Five years ago this week, I decided to start a Pour Your Heart Out link up for bloggers who wanted to share personal stories. Things that were important to them, close to their hearts, what made them cry or made them scream with joy. An opportunity for a soapbox moment if you needed it, and definitely a place for support.
Those of you who have been blogging for a long time know that things were different back then- there were so many link ups and that was a main way that we found new blogs to read. It wasn’t what we found in a google search, what someone had pinned, or what went viral on facebook. It was through link ups, blogger suggestions, and finding people in the comments.
Blogging has definitely changed since those days.
To be honest, knowing that the 5 year Pour Your Heart Out anniversary was coming up, I thought long and hard about changing it or even getting rid of it altogether.
Yet, every time I had that thought, I’d come across a blogger who mentioned it or who thanked me for hosting it.
Back when I first started it, it was my way of keeping myself accountable to write something “real” each week and not get caught up in all the fun memes that were going around. And while most of those memes aren’t around any more, it’s still my way of making sure that at least once a week, I really take a look at what I’m really feeling and not just gloss over it with a funny story about my kids or with a recipe. Those have their place, but I don’t want to get to the point where that “spilling it all” tagline up there needs to be changed.
So, Pour Your Heart Out is staying around.
And I’d love it if you join in.
The posts that I read from the link up are always my favorite of the week. They’re what have allowed me to get to know so many of you over the years.
I’ll keep this week’s open until next week’s opens. If you have something recent you’ve written that fits, please link it up. But I’d also love to see your favorite post from however long ago, so if you have a favorite PYHO that you wrote, please feel free to link that as well.
It means a lot that so many of you read these posts and I want to keep it around for anyone who needs to join in.
Thank you for 5 years of Pour Your Heart Out!

5 years! That’s amazing. I love that you offer up this space Shell.
Thanks, Christine!
Has it really been 5 years?? My, how blogging has most definitely changed. Sometimes I really miss the good old days β¦
xo
Which means it’s been over 5 years since we saw each other. WTH, girl! Miss you. π
PYHO has always been one of my favorite linkups. I haven’t joined in a while, because I haven’t really been writing much, but will love to for the coming weeks.
Happy 5th Anniversary!
Would love to have you again, Alison!
Congratulations on 5 incredible years Shell.
THANK YOU for giving our words a soft place to be heard and read.
So glad it’s staying around. You are one of the “Sunshines” of the internet. XO
Love you, Kir! xo
Ah… five years!! I still think this is the best link up around the blogosphere!! There’s nothing like it anywhere- and I always love reading other posts linked up- because they ARE REAL and HONEST and I love both of those things… I need to get back into coming over here and linking up. Will start NOW. π
Thanks for saying that, Chris- it means a lot! xo Happy to have you again!
Thank YOU, Shell!
Thanks for being a regular, Jennifer!
I’m so happy you’re sticking with it! I’m grateful for Pour Your Heart Out because it’s how I met you. π
Thanks, Becky! It’s amazing how many people I got to know through this.
SOOO thankful for PYHO and happy to hear you are keeping it! I’ve linked up many times over the years. I love that it, like you said, requires me to be real. Thanks, Shell!
Thanks for joining in, Lauren!
Aw, happy 5 years!! Seriously, what a great linkup you do have and can see why you are keeping it going. Joined this week, too π
5 years! Wow. I am grateful for this space. It has been such a great place over the years and I know it’s pushed me to write things I never would have had you not given me the excuse. Thanks for hosting all this time. And even though blogging has changed. (sniffle, sniffle) I’m glad you’re keeping it!!