So I was perusing through Discover, when I came across The Well-Thumbed Reader and found her post on 9 Stressful Blogging Situations (And how to solve them). At one point Mikaela mentioned ‘blogging envy’, causing me to immediately remember all the different instances that I too, had faced a monster with eyes of a particular shade of green.
Feeling jealous is often viewed as a very icky, shameful feeling to experience, yet we all face it at some point in our lives (like, every day?) Many people would prefer to gloss over such feelings and pretend they don’t exist, looking down on others who admit such feelings.
I’m guilty of this too.
BUT, I think that envy can be a great motivator if taken the right way (I don’t want to be endorsing jealous fits of rage that might result in murder), as envy is the very reason I’ve been motivated to write this post in the first place.
I’ve been blogging on WordPress for about 2 years, and during that time I’ve come across many different bloggers that made me envious and inspired me to do better.
And you know what? I reckon some cat gifs might do the trick here!
- Followers, so many followers
Yes, yes… I know it shouldn’t matter how many followers you have, but who really believes that?? At my current rate of 20 followers a day, it will take me 17 years to get anywhere near Cristian Mihai’s current count of around 125,000 followers. I think jealousy here is a given…
- The Author
As an ‘aspiring’ author, nothing generates more awe than when I come across an author who is about to be published by the very publishing house I adore the most. This happened to me a few months ago when I came across Louise Allan, who is so humble and gracious that it is tricky to be jealous of her recent success.
- They have a theme that slays
You know the theme, it looks something like the one utilised by Eyes + Words, a theme that leaves you breathless, spellbound and utterly transfixed for an impossibly long second that stretches forwards and backwards through time.
- The arty/hipster creator
The content is amazing, the logo a work of art, the theme so clean it sparkles, and the entire blog punctuated by shots of colour and original artwork. I’ll just flat out say that Little fears embodies all this and more, as not only is he talented, but what he does is just so… unique.
- The famous blogger
Imagine a Chuck Wendig-like blogger who is famous for something other than blogging and has that god damn little blue tick on their social media account. And you want it, badly (no use lying, we are all thinking the same thing). They may also have tens of thousands of followers on Instagram, an unattainably perfect blog layout and numerous lists and accolades of all the important famous-related stuff they do and famous people they know and god damn their life seems so perfect.
- The Time Machine
The envy is strong with this one. And why? Because no matter how hard you try, you will never be able to call yourself a blogger of 19 years like John Sculzi unless you have… a time machine. Not to mention that his current WordPress blog has an archive that runs as far back as 2002!! Back then I was a 14 year old more interested in playing Nanosaur, Bugdom and Cro-Mag Rally on my ibook G3 – not starting and curating the beginnings of a blogging empire.
- The Literary Aficionado
These types often instil more fear in me than envy. And usually I’m too intimidated to even comment on their blog posts least my shabby hack-like writing is illuminated to the fifth degree. Their long, wordy and descriptive phrases are punctuated with twisting nuances and minimal use of subordinating conjunctions. And there is now way in hell I’m tagging one here in case they get a ping back and trace it to my website only to uncover all my literary repelling cat gifs…
- The omnipresent one
They come out of nowhere ALL THE DAMN TIME. They are everywhere, affecting other bloggers with their super fine, genuine comments and considerate nature. They leave trails of butterflies, sparkles and flowers everywhere they go. You think you got there first? You’d be wrong. You think you came up with the funniest and most relatable comment? You’d be wrong again. Looking at you Opinionated Man (let’s see if he gets in first).
- Featured on ‘Freshly Pressed’
Doesn’t it sometimes feel like everyone but you has been ‘freshly pressed’? That’s probably because it’s true. Ok, that may be an overstatement – but honest to God do you have to sell your soul to get on Discover!? Why is it so hard!? How do I get their attention!? Why the fuck do I care so much!?
Gifs sourced from gifbin.com, cat-gifs.com, 4gufs.com
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