Inspiration for Bloggers – SOCIAL BRIDGE ~ Jean Tubridy connecting with you from Ireland

The Joy of Small Things

There’s a place by the Summer House in Mount Congreve Garden that I like to call my own and last season I used to sit on one of the trunks of many trees that had been blown down in some of the worst storms we’d had here in Ireland for years.

It’s a quiet part of the Garden and when I went over there the other day, I was bracing myself to find that my tree trunk would have been cleared away.

It came as a great surprise to find that it had been carved to make a little seat and that it is clearly there to stay.

This may seem like a small thing; it is a small thing but small things can bring immense joy.

This is where I intend to spend many, many hours over the next few months; writing, thinking, picnicking, sun-bathing, maybe even blogging!

What small things have made YOU glow with gratitude in recent times?

Stepping out with Compassion

Sometimes the inspiration for posts comes directly from comments that are made by readers and this is one of those occasions.

Yesterday’s post about the Accident and Emergency Crisis brought a response from Willow which has been playing on my mind all day. Here’s what she said:

Empathy, compassion, human kindness, dignity where has it all gone?

So, this is what appeared on scraps of paper over the day:

Compassion

I’ve had to adapt to a changing world.

Automation, not communication;

money, profit, things, stuff.

I had to get out, I’d had enough

You could say I lost my home.

Slept rough, wandered aimlessly,

drank too much, numbed my mind,

cried bitter tears at being left behind.

I’m still the same old me at heart;

too sensitive maybe, too sensitive.

Nature’s been my saving grace.

I live with her in a secluded place.

Should you want to call me, call to the stars or

touch the branch of any tree, any tree.

You’ll see me in deep, caring eyes.

I’ll hold you if your hoping ever dies.

Tides of Inspiration for Bloggers

Walking along the seashore is my place of endless inspiration. I’ve realised over the last while that it’s all to do with the ever-changing nature of the sea and the many lines that it offers. These are lines that are full in their own right but which invite thoughts, reflections, words, sentences, paragraphs, pages …..

So many colourful stones with lines ~ not even requiring that one’s writing is straight ~ a perfect art gallery or pages begging to be filled.

And what about the horizon? That line that stretches the eyes and mind and makes one think of the breadth, width and depth of life.

And in-between are the waves ~ sometimes only the tiniest ripples, other times massive breakers carrying one along in great surges.

There are times, too, when the huge canvas of the lined sand on a beach like my precious Tramore provides the ultimate inspiration.

The certainty that that the sea with its multiplicity of lines is ever-changing brings a newness with every tide that encourages, hand-holds and sets the pen of the heart and mind free like a kite sailing in the wind.

What, oh what, will the next tide bring?

Let Nature do the Blogging!

This free slideshow generated with Smilebox

Blogger’s Block ~ 12 Quick Remedies

I keep coming across people who say that they have ‘hit the wall’ with blogging and find it next to impossible to motivate themselves to write any kind of a post.

Here are my thoughts on how to beat ‘bloggers block;’

Bear in mind that there is no such thing as a ‘perfect’ post;
Keep a note of possible post topics (ideally in the Drafts Folder with a Working Title) that hit you at the oddest times;
Aim to post frequently ~ even short, short posts ~ as blogging is rather like fitness and the more you train the easier it is;
Remember that what might seem absolutely mundane to you could be quite extraordinary and fascinating to your readers;
Get out and about for inspiration rather than trying to draw it from the Internet;
Write about things that YOU feel passionate about rather than setting out to ‘please’ your readers;
Look at the Search Terms that have brought people to your Blog and identify a question that you would like to address/answer;
Take a pile of photographs and write about an aspect of one of them that appeals to you;
Write a post and ask your readers what they would like you to write about;
Invite other bloggers to contribute to your blog;
Write a post about blogs you really enjoy;
If all else fails, write a post telling the world about your blogger’s block. You’d be amazed how much support, practical advice and inspiration you’d get!

I’d love to hear YOUR tips for dealing with ‘Blogger’s Block.’