Hello!
As you might be able to tell, this is not the usual What I Ate Wednesday post. I’ve been sharing quite a few photos of my eats in each post from the last few days, so I don’t feel the need to force out a WIAW. I’ll still show you just a few of my delicious eats from yesterday though!
Breakfast: Overnight oats in a peanut butter jar. You know how I feel about this. ❤
Dinner: Avocado toast (what else is new?) + spinach/kale salad with two soft-boiled eggs, feta, and some trail mix (included dried cranberries, dried apples, cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds)
And then I ended my evening with dried figs and Greek yogurt. If you ever want to get me something for my birthday, a bag or two of Calimyrna dried figs would be fantastic. I’ve almost polished off a whole bag by myself in less than a month. Those bags are value size, guys.
Another new snack obsession:
Mediterranean herb veggie Pop Chips
It’s one of those snacks that make you say, “just one more handful,” over and over again. I highly recommend this crack these chips!
Moves
An awesome ballet and pointe class. Those are definitely the most challenging dance classes of the week for me!
Finding My Blogging Niche
Part of the reason I’m not doing a formal WIAW post today is because I want to talk about my blog. After reading Davida’s post about what blogging has taught her and Arman’s (+ Davida’s) post about blog originality, I kinda wanted to take a step back and see what my blog was all about anyway.
Daily Moves and Grooves: It’s small, but it’s slowly growing (like me!). It can be funny, deep, weird, and cheerful. Common topics are food, fitness, school, faith, and life in general. I join in linkups, do link love posts, and throw in some other posts on miscellaneous topics.
That sounds like a lot of other blogs out there doesn’t it?
I read a multitude of blogs written by people with such diverse backgrounds, personalities, and styles. There are the beautiful food + photography blogs that make me want to be a better chef and baker. Others focus on blogging and writing tips, life hacks, home + DIY projects, or fitness.
Then there’s the majority of the blogs I read— healthy living blogs. These are by far my favorite blogs to read since I can connect so well with them (actually, they’ve influenced me to love healthy living). I would say that I follow way too many, but there is just so much great material to read from these bloggers! I always tell people that I don’t read books; I read blogs.
I love that each blogger that I follow has his/her own style— they fall into a certain niche you could say. Some post multiple times a day, focusing on daily activities, eats, and exercise. Some post almost every day with a mix of daily eats/exercise and more focused topics. Others post a couple times a week with amazing recipes and life ramblings. They’re all so different, but I love them all because of that.
However, recently I’ve asked myself: Where does Daily Moves and Grooves fit in? Do I have a blogging niche?
The problem is that I often feel like I try to fit my blog into ALL the niches. Sometimes I just go along with trends: linkups (MIMM, WIAW, Thinking Out Loud, Spill It Sundays), link love, etcetera. Now, don’t get me wrong, I still love joining linkups and posting Fascinating Friday Links, and I will continue to do so! I just don’t want those things to be the core of my blog. Sometimes I find myself forcing a Marvelous in My Monday or What I Ate Wednesday post just because that’s what is expected. When I really check in with myself though, I find that all the miscellaneous posts are what I love writing the most. If it made it on the blog on the one day I didn’t join a linkup, it must have been something I really wanted to talk about. But why can’t I post like this all the time?
I’ve debated with myself about whether I should blog more than once a day or once a day; whether I should do linkups every week or not; whether I should talk about my life or take a shot at more intellectual topics. But all the voices inside my crazy brain have come to the consensus that this blog is called Daily Moves and Grooves for a reason. I want to share my daily life experiences, thoughts, workouts, and eats with you all. I shouldn’t feel pressured to join a linkup or talk about a certain topic just because other people are. I shouldn’t try to fit in to any one “style,” because I have a style of my own. I’m finding that if I just let my blog write itself according to my life, there is a balance between casual posts and serious posts. Because that’s how life works.
This doesn’t mean that I’ve been forcing the content of my posts though. I like to put my own spin on each MIMM, WIAW, Thinking Out Loud, and Spill It post, and I’ve made it a priority to be 100% genuine, no matter what. All the things I talk about are real and current. I just want to remind myself that I don’t necessarily have to format these things in a manner that is similar to others.
So what’s my niche? If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ve seen a variety of posts and perhaps a slight change in my writing style, but I’ve generally focused on healthy living. My real niche though—it’s just Daily Moves and Grooves. That’s it. 🙂
I’m not sure if that was even cohesive, or if I even needed to say any of this, but I’m glad I got that off my chest. Thanks for listening as always. You guys ROCK.
Happy Wednesday!
Thoughts?
Daily Moves and Grooves 
And that’s why I love your blog. Because it’s genuine, it’s fun, it’s real..it’s you. As a daily reader I feel like I ‘know’ you, and your personality comes through on whatever you decide to post about. Of course your vlogs are my favorite 😉
Keep on grooving!
Aww thank you, Ms. J 🙂 Your comment totally made my day. Thanks so much for reading and commenting— it means the world!
I would love you even more if you told me how to boil the perfect soft boiled egg. I’ve tried and failed miserably on all attempts. Sigh 😦
As far as your blogging niche, I think you and I are swimming in the same boat. I started off primarily blogging about running, daily workout recaps, and food. Now I do it all in addition to linkups when I please. Since I’ve been injured my running posts have been scaled back and foodie posts amped up. But when I start running again, where will I fall? Will I let my fellow link-up’ees down? Or will my old running readers come back around? I don’t really know, but I know I won’t allow myself to feel pressure to please anyone but me. I want to write from the soul and post what I want, when I want. If your readers love you for you (like I do 😉 ) they will enjoy whatever you have to post!
Stay true to you, blogging, writing, real life, dancing, all of it. Your identity is unique, just like this blog 🙂
My mom is the mastermind behind the soft-boiled eggs. She says once the water is boiling, she places in the eggs and immediately starts the timer for 7 minutes. As soon as the timer goes off, carefully take the eggs out (with one of those perforated spoons) and plunge them into cold water!
Gah! I just love ya, Ashley. Your unapologetic confidence, humor, and honesty is exactly why I love YOUR blog. You let your soul shine through. I’m so glad to hear that mine can achieve that even half as well. 🙂
Hey lady! I actually don’t think a blogging niche is necessary at all. I talk about food, sometimes fitness, sometimes relationships and navigating life in my 20s. I tried for a while to stick to a niche but it didn’t work for me. If you find yourself wanting more creative freedom maybe occasionally take a break from link-ups. I tend to link-up if what I am sharing is in line with their theme but it isn’t a week-to-week thing. It just allows me to talk about what I want to talk about whenever I want. If I feel too confined in blogging I lose my stride and focus. Hope this helps!
p.s. I actually really like your voice and don’t ever doubt you have something interesting to say 🙂
Thanks so much, Davida! That does help 🙂
One of your quotes from your blog anniversary post that stuck out to me was: “less is more.” Your simple, focused posts are one of the many things I love about your blog— you can make one little topic so funny and interesting!
“I’m finding that if I just let my blog write itself according to my life, there is a balance between casual posts and serious posts. Because that’s how life works.” <— Very much this. I spent a good long while trying to figure out what kind of blog I should be, or writing based on what I thought other people wanted to read, and I found blogging to be a lot less enjoyable as a result. It wasn't until I gave up trying to fit a specific mould that realized I already had my own unique mould… everyone does. And for what it's worth, I think you've always had a pretty awesome one 🙂
Thanks so much, Amanda 🙂 Coming from one of my blogging role models, that means the world!
If someone were to give me one of your posts to read without the title or author on it, I would know that it’s yours. Your voice and style are so witty, thoughtful, and unique.
And this is what I love about your blog! It’s just you being you and doing your own thang! Thanks for keeping it real as always and YOU rock!
Side note:I read a lot a lot of blogs but yours is the only one I ever comment on :)arent you lucky?! Lol Don’t get toooo excited now 😉
Well I look forward to chatting with my fellow New Yorker every day! 🙂 Your comments always make me smile. Thanks so much, Katie!
First of all, on a food-related note, those Mediterranean Popchips look amazing! I love Popchips, but have never tried that particular variety before. About the “blogging niche” thoughts…I must say that I love your blog BECAUSE you always have such a unique variety of topics, and don’t just talk about one thing or try to mimic exactly what other bloggers discuss. I think you have an engaging writing style and a wonderful sense of humor, and I always enjoy reading your posts 🙂 You are absolutely right in saying that you shouldn’t feel the need to conform with any particular style or routine, and you are definitely succeeding in making your blog sound genuine, at least in my opinion! Yes, we are all inspired or influenced to SOME extent by the blogs we read, but there are no two blogs that are exactly, completely, 100% identical. Personally, I don’t think my blog really falls into the “HLB” category, and I can’t really think of a specific category that it DOES fit into! I know my posts often tend to be on the preachy, (sometimes very) long, and rambling side, which probably deters people from reading them all the way through 😉 And while I occasionally share recipes, it’s not the main focus of my blog anymore. Nor do I talk about my daily workouts, since they usually consist of ballet and yoga–you can’t really talk about tendus, plies, or tree pose and make them sound fascinating. Anyway, now I am going off on a tangent again. My bad. Keep on doing what you’re doing, and just write about whatever you feel like discussing! Well, unless it could be dangerous or invade someone’s privacy, but you already know that. I hope you have a great day!!
Thank you, Kendra! I love that you are not afraid to speak your mind with such detail. I know that your posts always have honest, thought-provoking ideas!
I have noticed that if one wanted to, there would be a link up for every day of the week. That is not for me. I usually have too much of my own “stuff” to say/cover that I don’t have time to join every special “day”, you know? I often do Thinking Out Loud Thursdays because it is a way to get all my random thoughts out rather than have one post on a certain topic. I guess it’s what whatever float’s one boat, as long as you are true to yourself. Which you ARE!
I was thinking about that too. There could definitely be a linkup for every day of the week, but then things would be too mundane around the blog world if everyone joined them all the time. Whatever floats your boat indeed, Meg! 🙂
I know how you feel when it comes to seeming like you have to post to a link-up just because it’s expected. Sometimes a girl just doesn’t feel like it!
I love reading your blog and all of the other blogs I have stumbled across. I love the diversity and different opinions.
I’m still trying to find my blog niche. 🙂
Hey dude, so I have to echo davs here and say- You don’t NEED to fall into a blogging Niche- What I love about DM+G is how unexpected it is on any given day- similar to my blog. I call my blog an Mixed Blogtail (cocktail) lol. Lame but its true- It’s a random assortment of stuff with no specific direction within the HLB community. Don’t change a thing. Honestly.
Thanks so much, buddy! 😉 Your blog really is a fabulous cocktail of interesting, thoughtful, yet always hilarious content. You da bomb, Arman.
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PERFECTION. Seriously, I’ve been having these exact same thoughts lately. Wondering what kind of blog I am. There will be weeks where all I post is linkups just because I don’t want to miss one. A blog should be where you post about your life and not all about themes other people make up! Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE WIAW and MIMM, partly because they can make the words come when you don’t know what to write about. But they can also disrupt what I actually do want to post because I don’t want to have 2 posts in a day or something. A blog should be what YOU want to write about, not what other people want/expect to hear. Love this post so much!!
So accurate, Leigha! A blog is for the blogger’s thoughts and musings. That’s the point, right?? 😉
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