‘I’ve just started writing a blog on The Western Telegraph website’, I told a few friends recently.

Their responses ranged from a disinterested ‘Oh yeah’; to a sulky ‘wish I had the time to do stuff like that’; and a more positive ‘That’s good!’ Then someone asked ‘why?’ Why blog?

Well, I like reading; enjoy learning new things; I love writing and I value sharing new ideas.

Then I was challenged with the assertion that ‘you can do all that in the real world, with real people’.

Yes I can -at the office; in the supermarket; at school social events; in the pub.

I also like being able to grasp useful bits of information and entertainment at the click of a mouse – at my convenience – whether I’m in the office; working from/or relaxing at home.

I can, at any time of day or night read whatever someone anywhere in the world has decided to write and enter into a discussion or dialogue if I so wish.

And if I don’t like what I’m reading I can just scroll on by… We humans are fickle creatures, constantly craving the stimulation of something new.

We also all have a basic need to communicate our thoughts and feelings to others; and blogging is a very convenient and effective way to achieve this.

A recent study concluded that ‘…blogging does not diminish substantial relations in real life but…helps to enhance bloggers’ existing relations through social bonding.’ For the scientific evidence of the psychological benefits of blogging check out this piece of research http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/abs/10.1089/cpb.2008.016 and blog on!