Photo by Andrew Neel from Unsplash
Since publishing my first blog post, I got into a routine of writing blog posts more often. Although this routine of mine is far from perfect and it’s not every day I get to put out quality content consistently, I guess I could say blogging has taken over me (in a good way). From the moment I read other people’s blog posts about the challenges they overcame in their lives, I realized that’s what I wanted to do too.
I admit, at first, I found it hard to open up (to the world, no less) because I’ve always protected my privacy more than anything. But over time, I figured it wasn’t so bad at all. As long as I know my boundaries, I am in control of the kind of content I put out to the world. And even if strangers do get to know and read a piece of my life, at least I know it’s because I let them.
Like any other writer, professional or otherwise, I also fall victim to running out of ideas to talk about or not feeling any motivation to write anything at all. When I do experience burnout, I console myself by saying my ideas are too big and too great to rush the writing process. I need to find a way to get the creative juices flowing without my desire to publish a blog post on a strict schedule getting in the way of making unique, relatable content. I also do give myself ample time to relax and avoid pressuring myself to turn into this robot that has gotten out of control.
One way to prove my love for blogging is the fact that I keep putting out articles on my blog even if nobody reads them. No offense to the very few who actually do read the stuff I write, but I have to admit it can be disheartening to dedicate your time and effort to writing a good blog post only to see your stats barely moving an inch.
I don’t want to be a hypocrite and say the number of visits, reads, and comments on my blog posts don’t affect me, because they do. It matters to every blogger out there (even if they say they’re doing it out of fun). Still, it feels so good to see soaring figures on your dashboard. I do care about the figures and statistics, but how well my blog does isn’t the end-all-be-all of why I completely devote my time and talent to writing for the world to obtain value from it for free.
The figures don’t matter as much to me as the genuine satisfaction I get after publishing a blog post and loving it. After all, nothing beats the sweet sensation of people leaving comments on my blog. People saying they enjoyed my post or they felt inspired to take action in their life is just something else.
As other bloggers would say, what truly matters is the impact you make in other people’s lives. If your blog, no matter how little the readership may be, can create a fire in someone’s heart and push them to live a better life, then you have done it. Your blog doesn’t need a high domain authority or an excellent Google ranking to be considered good enough. Hearing grateful responses from readers is already an awesome contribution to the world.
At least that’s what I tell myself to feel good, until I come across other bloggers’ blogs, read their very detailed and extensive income reports, and see their blog design and template a million times better than my free version. Then it all hits me, “Why can’t my blog be successful like theirs?”
Seeing as their not-so-humble beginnings are similar to mine, why can’t I love blogging and still be as rich as them? Why can’t I turn my blog into a powerful revenue stream and a lucrative business venture like theirs? Why can’t I be one of those bloggers who are a part of the top 10 richest bloggers in the world? Is my love and passion for blogging not enough to take me places? Or is my mere desire for writing and storytelling simply not enough without the technical smarts to back it up?
These questions take up most of my time when I should be writing. The amount of doubt and negativity keeps me from doing the work. And before I know it, I’m back to being stuck in a rut. I’m back to weeks turning into months without posting, and feeling bad about it the whole time. Then I develop this contempt against myself which I can’t shake off easily.
To redeem myself, I tell myself my blog only lives with me. As long as I keep writing, my blog continues to live. It’s like having some sort of responsibility over my blog, and if I fail to own up to this responsibility, I feel awful. Even if only a few people read my blog posts (and let’s be honest, only skim through them), I still give it my all as if I get a lot of site traffic.
Heck, I feel guilty when I can’t post as much as I want. I feel like I’ve taken my blog for granted and let my readers (or potential readers) down. And to my surprise, this guilt I feel keeps me going. It’s that fire that keeps on burning and keeps me busy. Any kind of blogging work makes me feel productive. It puts my mind to work. It provides me with a good kind of stress. It serves more than just a regular pastime activity, and to top it all off, I have fun doing it.
I guess by now, it’s obvious to assume I love blogging. I love writing articles and stories about things that inspire me and challenge me. I love engaging with random people on the internet and spreading positivity through my words. I love expanding my knowledge in website building and experimenting with different writing techniques.
Moreover, blogging pushes me to improve my craft. It challenges me to try different writing styles and points of view. It pushes me past my limit. It teaches me the commitment to stick to my writing and posting schedule like a real profession.
While I’m pregnant, blogging has been an outlet for my mood swings and sudden emotional outbursts. My blog is one of my best friends to spend time with, especially now that I have a little human growing inside me. For the past 9 months, I can’t help but feel lazy and unproductive (even if I’m literally preparing my body to bring life into this world), but luckily blogging is there to keep me company.
Blogging helped me explore my individuality. The lifestyle niche is one of the broadest niches in the blogging industry and as a lifestyle blogger myself, I need to find creative ways to set my blog apart from everyone else’s. This is where my individuality comes into place in the content I write. I can stand out in the lifestyle niche by using my vulnerability as a trademark of my blog. People are more likely to come back to my blog when they see me as a friend and not just some random writer on the internet.
Blogging reminds me of my place in this world. Every blog post I put out feels so rewarding. In my tiny corner space on the internet, my blog represents my minute contribution to the world. Through my personal stories, whoever reads my posts can connect to someone and relate to them.
Blogging gives me more ideas to inspire creativity. Finding topics to write about is one thing. Making the content inspiring, educational, and relatable is another story. Writing deals with a lot of trial and error—especially in terms of finding your own voice and style in connecting to people.
Blogging taught me patience. We all know blogging in general is a heavily saturated market. It takes a long time to get to know your style as a writer when there are too many bloggers. Lifestyle blogging is one of the most popular niches in the industry. It takes digging deep roots into your niche, consistency, and delivering unique content to stand out in the lifestyle niche.
CONCLUSION:
Overall, my life became more eventful since I started blogging. Starting Life Begins At Twenty was a highlight in my two years of the pandemic, and it has opened a lot of doors for me since then. It cultivated my interest in building my own brand and turning it into a means of making money online. It expounded my broad idea of the world— like how long it really takes to start a business and how the real world responds to the content you put out.
I pursued a deeper meaning in my life when I knew I had the ability to change another person’s life just by typing a few words on my personal computer. Blogging gives me the freedom to write what I want and to use my time more proactively. Blogging is a blessing in my life. It is my relief, and I couldn’t be any more grateful.
“There is no rule on how to write. Sometimes it comes easily and perfectly: sometimes it’s like drilling rock and then blasting it out with charges.”
Ernest Hemingway
Life Begins At Twenty 