Being Shy - Part Three

{This is part three in my series - here is Part One and Part Two}

So if I'm so shy, why do I blog?  And how?

That's not easy to answer.  Let me give you some background.

I have always loved architecture.  And at one point in my life, I thought about becoming an architect.  But, I realized that I didn't really want to design buildings - I just liked looking at them.   I'm the kind of person who will go to a concert in a beautiful music hall and spend the evening staring at the intricate ceiling.  Or go to ten open houses - just for inspiration.  I just love that stuff.

{via Pinterest}

So, when Craig and I bought our first house, I immediately started changing it. But, our first house was a crummy double, with no possible way of looking good.  It was just an investment.  And I finally accepted the fact that it was ugly and moved on.

Our second house was great.  It had charm and personality.  It sat on a busy street but had a wonderful backyard - complete with mature trees and a stream.  It was a great starter home.  And little by little, we fixed it up and made it our own.  The problem?  It wasn't too big and our growing family was bursting at the seams.

Enter our current home.  It took us a couple of years to find a home that fit our criteria - large, nice neighborhood, and ugly.  Yes, we wanted something that we could completely redo.  Because we knew that we could get a great deal on something that needed work.  And we found it here.

When we moved in, I took a lot of pictures (or so I thought).  I planned on making a before and after album.  We knew that we'd forget just how bad this house was after the renovations - we wanted to document the transformation.  So, I took pictures of the before, of rooms ripped apart, and the after.  Just for us.

Then I found Young House Love.  By accident.  I was Googling a home project when it came up.  And I was hooked.  I started following their blog - and searching for others to follow.  I had no idea that these types of blogs were out there (yes, I live under a rock...).  I started following a few and I was so inspired.

The wheels started turning.  I wondered if I could start a blog about the transformation of this house.  But I chickened out.

I put the idea on the back burner for months.  I was too nervous.

But here's the thing about being shy - for me, it comes and goes.  Sometimes, the feeling isn't there.  Sometimes, I am comfortable in my own skin.  And, one day, when I was feeling bold, I started My Covered Bridge.

{via Pinterest}

I found Blogger, played around with some blog names, and registered.  I had no idea what I was doing.  I kinda still don't.  But I wanted to share something I was passionate about.

I just didn't want to share it with people I knew.  Yeah, that's right, I was afraid to tell anyone.  I told Craig when he came home from work and he was very supportive.  But I didn't want anyone else to know.  I'm not sure if keeping a blog a secret will make it successful...

A couple of months after I started blogging, I finally told my friends on Facebook.  I actually wrote my status, with a link to my blog, and stared at it for about an hour before hitting "post".  My heart was beating very fast.  It was way out of my comfort zone.  But I did it.  And, of course, everyone left very sweet comments.  {If I'm being completely honest, I still get nervous about my friends knowing about my blog.  That's where the shyness still creeps in.}

Slowly, more people started following my little blog.  It's always such a big surprise to me when I see a new follower.  I am so grateful to my readers - thank you!  As I watch my blog grow, I gain a little more confidence.  This blog actually helps me!

But I still have a long way to go.  Baby steps.