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Fight Like A Squirrel For Your Blog

03/03/2011
Author: Kiesha
Posted in: Blogging
17 comments

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Since I’ve been living in South Carolina, I’ve never seen so many squirrels in my entire life! They’ve got to be the fastest little creatures next to Speedy Gonzales.

Just the other day, as I was driving, one fell out of a tree – right in my truck’s path! I screamed because I just knew he was a goner – but no… he scurried away so quickly to the safety of the curb that it was almost a blur.

Then later, in the yard, I noticed two squirrels digging vigorously for hidden nuts. A cat comes along and begins to hiss at them, and for a moment they seemed to be cornered.

Then suddenly, they burst forth and simultaneously began to tussle with the cat. To my surprise, the cat runs off whimpering.

For some strange reason (probably because I’m strange), this reminded me of the fight and constant battle that comes with blogging.

Squirrels are generally gentle, but when their fight or flight mechanism kicks in, they are unstoppable.

That’s the way it is with blogging. You’ve either got to be willing to fight or get ready to pack it up and flee.

There are constant obstacles that threaten to overtake a blog if they aren’t handled quickly enough. If it’s not a technical issue with hosting, then it’s the constant time crunch that comes with keeping up with a regular posting schedule.

Sometimes, I feel like I’ve always got to be running at squirrel speed: I’m at constant battle with an overflowing inbox, I can’t keep up with all the networking and income opportunities that present themselves and dissolve just as quickly, in the same instant.

It can be quite frustrating. But like everything else in life, I’m like the squirrel, when I get cornered, that’s when I fight the hardest. If that means I’ve got to pull an all-nighter or stay glued to my computer for several hours straight, that’s what I’m going to do.

Of course, I’m not going to let my blog dictate the quality of my life – if I want to get out and take a walk by the lake, then that’s what I’m going to do. But when it comes crunch time, I’m going to fight, scurry and scamper like the squirrels I see running around the yard.

What about you? Will you fight for your blog or flee?

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About The Author

Kiesha blogs at WeBlogBetter.com, a blog devoted to offering blogging tips. Sheâ€™s a writer, editor, and blog consultant for small business owners. Connect with her on Blog Interact, Twitter @weblogbetter and on Facebook.

Website: http://bloginteract.com/members/kieshaeasley/

17 Comments

Jennifer

Thu 03rd Mar 2011 at 9:32 AM

That’s funny Kiesha! I actually watch squirrels from the window where I work too, and it never fails to be amusing. Most days I feel like I could “fight like a squirrel” and keep my blogging chugging along…and then other days (like today) I feel lazy and unmotivated. Oh well, tomorrow is another day. Good post!
Reply
- Kiesha
  
  Thu 03rd Mar 2011 at 11:32 AM
  
  Hi Jennifer,
  I’m glad I’m not alone in this and that you can relate. I have the same experiences and I’ve learned to just go with the flow – on the days that I’m unmotivated, it’s usually because I’ve worked hard during the previous days. It’s just my body’s way of telling me that I need to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather and watch some squirrels.
  Reply
Bryan P. Hollis

Thu 03rd Mar 2011 at 9:36 AM

Kiesha,

This was a great analogy! What a comparison. I know your feeling (as I’m sure we all do) about the “constant battle”. Sometimes I wonder if its all worth it, but then when I do have that down-time, I realize how much I wouldn’t trade what I do with anything else. Unique, unique….

Bryan
Reply
- Kiesha
  
  Thu 03rd Mar 2011 at 11:35 AM
  
  Thanks, Bryan!
  I’m glad you enjoyed the post. I feel the same way – I love what I do, but I’ve got to remember to keep the work/play balance in check. That’s hard because when it comes to blogging, the lines are blurred.
  Reply
Jimmie

Thu 03rd Mar 2011 at 10:07 PM

Silly squirrels just today knocked down my bird feeder. I am sort of irritated, but you have to admire their gumption to keep working at it until they get to those seeds.There’s a lesson there too! Keep trying, keep persevering.
Reply
- Kiesha
  
  Thu 10th Mar 2011 at 11:46 AM
  
  Hi Jimmie!
  I’ve seen that happen so many times – you might as well call it a squirrel feeder, because that’s whose eating up all the food
  Anyway, you’re right, perseverance is key when it comes to blogging.
  Reply
Peppy

Fri 04th Mar 2011 at 12:14 AM

Okay Keisha, this is why you have so much to offer newbie bloggers, hesitant bloggers, writer blocked bloggers, and well, really all bloggers.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started reading this post – other than a pondering of my own personal feelings of squirrels – when suddenly, you turned the story on it’s ear (or should I say ‘tail’, if keeping with the squirrel analogy) and you applied your experience and observations to a blogging issue. Excellent points, at that.

I first “found” you on your WeBlogBetter blog and felt I could learn a lot from you regarding writing and blogging … this post reaffirms that feeling.

Thanks, keisha, for sharing your knowledge, and being helpful in the meantime, to those of us who are still trying to figure out the blogging world.

Peppy
Reply
- Kiesha
  
  Thu 10th Mar 2011 at 11:48 AM
  
  Thank you, Peppy!
  I’m happy know that you’ve been reading my blog and getting some valuable information from it. I really enjoy writing, I like to have fun with it by telling unexpected stories and conveying the lessons I’ve learned through them. Thanks for the confirmation that it works
  Reply
Nick Stamoulis

Fri 04th Mar 2011 at 11:15 AM

I like the analogy! It’s so true- it can be a constant battle maintaining a blog, and you really do have to fight for it! For some people the blog is the first thing that gets tossed aside when deadlines are looming, but it’s so crucial to keep going.
Reply
- Kiesha
  
  Thu 10th Mar 2011 at 11:50 AM
  
  Hi Nick!
  Whenever I get in a crunch, I might restrict the amount of time I spend on Twitter and other social networks, but I refuse let my blog sit without an update. It’s my goal to build a substantial blog, so it’s worth fighting for.
  Reply
Alex

Sat 05th Mar 2011 at 1:15 PM

Of course I will fight, the fact is that when the time comes being corned I speed into action! For example not so many days ago, I had a problem with one of my websites (I knew about the problem when it didn’t matter that much) but when the problem escalated I spurred into action, and just like the squirrel that landed in front of your car, I started to repair the problem.

Now, all I hope is to find my buried nuts (and hope that it multiplied)
Reply
- Kiesha
  
  Thu 10th Mar 2011 at 11:52 AM
  
  Hi Alex!
  I’m glad you were able to resolve your issue, not everyone is as lucky. You’ve definitely got to have a fighting spirit (and a stubborn one) to keep your blog growing in the right direction.
  I hope you find your nuts, too – wouldn’t want to lose those
  Reply
Ileane

Wed 16th Mar 2011 at 10:26 AM

HA! The first thing this post brings to mind for me is a car insurance commercial that you might have seen before. Two squirrels run out into the road and cause a car accident, then they give each other high fives! Well that’s what you deserve for this post. (virtual) High Five friend!
Reply
Donna J. Sheridan

Wed 18th May 2011 at 9:04 PM

I agree with that, I will fight for my blog “constant battle” with blogging. I really enjoy reading your blog Kiesha, thank you so much for sharing
Reply
peterdontremonte

Mon 06th Jun 2011 at 11:27 AM

It is very nice to make squirrel as the sample how we can make our blog successful online. Squirrel is a kind of animal with a unique characteristic and how to survive in different environment.
Reply
Anjanette R. Clark

Fri 01st Jul 2011 at 2:21 PM

What a nice comparison you made! Nice point of views also… Yes, I do fight a constant battle in maintaining a blog. Squirrel also fight to survive in different environment.
Reply