First things first, I apologize about the seriously slow speed of my blog lately. I know many of you have tried to leave comments only to have the site time out. Well, I have good news! I am in the process of changing servers which should speed things up dramatically and allow your comments to go through without a hitch. I hope to have this change completed within the next day or two, so cross your fingers for a smooth transition. I really appreciate your patience! I know a slow website is beyond annoying.
On to lunch!
Wheat Berry Salad
Lunch today was seriously fantastic and I owe all the credit to blog reader Chelsa. Her comment on my breakfast post over the weekend about my wheat berry yogurt bowl inspired this beauty:
Chelsa said, “ My mom makes this AWESOME wheat berry salad that includes: Wheat berries (of course), tomatoes (or red peppers if you want it to stay crisp), mozzarella cheese cubes, feta cheese, green olives, artichoke hearts, green onions, tofu, and balsamic dressing. You can add and subtract as you like, but I TOTALLY suggest making it sometime.”
And make it I did!
I changed around some of Chelsa’s recommendations to make a wheat berry salad that included:
- Wheat berries
- Plum tomatoes
- Roasted asparagus
- Artichoke hearts
- Feta cheese
- Green onions
- Green olives
- Balsamic dressing
This will definitely be featured on the blog again. I loved all of the different flavors and textures!
Now moving onto some blog talk!
Brainstorming Blogging Topics
One of the best things about blogging is that you can post about whatever you want. In the beginning, I almost felt like my blog had to touch only on the things within my specific blogging niche, like food and fitness. I didn’t want to seem juvenile if I posted about The Bachelorette or celebrity gossip and I didn’t want to appear too serious or mundane by posting about issues that seriously lit a fire inside me like the Comparison Trap.
And then it hit me: Those things are what make me me. I like talking about The Bachelorette. I could talk for hours about the Comparison Trap and the struggle we all face with our self esteem.
If I didn’t talk about these things, my blog would fade into darkness and become simply a hollow version of me. A generic healthy living blog without the passion of a person behind it. I can’t write for hours and hours about my chicken sausage. I ate it, it was good and I am done with it. Once I stopped worrying about what other people thought about my blog and made sure my blog stayed true to me and the things I love and enjoy talking about, my love for blogging grew tenfold. I didn’t feel restricted. I felt free and ebullient. I had a million things to say.
People often ask me how I come up with something to post three times a day. Honestly, most of the time I have too much to say and have to scale it back. My brain works at a mile a minute when I’m blogging and I’ll often find a blog post taking a new direction unexpectedly and will have to save the newly evolved topic for my next blog post.
But sometimes I do hit a blank and don’t know what to post about. What about those times?
A few months ago, I purchased a notebook that I call my “blog notebook.” Around the time that I started thinking about leaving my full-time job to pursue a career in freelance writing and blogging, I began to fill up my notebook with all of the ideas inside my head. The page in my notebook that is now the most full? My “Must Post” page.
Every time I am hit with a blog post idea and don’t have time to delve into the subject as elaborately or intricately as I’d like to, I write the idea down in my notebook. Every time I receive an email from a reader with a blog post request, I add it to the list.
I now have a list of about 30 post ideas that are burning a hole in my notebook dying to be addressed. The “Must Post” page of my blogging notebook is my most valuable resource on days when my blogging creativity hits a lull and I find myself thinking, “What in the world should I write about today?”
Other possible ways to get the creative juices flowing:
- Think about the last conversation you had with a friend or significant other where you couldn’t stop talking or laughing. Turn it in to a blog post!
- Browse the internet and write about a recent article you read that sparked your interest.
- Put a call out on Twitter for any post requests from your friends, family or readers.
- Don’t post until you feel inspired. Sometimes taking some time away from blogging is a fantastic thing. It can really rejuvenate your mind and motivation… kind of like a week away from the gym!
Questions of the Afternoon
- If you are a blogger, how to you think of blog post topics?
- Blog readers, what are your favorite things to read about on blogs?
P.S. The Fashion page was updated this afternoon!
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