“The present defines the future. The future builds on the foundation of the past.”
― Lailah Gifty Akita
I’ve been blogging for almost one whole year. And as this coincidentally coincides with the calendar year, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to reflect back on what a difference a year makes. We all tend to put added pressure on ourselves around this time of year. We analyze, fantasize and ultimately criticize ourselves. What are we not doing enough of? What can we do better? What’s the big plan we have all somewhat mapped out slapped together for the year ahead? While I do want to take steps to hit the ground running into a successful New Year, I think it’s important to look back on this year’s lessons, both new, and those I’ve been reminded of. Nothing wrong with a good ol’ jumping off point. So here goes!
You can never escape being your own IT Help Desk – things have a way of taking longer than you want them to and not being as easy to figure out as you’d hoped. If there’s a help line – dial it, a tutorial – take it, instructions – read them.
Remain open to relationships – This is HUGE! It didn’t take long to realize that blogging is a community and it’s sharing in the wins and losses that makes it real. Like my mom says…”You never know where you’ll meet your next best friend.” I want to clarify, for my best friend who reads all of my posts, you can never be replaced. It’s not so much the words, but the overarching sentiment here. I know, you get it.
You have to like what you’re doing – okay, this isn’t a catchall statement, by any means. I’m not talking about unfortunate life circumstances here (although I feel like that’s kinda my jam). If you don’t like what you’re doing, you aren’t going to be able to stay up until 2am doing it. Especially when you have a full day of work ahead. Blogging? Bring it on. Knitting? I’d be checked out faster than you can say ‘pearl’.
Learning can be fun – This one falls in the category of lessons I’m reminded of. I’m a student at heart. Trying to learn about the many facets of blogging, is definitely a challenge, but I’m encouraged by how much I’m learning along the way.
Social Media Isn’t Going Anywhere – There’s a theme amongst many successful bloggers that emphasizes the power of social media. You can use it to your advantage (advertisements, reach, etc.), but if it were to be gone tomorrow, you don’t want your blog to be gone too. It’s a balance of using social media, but not relying on it. I feel like this is important for anyone who has a smart phone. Don’t forget to look up every once in a while (literally).
Build your future based on your past – I am navigating motherhood, after child loss. That is my present and my past, mixed up into my everyday reality. I cannot change it, and blogging has provided me with a way to take my story and give it new meaning. It’s empowering really.
So, there’s always this other element to pursuing something new. I’d be lying (a lot) if I said it was all roses. I still have a knack for getting in my own head and questioning the why, the how and the when.
- Why should I keep doing this? I should have a lot more readers by now.
- How can I grow my message and reach more readers?
- When is this going to become easier? I should be hitting my stride soon, right? Right?
- Is this really helping me or anyone else?
This internal dialogue can feel crushing and when you’re not feeling very good already, it can actually be mistaken for the whole truth. As soon as your mind starts to waiver, self-doubt enters, to suck out any confidence you have left. Well, not so fast self-doubt. There is always another side to your coin:
Why should I keep doing this? I should have a lot more readers by now.
A: You should keep doing this because you love it. It’s healing for your heart and it makes you excited to think about all of the readers you do have – your next best friends (please hold off on filing the restraining orders – I’m just really glad you’re here)
How can I grow my message and reach more readers?
A: You’ve already reached so many people and it takes time for growth. Keep learning and trying new things (as long as you have the “2am drive”)
When is this going to become easier? I should be hitting my stride soon, right? Right?
A: It might not. Some tasks might become easier, but this just paves the way for new challenges. Each one making room for more successes! And, what is hitting your stride anyway? A stride is about taking decisive steps. Which direction to go is the tough part.
Is this really helping me or anyone else?
A: On a good day, the answer is a definitive ‘YES’. On my days when self-doubt crashes the party, I can waiver. But I know, self-doubt or not, I still want to be doing this. And some days, life is too tiring for a long-term plan. Some days, the furthest out I can forecast is tomorrow. And I’ll take it.
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