We all blog for different reasons and mine have slowly changed over time. I went from sharing my love for beauty to sharing my passion for travelling and self-expression through fashion. But basically I talk about whatever is on my mind and whatever I'd like to share with the world. And despite blogging about different topics nowadays my reason for blogging is still the same at its core. I love to inspire others and be inspired by other bloggers, whether that's in terms of travelling, lifestyle, beauty or fashion. And it isn't only about giving inspiration to others, it is also about having a voice on the internet and being able to spread words about topics that are important to me. I believe that this is important to many bloggers and I honestly cherish the opportunity to make a difference through blogging, no matter how small it may be.
Venturing out can be scary though. Correct me if I'm wrong but I feel like there is a certain stigma attaching to blogging and that bloggers are often expected to stick to a particular niche, especially if you 'label' your blog. And of course you can stick to a niche, there is nothing wrong with that. But you shouldn't feel limited to a certain one. If you'd like to share something else that is important to you than that's great. I have seen beauty bloggers talk about politics only to be called a 'wannabe politician' and I think that's just rude. Why shouldn't we be allowed to talk about the perfect eyeliner wing in one post and about US politics in the next one? Just one example of many. There really are no real limits to content and I think it might be about time to break the invisible ones.
Speaking up on the internet is scary, I am the first to admit that. But it is nonetheless worth it. There seem to be really sensitive topics and I admire anyone who is brave enough to talk about them. Mental health is one of them. Or politics or animal welfare. The latter appears to be especially controversial, probably because people are challenged to question their cultural norms and habits. I had thought about uploading a post about cruelty-free makeup for a long time before I actually did it, mostly because I was afraid of people's reactions. Like I had assumed, that post got more views than others but less comments. But that's alright, I am very grateful for all the supportive comments and for everyone who is trying to make a difference or who is giving this topic some thought. That's basically all I wanted to achieve anyway, to raise awareness. And I'm incredibly glad I uploaded this post and even if it only touched few people's thoughts, it was definitely worth it.
Speaking of raising awareness - I think it's important to draw a line between preaching and raising awareness. When people upload 'sensitive' content they often write disclaimers that they don't want to come across as preachy and that they are only talking about their opinion. And I totally understand where all these people are coming from for things are taken personally very quickly, even when the mere purpose of a post is to inform and therefore raise awareness for a specific topic. And isn't it obvious that we are all just sharing our opinions? And why should it be alright to share our opinion about a beauty product but not about let's say politics? Or (mental) health? Or climate change? In the end it doesn't make much sense to tell people what to do but we can provide information and inspire others to rethink their opinions or to give a topic further thought. I personally love reading about controversial topics, no matter if I agree with the blogger's view or not. I think it's crucial to question our beliefs and to widen our horizons and I love reading about different perspectives on one topic. As long as it's constructive criticism of course, hate posts fall of course into a different category, a category that I avoid at all costs.
So where am I going with this post? I have been talking about venturing out and about sharing our opinions but what I really wanted to say is this - We all have a voice. Let's use it. If there is something on our mind, something we want to raise awareness for we shouldn't hesitate to do so. It might be scary but it's fully worth it. And I know that it's easier to just mind your own business, leave all controversy aside and decide not to speak up. But what will that do for the future? Not much. We need people who speak up, we need people who share hidden facts and people who passionately stand up for their rights. 'Be the change you want to see in this world' (Ghandi), a quote I like to live by. If we all stand in four our beliefs and morals we can help the world to become a better place, slowly but surely. Are you afraid to speak out on the internet? Would you like to raise awareness for a certain topic?x
