When I quit working full-time last year, I wasn’t sure what I would do next. I knew I wanted to work from home, and I scoured the internet for possibilities. A few options stuck out, one of them being blogging. I decided to look into it a little more and purchased a course to walk me through setting up a blog website. I put together a few posts and did the best I could on the design and technical aspects with my course’s help. Little did I know what wonderful life lessons I was about to learn from blogging.
The next step was to hit “publish.” Terrifying, to say the least. I probably changed my mind at least 3 times whether I was going to do this or not, but on November 5, 2018, I hit the button. And the life lessons from blogging came pouring in.
Have you started anything new lately? If so, let me know if you can relate to these lessons as well!
Eight Life Lessons from Blogging
#1
One of the first things I learned is that once you hit “publish,” masses of people do not come and read your post. It takes a lot of work to get your posts in front of people and even more work to get them to read them. Maybe you started your own business or started a diet; once you say yes, it doesn’t just happen!
But, my word of the year is persistent, and I am sticking to it! I will keep writing, promoting, and doing everything I need to do to be where I want to be!
“Dreams don’t work unless you do.”
#2
I have discovered what I love to do! When I wrote the post What is my Purpose, I was still in the beginning stages of blogging and putting all of the pieces together. But I now feel like I’ve found my thing. I get excited to wake up and write, and I miss writing when I’m not at home. Everything about sharing inspiration and honoring my mom lights me up! There are so many great stories and ideas to share, and I love researching new topics. I have learned so much about myself along the way. Blogging truly makes me happy, and I hope I am making other people happy as well.
I also love working from home! I can spend as much time as I want on my computer and then take little breaks throughout the day to do laundry, clean a room, take a walk with my dog, run errands, find some human connection, etc. It is totally freeing!
“Finding your passion is the key to your success.” Tracy Kauffman
#3
Blogging is hard work. If I could write and find some fun pictures and slap them up on my website for thousands of people to find and read, this would be easy. But it doesn’t work that way. I have to use all of the right keywords in all of the right places and promote my posts everywhere I can. Even then, I might get 25 people to read it.
Now, the Pollyanna in me wants to say, “if I can inspire 25 people, that should be enough because I love what I am doing.” However, 25 people a day does not add up to success in this world. Success begins with 10,000 page views a month. Holy Crap! I have no idea how I am going to get there, but I’m not giving up! This is a slow process, and it takes 9-12 months for Google and Pinterest to notice me. I have to keep putting in the work to get there. Consistency is important.
That is true for any new thing you are trying to do, be consistent in your effort.
“If you are persistent, you will get it. If you are consistent, you will keep it.”
#4
One of my favorite lessons from blogging is, I am learning to notice and appreciate little successes along the way. A new follower, a new subscriber, a new comment, or like or someone telling me how much they like what I have written. I’m finding inspiration in everything I read, watch, hear, and see for new posts. The world is full of stories worth sharing. Soon my little successes will turn into a big success, and I will be ready!
“We are so often caught up in our destination that we forget to appreciate the journey. Especially the goodness of the people we meet along the way. Appreciation is a wonderful feeling; don’t overlook it.”
#5
I am always learning more! There are so many free courses on every topic of blogging. I only have to google whatever problem I am having, and something will pop up. Self-education is so important in life. Whatever new adventure you want to explore, learn more about it. Stay ahead of everyone else not doing the work.
I have also invested in courses to learn from the best. There are a lot of very successful people in this field, and most of them are happy to share their secrets. I am currently taking a course from Ruth Soukup and will be soon going to my first conference.
“Continuous learning is the minimum requirement for success in any field.” Brian Tracy
#6
Knowing my endgame is key. What is my goal with my blog? Right now, I love sharing what I’ve learned to help, inspire, and motivate others. I have a few products in mind, and I hope to do some affiliate marketing. I want to make enough money to do some more traveling. To steal an analogy from Mike Dooley, I have to put my destinations in my GPS, and I am trusting that through my hard work and the help of the Universe, I will get there. I may take a few wrong turns, but I will get back on track because I know where I am headed.
“When you know your why, you know your way.” Michael Hyatt
#7
I’m challenging my fears. Like I wrote in Face Your Fears, I’m putting myself out there and learning how to not worry about what some people might think. It is hard to shut down your thoughts of what you think others are thinking of you. Those thoughts can get ugly. But I am learning that I can change those thoughts and not be so hard on myself. There is so much to learn, and six months is not nearly enough time to learn it all.
Not everyone will understand what I am doing, and I need to be OK with that. I am a people pleaser, so when others are not supporting me, I feel rejected. Something I am working on! In any profession, we need to understand that our message can not reach everyone and is not pertinent to everyone’s life. But, if it is your dream, go for it!
“People pleasing hides the real you.”
#8
I am not only learning about blogging; I am learning about myself. Every post I write, I try to put it into practice in my own life. From manifesting miracles, eating healthy, protecting the environment, being creative, and journaling, I am living it as much as I can.
My goal is for all of us to make the most of our lives, and that has to start with me. Blogging is helping me do that. Lose my fear, have fun, and be confident in my vision.
“Live life to the fullest because you only get to live it once.”
This post is all about lessons I learned from blogging, but you can substitute a blogger for any other job or hobby you want to pursue. Figure out what lights you up, do the work, celebrate your successes, know your endgame, and make the most of your life!
What are you working on? Leave a comment below, and hopefully, in six more months, we can celebrate new successes together!
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