Before it was a business, Love Audrey was ‘just a blog’. Today, that blog is ten years old. I can’t imagine what my life would look like now if I hadn’t claimed a corner of the internet for myself back in 2009. Blogging has been the catalyst for so many amazing things in my life. I’ve built a career and formed some incredible friendships along the way.
In 2009, I was…
- 37 weeks pregnant with Jesse, my second child.
- Living with my long-term boyfriend, Mr L.A., in Exeter.
- Preparing to sit my university finals at the end of the summer.
- Feeling anxious about four-year-old Izzy starting school in September.
- Thinking about applying for a PGCE. Or maybe a Masters.
- Dreaming about writing for a living.
- In excellent physical health.
In 2019, I am…
- Planning Jesse’s 10th birthday party next month.
- Married to Mr L.A. and living in Bristol.
- Feeling nostalgic for my uni days. {I did the Masters, BTW}.
- Sending 14-year-old Izzy off to secondary school each morning.
- Running a successful copywriting business.
- Co-hosting a podcast with my pal, Charlie Swift.
- Living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome {CFS}.
The Beauty of Online Communities
The thing I’m most proud of is the community that’s grown and developed around Love Audrey. I’ve never had millions of readers, but many of you have been with me from the very beginning. We’ve been through a lot together. Sometimes I think you know the ups and downs and the ins and outs of my life over the last ten years better than I do!
I’ve always tried to share things that are useful or inspiring, but for every post I’ve published, you’ve given so much more in return. You’re always there with words of encouragement and helpful advice, cheering me on and celebrating my biggest wins.
Living with a chronic illness can be incredibly isolating, but I feel less alone whenever you slide into my DMs. You remember my kids’ birthdays and you share my pride when they do well. You get excited about the stuff I’m excited about, and you share your enthusiasm so generously.
This is what I love about blogging and the internet more generally – the way we become invested in one another’s lives.
What’s Next for Love Audrey?
‘I keep reading convos about missing the ‘good old days’ of the internet, when people blogged. Let it be known: YOU CAN STILL BLOG. I still do. I still enjoy reading blogs. Others do, too. I would read your blog. Social media isn’t the only platform, & it’s not the boss of us.’ – Tsh Oxenreider via Twitter
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I’d love to dedicate more time and energy to my own blog. I want to bring back my weekend posts and share things in a way that’s less fleeting and transient than Instagram Stories. I still love reading blogs and I still have a strong desire to show up here and share.
When I relaunched my website in 2018, I thought Love Audrey had to be a ‘business blog’ and that every post should be carefully crafted with marketing in mind. I soon lost all motivation, posting less than once a month for most of last year.
For me, blogging has always been a form of escapism – something to take me away from the demands of everyday life. It was the perfect antidote to the academic writing of my university years and a wonderful distraction when life revolved around the needs of my very young children.
Nowadays, I spend a considerable amount of time blogging for other businesses, so writing for Love Audrey needs to feel different. I think I’ve been waiting for someone else to tell me it’s OK to post whatever I want. I guess I’d forgotten I can give myself permission.
Thank You
Whether you’re an OG blog reader or a brand new follower, thanks for being here. The last ten years have been a blast and lots of what’s happened wouldn’t have been possible without you.
Love Audrey xxx
P.S. The picture above was taken by my lovely mum at Chelsea Flower Show last week. We had the best day! Maybe I’ll blog about it…
