My Blogging Journey ~ Lessons I’ve Learned
Three years ago in April 2016, my blog went live. I started my day today, diving into the pool of the meandering maze of my life. Often, I am left surprised by myself. At how each time I have overcome turbulence and fears placidly… unearthing this quest and call, even when I sought to explore a novel dimension of my career as a blogger. Yes, what once stayed dormant in my dreams, has now blossomed into this beautiful reality!
Thinking on this strengthens my confidence that nothing can come my way that I cannot handle. Herewith, I have climbed a newer peak than before and now my “new” goals and aspirations feel really scary. Prospective future endeavours keep popping up in my head; the thought of curating a capsule collection one day {perhaps for one of the many wonderful brands I am presently associated with}, or starting a new business venture {as an extension to what I presently do}, or metamorphosing into something bigger and deeper {than a mere blog}. The fears are there, but my acclimatisation with victory has given me the confidence to date even the unimaginable. I think my dreams are bigger than me sometimes 🙂 {…but I know they aren’t}.
Looking back three years from now, I was an amateur who didn’t understand the intricacies of building or managing a blog ~ but I went on ahead anyway. I was fearless and I cannot be any prouder. And looking ahead three years from now, I can only be hopeful that I’ll be doing bigger things. I thus keep my fingers crossed in hope of bigger victories!
So as I woke up today, there was this inner voice that urged me to share something special with you, my reader, something that was innate to me. Perhaps some life experiences garnered over these three years. Yes, I feel qualified to give an exposé on lessons I have learned as a blogger since I started. And, I’d like you to know that building the blog you dream of is possible. Yes, you can have it all but it will take time. But wait… before I embark on sharing my journey, let me quickly recap a few achievements from last year ~
I knew I needed to do more, so in 2018 I unleashed the wanderlust in me and travelled to myriad locations across the globe. I went where my soul and legs took me! I was sure that seeing the world from a different perspective would work wonders in helping my creativity. 2018 was also the year I was able to give my blog’s business a makeover and I feel fulfilled, as I subsequently found new meaning and purpose in my work. Besides, I have acquired some more capable hands on my team, forged some incredible partnerships, and am excited for all the amazing things we can accomplish together!
I really have come a long way. I built my follower strength from the bottom-up and this gave me room to try different things and truly discover my style. I have basically been there and done that in terms of my blogging journey, and must say that my slow pace at it was for the better.
My Blogging Journey ~ Lessons I’ve Learned
So without further ado, here are some of my biggest lessons I learned along the way!
Understand You
Start with your strengths! Know who you are, what you stand for, and what you can and cannot do {what works for you and your audience}. These things are not always universal. And remember these golden words, having a massive following doesn’t mean you have influence ~ i.e. your work changes such that you lose your essence. Knife into your strength and seed it with smart work.
Create to Evolve
You won’t evolve by waiting it out. You have to give yourself to trying new things out. Whether good or bad, create content ~ that’s the law of blogging evolution. Don’t hesitate to “test” out different locations, experiment with your personal style, etc. You will grow and find your own style of content creation in the long run.
Don’t Be a People Pleaser
“I don’t know the key to a successful blog, but the key to failure is pleasing everyone.” There probably is no concept capable of birthing failure anywhere other than wanting to please everyone. You only displease more people doing this, and even risk losing your most loyal of followers. If they don’t like what you have to offer, they are not for you.
Be Fearless
Many times I have been afraid that a different move on my blog will be the end of it. Somehow, it has always come out with great results. I recently published a post on cellulite; I told my husband I was afraid it would generate negative criticism. But it did well. Perhaps not everyone who read it understood why I was so open about a topic that’s not openly discussed, but it felt right and that’s what mattered.
Fear does no one any good. Do not be afraid to let your followers enjoy the beauty of your uniqueness. It is sort of what keeps them coming back.
Treat Your Blog Like a 9 to 5
The feel of blogging daily is no less than the feel of an entrepreneur. This is totally a mindset to work with. The fact that you are working from home doesn’t cut you the slack you think you need. Blogging is serious business; you don’t get good results for doing crappy work. Be diligent in replying to emails in an orderly and timely fashion, writing those blog posts, editing those pictures; just work the work!
Delegation is Not as Easy as it Seems
Clearly, the bigger you grow, the more hands you need {you probably can’t keep up}. Yes, this may come across as scary. There’s always the fear of your team members not getting it right. Isn’t it way easier if the business belongs to someone else and you just happen to have some authority that permits you to delegate. Delegation, and just about everything else, is sure as hell not that easy when we are talking about our own business. That is gold! Over the years, I have learned that although it is difficult, it is possible and needed {to delegate}. And yes, you also get to learn a lot and get more work done.
Think, “Maybe it’s me.”
Yes, it is not always the algorithms. We’ve all made bad content. It happens.
I have personally dealt with bad edits, outfits that weren’t as put together as I’d thought, writing that wasn’t as inspiring, etc. I know, I know ~ I’m not Shakespeare! Neither was Shakespeare himself perfect. The point is, we all get stuck in a creative rut, have looming deadlines laced with a lot of pressure… you get my drift.
I just figured I’d be better off putting my feelings aside. Yes, some days it’s necessary to remove oneself, sit back and decipher what works and what doesn’t. In the end, you are not your audience but they determine if your blog stays or does not. Remember that you are running a business and you need a steady income to keep it running. The media realm is always morphing. You have a job to stay relevant in it.
Try Dynamism
What is also key is to stay true to your subject matter. You don’t necessarily have to draw too many lines that kill your creativity. But be willing to be dynamic!
How About Small but Mighty?
To my point earlier ~ steady growth with the platform {to make and learn from my mistakes through the years} has helped me keep momentum. This is why it is relatively safer to work with a “smaller” blog. It is tested and trusted. A smaller frame also affords you the luxury of a bigger avenue; i.e. freedom to experiment, retain control, and above all, pick yourself up each time you fail. Because through failures is set the road to success.
Finally, Don’t be a Quitter
Nothing good comes easy. There will be trying times. Tough people last. This counts as one universal rule and applies to everything in life. Yes, survival is not always based on wit, sometimes resilience comes in handy.
Angela Duckworth, author of the book Grit, says “Grit is passion or perseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future, day in and day out ~ not just for a day, not just for a month, but years ~ to make that future a reality. And working really hard to make that future a reality. Grit is living life like it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
In a nutshell ~ don’t forget to stay true to your essence. Do not be afraid to try new things. You may just discover something new about yourself that has been hiding in the rear. Keep at creating and adjusting until you understand your craft, it can lead you to exactly where you want to be. You got this!
To conclude: Having shared my blogging journey ~ lessons I’ve learned along the way with you, I’ll be on my way. I’ll drink to my past successes and coming success. I am grateful for each one of you and I can promise you the next chapter of my journey will be one so captivating and epic!
If you’re just starting, or want to share your journey so far as a blogger, please feel free to leave a comment below.