Goodbye 2021 ~ Changes are Coming
Hello friends,
2021 is finally coming to a close; it both feels like its been a long year and yet flown by!
Obviously we’re still living in the midst of the pandemic but this year also brought vaccinations and a measure of hope with it. I’m not going to get into the whole debate of whether you should have the vaccine or not ~ that is your personal choice. While I’ve always had reactions to immunisations, for myself personally, I’d rather deal with the reactions but at least have some measure of protection, as having chronic health conditions can complicate coming down with any type of virus, not just the one we’re dealing with worldwide right now. So I’ve had both vaccines and my booster ~ yes I reacted badly to all three and the fatigue I experience with having M.E has worsened since my first one. But I’d rather deal with that than the possibility of hospitalisation.
So yeah this year for me personally, has been very up and down and it’s ending more on a down than an up ~ like many people, my mental health has taken a beating on and off throughout this last couple of years and I’m struggling right now. Since being a teen I’ve struggled with depression but thankfully my lows have never lasted long, but the last few months I’ve been quite low and just doing my best to keep going. I’ve essentially buried myself in books and video games and while I am still struggling, having an outlet from reality has and is really helpful.
This has lead me to think a lot about the content of this space and my social media. When I very first began blogging and writing, I would document anything I wanted, random thoughts or just what I did during a day, I used my blog as someone would use a diary or journal. Then when I began to get sicker and was eventually diagnosed with M.E, I deleted my original blog and began a new one to share my chronic illness experience, in the hopes of helping others not seem so alone dealing with their own illnesses. The messages and comments I have received over the years have shown that my effort to put my experience out into the world has helped others and that’s all I ever wanted.
However, over this past year, I’ve found it increasingly more difficult to write pieces focused on M.E and living with it. It takes a lot to share parts of your life that you struggle with and it can be mentally draining. For me, it was beginning to feel like M.E Awareness month every month and well, I’m sure those of my regular readers will have noticed that the health related articles have become fewer as this year has progressed and book reviews have become more frequent.
So I’ve decided going into 2022, that the main focus of my writing will be around the books that I’m reading. I find writing reviews less taxing mentally and generally a fun experience ~ while of course I want everyone who reads my articles to enjoy them, I need my content to be something I enjoy making as well and I think this will help a lot. Along with book reviews, I’ll share book hauls, monthly TBR’s, my wrap ups will also continue. While my content will be mainly book focused, I’ll also add in some more lifestyle type posts of other things I enjoy, like Gaming and Photography. Maybe even the odd “day in my life” piece.
I’m not saying I won’t ever mention my chronic illnesses, because I don’t feel that is realistic since they effect every aspect of my life, they just won’t be the focus anymore. I will dedicate May to M.E Awareness content and of course Animal Crossing Blue Sunday isn’t going anywhere but I just feel I need to step back from the health content for this coming year and then I’ll reassess at the end of next year.
I’ll be sticking with a Friday publishing day and the first Friday of each month will continue to be my Bookish Wrap Up of the previous month. The other Fridays in the month will either be more in-depth reviews of books I’ve read, book hauls, general life catch ups or anything else I feel like writing about. The only time I may post on a different day is if I’m taking part in a book tour and my day falls on a different one.
I hope that those of you that came here for the health content, will stick around for the bookish content going into this next year. To my regular readers, I appreciate your continued support over the years that I’ve been doing this and hope you understand why I need to make this change to my content and will continue to enjoy reading what I write in this coming year. If there’s anything you would like me to write about, please do let me know.
Just one final note, while I will be posting here once a week, I post more regularly over on my Instagram. So if you want more up to date information on what I’m reading and doing, then please do give me a follow: Louise’s Little Life If you’d also like to keep up with what video games I’m playing and enjoying, then you can also follow my gaming IG: Cosy Gamer Lo
I hope you were able to find some joy, happiness and contentment this year, despite all that’s going in the world right now.
Stay Safe. Read a Book.
L x
