explain things/dispense info) and John even worked at his school’s “Info Desk” in college). So I think we must just like to chat and we honestly like to help people – so we think that including extra details and pics and videos may give someone else the courage to try something!
xo,
s
Kelly says
True all the way though. I especially love #4. Somewhere along the way in life, I also came to the realization that I don’t know what is going on in that other person’s life and that I should give them the benefit of the doubt even when they do something mean or inconsiderate. It really changed my outlook and made me more compassionate toward others. It also gives me peace, because I’m sending out love instead of anger or frustration at what other people are doing. You can’t control what other people do, but you can control your reaction to it and it makes a huge difference.
Courtney says
Thanks for the post…this advice transcends blogging and finds its way into everyday life!
My Sister and a I have a wedding planning business and really pour everything we have into it so when someone makes a snarky/rude comment it really stings to the core! In fact in a review one of the brides (Whom we did EVERYTHING for…including bussing their tables because they did not have the money to hire servers) called me personality – less. Now I tend not to agree and have decided that my humor must just be above her intellectual capabilities…it still really irked me!
Like most I tended to neglect all of the great reviews we had gotten and just fixated on the negative! All this to say, even when you are trying your very best and being the best You you have to offer someone will still find a reason to be disatisfied! So all you can do is keep doing you and believe that “you” is good enough….great even!
Melody says
So awesome. And so true. It made my Friday to read this. Haters are gonna hate… and haters are merely confused admirers anyway!
Love your blog. It’s my religion :)
Michelle says
You guys are great!!!!!!!!!!!!!Don’t chance a thing
Lesley AKA Artsy Forager says
What a wonderful post to read this morning! People are drawn to positive energy and it is this kind of genuineness that draws readers in and keeps them coming back to your blog year after year.
These are terrific words of wisdom for any blogger. Thanks for the continued inspiration!
Jen says
Hi, Sherry! Allow myself to introduce…myself. (Austin Powers quote) I’m one of those phantom readers who enjoy your blog (but rarely comment), but this post struck a chord with me. I really envy you, your husband and your blog for being incredibly courageous. Let me explain. It’s so easy to exist as an anonymous critic, but it really takes someone special and brave (like yourselves) to expose your home, your family and your creativity (which is pretty much like your soul) to the world. You’ve sacrificed so much (time, energy, etc.) to give us readers a gift. A gift to learn from your experiences. Whether an individual agrees or disagrees with your designs, it still pushes them one step closer to knowing what they want. I hope you give yourselves credit for this, and I hope you never change. Cyber hugs to you!
YoungHouseLove says
Bwahahaha, I use that Austin Power-ism all the time. Always makes me giggle. High fives.
xo,
s
Amber says
Thank you so much for this post. It made me grin and was so helpful as a blogger! You Petersiks ROCK!
Carrie says
Thank you for this post! I am not a blogger, but the rudeness/lack of tact even in the “real world” is sometimes astounding as well. I’ve had a difficult week getting (hopefully) well-intentioned “feedback” at work and this post is helpful for keeping that type of thing in perspective. Thanks, again! :)
Shauna says
…but if the tampon wrappers were CUTE then why not put them on the tree!? Haha. You guys are awesome.
Lisa P. says
I’m confused why anyone has anything negative to say. Who are these people? Let’s slap ’em with happy hands and see it that helps! Or maybe hug them, realllllly tight. Too tight. hehe.
Annemarie says
Well said, Sherry!
lisa says
love your blog. don’t know why people can be so mean to such a nice family like you guys….
this is not a negatice comment at all, but i was just thinking of this exact thing the otehr day while looking at yoru site…..i would like to see more comments that are not as positive on your posts to see how you come back and write a response…most of the time, we only get to see only positive, so it would be interesting to see some of the less positive get through, so that we can see how you respond, to help other bloggers out there when that happens to them. an interesting post could also be about how some of the negative comments affected your day/how you felt better and let it go, etc…
sorry, if my comment is sounding negative…not trying to sound that way at all…haha.
but, sometimes it’s good to read when other poeple aren’t too crazy about certain things you do/say, and how you handle it.
also, don’t you just delete the people who are mean, and not allow them to write next time if you keep track of their ip address? i saw that on another blog when she wrote about it?
lisa says
oops–so sorry for the bad spelling–typing fast. oops.:(
YoungHouseLove says
No worries! I knew what you meant!
xo,
s
YoungHouseLove says
We actually publish every single one of the less positive comments that you’re describing for all to see! So they’re there for you to find! Folks say they don’t like things all the time around here so I’m surprised you haven’t come across them yet! Haha. We probably just delete 1-2 comments a year because they’re just over the top (ex: your baby is ugly) but 99% of them stay! Hope it helps.
xo,
s
Briel K. says
Great advice! I don’t blog currently (I feel like my life isn’t interesting enough which probably means I need to inject a little bit of self-esteem and fun into it) but if I ever start I’d want to try to take a positive attitude like you guys do.
While I don’t always love what you guys do (though I’ve never hated anything) I always try to make my comments positive. Like “I may not like what you’ve done but I love that you love it!” or something.
BTW I love that you quoted Homeland. The first season was so good. Claire Danes was great! That last episode where she realizes she’s right just as she’s about to forget had me on edge. Can’t wait to see what they do next season!
Terisia says
In keeping with this topic, I must disagree that you guys are “just two people with a dog and a kid who happened to gain a following.” In my view you didn’t just happen to gain a following. You gained a following through hard work, consistent and good blogging with humor, good photos, and the personal touch that is you guys. Kudos to you!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks Terisia!
xo,
s
Kristin says
I cannot fathom how people can be so mean and negative in a comments section. If you don’t like something on a blog, don’t keep reading that darn blog! Anywho …
I loved your Christmas tree decor this year (and all the other short posts about small changes) because it shows people that you don’t have to spend a ton of money all the time to decorate your home.
You guys are able to live off of doing something that you enjoy and make your house a home at the same time so the haters can keep on hating while you guys stay positive and awesome!
Kitty says
You guys are brilliant, I have been coming to your blog and reading every post for gosh about 3 years now. What keeps me coming back is the fact you don’t take yourselves too seriously, you’re fun and you have such a great mix of posts.
Your blog has such a warm and fun personality to it and I’m really glad you’re able to get your heads around any criticism and keep the blog so very “you”.
Cathy says
Love love this blog post. And the rest too. :) It has become a daily routine for me to visit your blog. Sometimes I come back several times a day and get so giddy when there’s a new post. My sister lives in Richmond, so I get so excited everytime i visit her because there’s a chance I might run into one of you. Haha. It’s funny how reading your blog makes me feel like I’ve known you guys forever.
I started a blog a couple of years ago, but has since neglected it because it felt like such a chore to come up with something interesting to write about all the time. Now that I don’t blog anymore, I really miss it. Especially after having DIY’ed something…like building a nailhead trimmed headboard from scratch. Well, your post made me realize that I was blogging for others instead of for myself. And it might just be the kick I need to restart my blog again. Thanks for the inspiration, as always. Keep up the great work!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw, so glad! Happy blogging!
xo,
s
Lauren M says
I was wondering what the frick people would have to say negatively about you guys, so I searched for YHL on that Nest website, and took a minute to look at some of the comments.
Oh. My. Jebus. I CRACKED UP! Where do those type of people come from? Who are these people? I can’t imagine taking time out from my day to bash obviously well-meaning, nice people like you guys.
I suspect they are the same people that drive 45 mph on the left lane of the highway during rush hour. And leave raw chicken in the candy bar display at the check-out line in the grocery store when they decide at the last minute that they don’t want it anymore.
Courtney says
I’m also a frequent reader, but rarely ever a commenter. However, I’m constantly looking at what you guys do and thinking about if that’s something I could do in my house. Your kitchen renovation is actually what has inspired me to start my own kitchen renovation (albeit on a smaller scale). So, keep it up. Some of us aren’t extremely creative and like reading your blog to give us ideas, and more confidence to try DIYing ourselves. :-)
Carolynn F says
Well said!
Bethany says
My mom taught me to smile and say hello to every person I’ve ever met.
It wasn’t until recent years that I learned some people (even those you’ve met on numerous occasions) don’t respond to eye contact, a smile, and a friendly greeting.
But I do it anyway. ;)
Elizabeth says
I seriously love you guys. I am ashamed to admit I actually went over to that website and looked at some of the not so nice things people were saying about your blog. What is wrong with people? I always wonder who these people are that leave nasty comments. I think people forget sometimes that your blog isn’t an episode of HGTV. You guys put a lot of hard work into your renos and your blog, and I love reading all of your posts about every project (big or small)! That is just my two cents. Love from Canada!
Kayle says
I love reading your blog every day…it’s on my to-do list at work:) It doesn’t help that my dog Atticus looks JUST LIKE Burger! They even act the same when you describe things he does…they are long lost brothers for sure! Keep up the good work!
KimB says
I’m so glad you guys keep it real. Sometimes I start to follow a blog and then I fall off because the writer behind the blog is not “keepin it real” or being genuine or sincere. It’s a vibe you get. Hard to pinpoint. And the only blogs that stay on my short list (VERY few make it) are the ones like yours.
Thank you for being a refreshing real piece of life on this messy, sometimes ugly, internet cloud. You’re a diamond in the rough.
I LOVE your random music references. I had that “I like big —– and I cannot lie” song in my head all day.
Young House Love rocks!
Sam Q says
I adore your blog! And even though I have yet to tackle a lot of stuff in my own home, I love knowing that you have created a great resource for me to refer back to (like how I plan on using your floating shelf DIY one day!)
You can never please everyone, but I think the fact that you don’t bend to every request is part of what makes this such a great thing — I have a lot of respect for people that stick to what they love and do it their way!
Keep up the great work YHL!
Also: amazing photos in this post. I giggled so hard at John and Burger!
xoxo
Jacqueline says
Hi guys! First time commentator here. I’ve been following your blog for a few months and am really enjoying reading about your projects and your family life, including the comments and the feedback you give, there have been quite a few laugh-out-loud moments.I think that negativity is so easy when you’re anonymous and there are no consequences to that bad behaviour.I like to tell my kids “Just because you have an opinion, doesn’t mean you need to always share it.”
I really like that your projects seem to be done in “real time”, redoing your entire kitchen takes time, and involves a lot of steps and there has to be a realistic budget (at least in my world). So many DIY blogs and TV shows make you think renos are effortless and can be done in thirty minutes with 2 commencial breaks.:) Thanks for doing what you do and for sharing with us!
Angela M says
I agree with everyone who says they dont understand people taking the time out of their day to say something negative to somebody. Whether it be on a blog or not. But also, like you said, its your blog. Its so ridiculous that people try and tell you how to run it and tell you to change things. I was never a blog reader until I discovered yours. Now I read it everyday at 10am excited to read the new post! :) It feels funny when I tell people, “The girl on this blog I read …”(followed by whatever project ya’ll did. Haha. Blog nerd. :) And now when I talk to my husband, I can just say “Sherry & John did this thing… ” and he knows who Im talking about. :) But I think ya’ll are great and have wonderful personalities that shine through the web and ya’ll have inspired me more than you know and my decorating style has def matured because of ya’ll.
Also–Im glad ya’ll posted a picture of that rocking chair you made over. (with sweet Clara) I was JUST re-reading the posts yesterday on that makeover because I bought a similar chair on craigslist and wanted to know how the ORB was holding up because I was thinking of doing the same to mine!
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes it’s still holding up really well!
xo,
s
Kym Lynch says
You’re amazing$herdog! I really don’t understand how anyone can complain. Rock on!
Deanna says
Thanks for this post! The timing for a little words of wisdom about criticism could not have come at a better time!
I’m a college student in art school and it sucks to get bad feedback on something that you’ve created, but I can completely agree with doing things with love. It really is all that matters, especially when it boils down to what you make.
I love your blog and really admire what you both do, and I easily get inspired from the colors and textures you use!
Thanks for writing!
Maren says
I concur with all of the above – I just discovered your blog a few weeks ago, and find myself checking in daily. Its a daily dose of uplift and inspiration. Keep up the good work.
keri says
You guys rock…and as my dad told me in hundreds of lectures growing up, “life is a balance.”
Lisa says
I’m glad you have a system for coping with this kind of thing and shared it with all of us, $herdog. But I can’t imagine why anyone would be so nasty to the Petersiks! Your whole family is so sweet and awesome! I guess, like others have said, something must be going wrong in their lives to cause them to pass on the negative stuff. The rest of us love you and appreciate all you do.
Carley says
Great post!
I have a handfull of blogs I read daily, yours being one. I don’t necessarily love everything on every blog that I read, but being a blogger as well, I don’t comment on things I don’t love. Mostly because I know how I’d feel if someone said something like, Ew, you named your daughter Annalise? Ugly name.
I try and focus on the positive when blog reading. Not everyone does that, and it can be wicked hard to keep the negatives away.
I love this blog. I love the projects, the way you are economical with purchases, the little glimpses into Clara and Burger fun! Keep doing what you’re doing, because, girlfriend, it’s working!
Laurie says
I love so many things about your blog. I love all the how-to’s, information and inspiration. I love your taste. But I especially appreciate your cheerfulness, optimism and cleanliness. I love that you are kind to each other on the blog- never making snide comments behind each others’ backs or jokes at each others’ expense. Thank you for your wonderful, uplifting blog.
Angie K says
You know, reading through this, it could easily have been a post for “being happy and fulfilled in life”. I am working on that “Be who you are, that is enough” part of life right now. I don’t know why…but something in me feels like I must do for others and that is friendship. Not just be who I am. Weird. I know.
It is interesting that bloggers struggle online with many of the things people struggle with in their day to day lives. I think it’s a misconception that blogging gets you away from that and gives you your own special voice.
I’m happy you guys have found that sticking to your voice is the way to go! I love your blog :)
Sarah Hogg says
I haven’t left a comment before, but I read your blog almost every day and I think it is FANTASTIC. Even if there is some project/paint/room that is not quite my style, there is always something new I learn, some neat tip I get or a great laugh along the way. You do a wonderful job – keep it up!
Sara says
One thing that keeps me coming back is your positivity. I couldn’t agree more about treating people with kindness even if they are being a little rotten themselves. Like you mentioned, we never know what someone is going through and even if they say some not-so-nice things, bringing out our own Negative Nancy will only make us feel worse in the long run.
Thanks for being awesome.
-Sara-
Kara says
$sherdog, No. 4 is such great advice. You choked me up a little. It’s the Golden Rule but better.
Marie says
I agree with doing things with love! Several years ago my husband made me a sandwich and I told him he didn’t do it right. He asked how it was wrong it was 2 pieces of bread, some lunch meat and mustard. I told him it wasn’t made with love (aka it was sloppy) and I was totally serious. He busted out laughing. To this day he makes my food “with love.”
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- so cute!
xo,
s
Beth says
Usually a lurker on here, but a full-time reader. Just wanted to say that I’m grateful for all you put out there for your readers, from DIY projects (both the awesome and the “keeping it real” moments!) to your personal lives. You’ve really inspired me and made a difference in my home. And thanks for all the positive vibes!
Molly says
Well put. Your 4 points are right on target and applicable in all of life. Clara is blessed to call you Mom.
Ryan says
I can’t believe you won’t plan your lives – and the renovation of your home – around what I want to read! You have some nerve Petersiks! That’s why I’m NEVER reading this blog again!
No, I really can’t believe that people can be so inconsiderate sometimes. I was kind of hacked off by a few comments on the post where Sherry incorporated a couple songs this week. If someone took offense from that, they were looking for something to take offense to because the presentation and intention were in NO WAY offensive.
I just wish people would be more relaxed, considerate and supportive of each other in general, but especially on the net.
…and I am off the soap box.
Jami Denton says
My dad always says, “No one wants your advice unless they ask for it, and even if they ask for it, they might not want it.” I think that is so true. If you want to have good relationships, you have to take people for who they are.
As a teacher, I occasionally get negative feedback/comments from a parent. I listen to it, but then I think, “Am I treating his/her child with kindness and respect, and am I educating him/her to the best of of my ability?” If I can answer, “yes,” to those questions, then I respond with kindness to the parent explaining my love for his/her child (and ignoring the negative comment), and then move on. 99% of the time, this results in a good relationship with the parent and the child. When you act kindly and out of love, you can’t go wrong.
Brenda says
Like a lot of other people are saying, I read you guys every day but almost never comment. In fact, I find myself clicking on your bookmark a bunch of times every day even though I know you only post twice, out of habit. You’re by far my favorite bloggers. I think you’re right about the negative commenters, they would likely never say what they say to your face, but the anonymity of the internet gives them “courage” to do so. It’s sad that the internet would allow people to do things that they would never do in real life.
I really love you guys and I’m glad you try not to let the negative stuff bother you cause I know that millions of readers out there obviously love you too!
As for funny mom sayings, my mom also used to say about the underwear, and, when we were older, also about shaving our legs. She broke her ankle while I was in Highschool and all she kept saying at the hospital was, “Thank God I shaved my legs this morning!” lol.
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- hilarious.
xo,
s