I do believe blogging has taught me so much it’s hard to pinpoint even a few things. However, for the sake of time and your reading eyes, I’ll do my best to do that.
My Writing Skills Are Worth Something
I found out that my writing skills are still worth something. (I’ve gained a few scholarships for writing essays throughout school.) I can earn money doing something that I love and make a positive difference in our lives. I’m still not making as much as other bloggers are because I haven’t figured out how to really dig into the freelance writing portion of blogging. However, that’s all in due time.
It’s Not All about Me
If you haven’t noticed yet, I have no problem talking about myself. However, I honestly and truly don’t want things to be all about me. It’s the way I come across though, and I’m trying really and I do mean really hard to fix that. However, bad habits are really hard to break. I strive to make my blog posts beneficial to you for the most part. Yet at the same time, my blog is my escape. It is my way of voicing my thoughts to get them off my chest.
Even when I comment on other blogs, I still try to find a way to not make it about me, but how do I add to a conversation without doing that?? (Yes, I have that issue even in real life!) In my mind, I’m focused on the issue at hand and want to use my life experiences as a way to help others or show how I can relate. I don’t want to come across as self-centered or self-absorbed.
It’s Impossible to Do It All Alone
Blogging professionally (even in the small stage that I’m at) requires a lot of attention. If I did everything I was supposed to do in a day with my blog and for my blog, I’d literally be working nonstop for 16 hours straight. Even with those long hours, I’d still only be doing the bare minimum of what I should be doing. I can’t work that many hours on my blog, homeschool my kids, maintain a household, and eat and sleep as needed. That is just not humanly possible.
So, with careful planning and scheduling, I work smarter not harder. However, I also have learned which things I need to focus on to maintain the level of success I do have. I can see that I fall short during certain periods of our life. In the same token though, life happens. I can’t stop living our life because I have to work on this blog. If it was a full time job with a full time income for me already, then by all means I’d definitely devote all those long hours too it! Yet, it’s only giving me a part time income with full time hours.
I have to delicate jobs to my family members. My kids have to buckle down and learn the material I teach them without playing around. My husband has to handle the kids while I write. My husband has to wait until wee hours of the morning for me to curl up next to him or to get a pleasurable round with me. My blogging journey has become a full-fledged family journey for sure.
I’m Still an Amateur in Many Ways
Although, I do know a lot about blogging, I’ve still got a long ways to go. Mainly that’s about time management and getting my ducks in a row. I want to figure out how to accomplish it all and making it happen the way I want to do it. Considering our lifestyle, I know I’d never be able to create a schedule and have all of us live it because there are just so many outside interferences to make it happen. Yet, I feel totally utterly blessed by the things I have accomplished through this blogging journey. I definitely feel smarter as a result. I’ve learned coding, marketing, and about tons of social media things. It’s just a matter of having the time and desire to implement them.
In a nut shell, blogging has taught me that I’ve got a skill that is worth marketing. Hence my tag line: Experience is Worth Marketing. I’m still struggling with coming across as a self-absorbed know it all, but it’s slowly getting better. If I ever want to reach the next level with my blog, I’ve got to find a way to get everyone on board to help me make it happen with a solid time management schedule.
What has blogging taught you?
Hi Crystal, I’ve nominated you for a Liebster Award! If you’d like to participate visit my blog to check out all the rules and see how it works! http://www.TheEarthFriendlyFamily.com
Oh, Tracey. Thank you so much. I love these awards. I feel very honored to receive it.
Crystal thank you for sharing yourself and your time with us all. Have a nice day.
Thank you for taking the time to read it and also comment. It means a lot that you visited me.
It’s great to read that you’ve found what works for you and manage to make a little money at blogging. I definitely wish you continued success.
I’m glad that you are finding out what works for you. Blogs are usually about the writer so that they can share with others and people know that they aren’t alone. Blogging about yourself gives others insight and teaches them things they didn’t know before reading it. Thank you for taking the time to write them.
I write because I love it. Thank you for reading it, it means a lot to me that you take the time to read my thoughts and comment.
I’ve been enjoying reading your blog! I love to get different perspectives from the bloggers I read on a regular basis. I’ve found that I’ve learned a lot of things about myself from blogging that I didn’t really know about myself… if that makes sense? 🙂
It makes total sense!! I didn’t realize how different I feel and want to be verses how I come across online vs. the in person version of myself. I also found out there are many things I love doing that I never dreamed I’d enjoy doing.