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7 Life Lessons I Learned In My First Year Of Blogging

I’ve been blogging for over a year and at first I wasn’t going to do the whole blogiversary thing. I mean I’m having a wonderful time doing what I love. What’s to celebrate? However, as I get ready to launch a new and improved Kiddie Matters, I can’t help but reflect on the past year and how much I’ve learned.  Today I want to share with you some of the life lessons I’ve learned through blogging.

7 Life lessons I Learned In My First Year Of Blogging

1. It’s OK to ask for help. I’m not good at asking for help. I’m more of a do it yourself kinda gal. However, after my first few months of blogging, I realized that I wasn’t going to be successful going it alone. I mean my marketing strategy was to have my articles automatically post to Twitter and Facebook once I published them. Yeah…my blog was going anywhere fast.

Then I connected with this amazing group of bloggers in the Facebook group Blog Meets Blog. The ladies in this group taught me so much. Their kind words helped me to believe in myself and my writing. They were there to encourage me through rejection after rejection from Scary Mommy, and when I finally got a post accepted, these ladies liked, shared, and commented as if it were their own work. They helped my blog grow far more than I had been doing on my own. (Just remember it’s a two way street. If you’re going to ask for help, be willing to return the favor.)

2. It’s OK to be who you are. For a long time I avoided being myself so that I could be what I thought other people wanted me to be. I truly believed that if I was myself people wouldn’t like me. This was part of the reason why I started a blog. I’ve always found it easier to express myself through my writing and blogging provides a great platform for me to do that.

Sure, some responses to some of my blog posts reinforced my belief that some people wouldn’t like me for me. However, the rejection didn’t cause my world to come crashing down as I had feared. I could choose to focus on the few people who didn’t care for me or my style, or I could listen instead to the people who liked me for me. At the end of the day, you only live once.  You might as well live life being who you want to be.

3. It’s important to know your worth or someone else will define it for you. I learned this when I ventured into the world of sponsored posts.  Companies were eager to tell me what they thought I was worth which was chump change in my book. I see many new bloggers get taken advantage of because they are willing to work for “exposure” or way below market value. I believe that part of the reason why this happens is because when they negotiate their terms, some of these bloggers aren’t fully appreciating what they bring to the table. Know your worth so you can negotiate like a boss!

4. Never let the fear of failure stop you from pursuing your goals. When I started blogging I read that a good way to grow your blog was to write for larger websites within your niche.  In my case this was Huffington Post, Scary Mommy, and Mamapedia. It took me a while to submit my first piece because I dreaded the thought of pouring my heart and soul into an article only to have it rejected.  Thank goodness I submitted that first piece because it was accepted and it gave me the confidence to keep submitting even when I got those rejection letters.

5. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. When I decided to have someone design my blog I already knew exactly how I wanted it to look.  However, my main concern was that I wasn’t going to be able to properly communicate what I wanted.  I’m a people pleaser by nature and sometimes I have a hard time speaking my mind if I think it will hurt someone’s feelings.  I can’t count how many bad hairstyles I’ve left the salon with because I didn’t want to hurt the stylist’s feelings by telling her I didn’t like my hair.

However, I’m passionate about my blog and I have to be happy with my website design.  Ultimately this is what made me put on my big girl panties and ask for what I wanted. In the end, I’m happy with the work Monique from Fantastique Designs is doing and can’t wait to share it with you guys!

6. Don’t compare yourself to other people. When I started my blog my immediate focus was on getting traffic to my site. I would look at the top bloggers in my niche and longed to have their success. I wanted my posts to go viral and to have a ridiculous following like they did. In time I came to realize how ridiculous it was to compare myself to them. I had been blogging for a hot second.  Many of these bloggers have been blogging for years.  Like the saying goes you can’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle.  I would have been better served producing great content instead of comparing myself to others.

7. You make bad decisions when you are impulsive. It’s not often that I get into that writing zone where I can write non-stop and lose track of time. I convince myself that the posts I write during these moments will be the ones to go viral for sure! So I publish the post right away instead of sitting with it and looking it over with fresh eyes. When I look back at some of these posts now I cringe. I’ve learned that sometimes it is necessary to pause and think things through, especially when you feel that you’ve nailed something!

I’m curious, what life lessons have you learned from blogging? If you’re not a blogger, have you learned any life lessons from blogs you read?

Comments

  3. Robin Rue (@massholemommy) says

    Every blogger, ever, needs to read this. You are spot on with all of this, especially the part about being who we are. With so many bloggers these days, standing out isn’t a bad thing 🙂

    Reply

  4. Ana De- Jesus says

    Well done on having achieved so much in such a short space of time and your right it is when you start being yourself that your blog starts taking off. I hope it continues to be an upward journey for you!

    Reply

  7. Rebecca K. Sampson says

    I love absolutely everything about this post! It’s definitely okay to ask for help, it’s so important to know your worth… I agree with everything! You got it all in a short amount of time.

    Be the author of your own story,
    Rebecca Kelsey Sampson

    Reply

  10. Michele says

    I related to every single comment you mentioned… I kind of think Im going to print it and remind myself when the “blog” seems to be beating me up…. Congratulations….. Its not easy, but its so worth it!

    Reply

  11. Kendra says

    Love these tips. I blogged for a year several years back but then had to choose between that and my handmade business and went with my business and now I’m wanting to get back at my blog because it lets me be creative in a different way.

    Reply

  14. Stacey says

    I love all of these lessons learned. There is so much growth that happens to a person when they take the leap into the blogging world. Blogging has stretched me in ways that I never imagined. I love the challenge, the creativity, the writing, and the business practices that blogging has brought to my life. Congrats on year one!

    Reply

  18. karyl henry says

    This is such a great list, and I love how thoughtfully you explained each point. I have a really hard time with comparing myself to other bloggers. I’ve been at it for 3 1/2 years, but really only started pushing social media for the past 9 months. I know I have to be patient, but it can definitely get frustrating when you’re not seeing the readership you “think” you should have. You have a great blog and a great message, and even though your posts don’t always apply specifically to me, I thoroughly enjoy reading.

    Reply

  19. Heather says

    I love blogging – I just celebrated 5 years recently. And I wholeheartedly agree about the sponsored posts. You can’t be afraid of saying what you are worth, and you can’t always accept everything just because. It is something I wish I had known sooner. Congrats on 1 year, and cheers to many more!

    Reply

  20. C. Elleanor says

    “I’ve learned that sometimes it is necessary to pause and think things through, especially when you feel that you’ve nailed something!” This has been the exact lesson I’m learning to become comfortable with doing. I’m an inspirational/lifestyle blogger and being transparent is what God uses me to be/do through my blog. What I’m learning is that I don’t have to post everything random thing that comes to my mind if there’s no “bottom line” or “moral to the story.” I’ve been blogging for 11 years but blogging with intention for maybe the last 3. Now that I’m older and more aware of how to use my blog to help others I absolutely pause and take my time before I post. This was a great post with great advice that I wish I would’ve had back in 05.

    Reply

  21. Amanda says

    I haven’t been blogging for long (>1 year), but I’m slowly learning the lessons you mentioned above. The ones that resonate with me most are #2 and #6; I can’t help but compare myself to other bloggers and wonder what I’m doing wrong! Congrats on 1 year of blogging and thanks for letting me know I’m not alone in thinking some of these thoughts.

    Xoxo,
    Amanda

    Reply

  22. Koninika says

    New to this works of blogging, I really appreciate posts such as yours because I get to learn a lot, especially the dos and donts. I enjoy blogging because it’s the best way of getting feedback on my writing which has been a great outlet for me, free thinking and just an escape from everyday life! Thanks for the tips!

    Reply

  23. Jill @ RunEatSnap says

    Thanks for sharing! I love the blogging community. I would love to write for Huffington Post or another publication but fear definitely gets in the way. Thanks for the motivation to give it a try!

    Reply

  24. Jen says

    I like your summary because I’ve been blogging around the same time and find that some of these are true for me also, and some are making me rethink how I am doing things. I like how you pointed out not to be impulsive – I have definitely had to learn what days and moods help me write better and when I just shouldn’t force it.

    Reply

  25. Allison Jones says

    Even though you decided not to celebrate, congratulation on your first year of blogging! My blogaversary is coming up in a few months, and I really enjoyed reading what you learned because it made me reflect back on everything I’ve learned as well. I think my biggest lessons have been to know my worth and know that I have a voice/something worth while to share and also not to compare myself to other bloggers. My journey is my own and I’m enjoying it.

    LiveLifeWell,
    Allison

    Reply

  26. CourtneyLynne says

    Sounds like you really learned a lot! I agree with most of this, especially the comparing to others. All blogs are unique so comparing will never get you anywhere

    Reply

  27. Lezley says

    This was much needed, I’m a new blogger so I’m always looking for help and tips. I’m constantly comparing myself to other bloggers and I am trying to get out of that bad habit! Thanks for this.

    Reply

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