How Blogging Changed My Life
***This article may contain affiliate links. See my disclaimer for details.***
It’s been nearly two years since I started legendoflisa.com.
While the seed was planted in my mind in January of 2018 that this was what I wanted to do, it wasn’t until that August that I stepped out in faith and finally started taking action.
In the past, I’d always admired other bloggers and wished I could do what they do.
Now I read that last sentence, and think how sad it is I didn’t know I could do what they do.
I’ve discovered the first step to getting started with blogging has nothing to do with selecting your niche, purchasing your domain name or creating your website’s design.
In fact, it has nothing to do with anything technical at all.
The real first step to starting a blog is re-shaping your thinking to know you are capable of creating a successful website.
To understand that you can do this.
I say this because blogging success does not happen overnight or even in a few months’ time, and I think from a glance some people view it as a get-rich-quick scheme.
The truth is, many people start and then get totally lost or discouraged because it is a lot of work.
A lot of intentional thinking, strategy, and trial-and-error is required to be a successful blogger.
Most people don’t understand this, so they just assume they aren’t cut out for it, or they are too lazy to put the work in.
Blogging success is the culmination of months-possibly years-of hard work, dedication, determination and discipline.
Those are the bloggers who succeed-the ones who won’t stop until they achieve what they set out to do.
How I Got Started
I took Create & Go’s Launch Your Blog Biz course and eventually took their course on driving free traffic to your blog with Pinterest called Pinterest Traffic Avalanche.
Once I took Launch Your Blog Biz, I began building my site. This course was instrumental in giving me the confidence to finally start my blog.
I went live January 1st, 2019.
The other course I took, Pinterest Traffic Avalanche, taught me how to do affiliate marketing and get free traffic on Pinterest.
So, how did blogging change my life?
I Learned How to Answer My Own Questions
Aside from the knowledge I gained from taking the two Create & Go courses, I began to train my brain to figure everything else out on its own.
Instead of asking questions on a group Facebook board or directly contact an expert when I got stuck on something, I used a Google or YouTube search bar.
The other thing I did instead of asking questions was if I was struggling to get traffic or subscribers (or struggling in any way), I changed something I was doing.
Trial-and-error is everything when it comes to figuring out your blogging strategy.
In the past, I hated figuring technical stuff out on my own. I hated when my former employer implemented new or updated systems, because it meant I was forced to figure it out in order to use the program.
While I’ve always loved to read and write, learning new programs wasn’t my forte.
But once I trained my brain to think otherwise, I began to grow tenfold. Not just in what I could do, but as a person.
It gave me confidence.
From my former mindset, I changed into someone who thrived from the opportunity to learn and figure something out on her own.
Because of this, I’m better off.
Sure, you can become a blogger and ask questions to other people or group boards.
But at some point you have to figure some things out on your own.
You have to be a problem solver.
Especially when it comes to figuring out what’s working for you and your website’s success, and what is not working.
Nobody can hold your hand through that and show you the way.
You have to figure that much out on your own.
Persistence pays off.
I would work for weeks and weeks and see little improvement.
And then…BAM!
I’d wake up to a new record of views set for a given day or 12 new subscribers in a single day.
Then, an email informing me of my first big affiliate sale.
It’s important to know I didn’t see that email until six months after my blog first went live.
Blogging success does not happen overnight.
If you are undisciplined and unwilling to put the hard work in day-in and day-out, you’ll never be successful blogging.
On the flip side, even on days (or weeks) where I see little to no improvement, I feel a sense of satisfaction in how far I’ve come.
Failure is a given, but discipline is optional.
You’re going to fail.
I created several email opt-ins (to get email subscribers) before I found one that converted well.
After nearly 5 months, I only had 26 subscribers.
It was so discouraging.
Then I created a new opt-in form, and in the two months that followed, I was up to 200 subscribers.
I’m glad I didn’t quit on trying to get email subscribers.
Blogging is a lot of trial and error.
You have to try different things and figure out what works.
If you try one thing and it doesn’t work, that doesn’t mean you should jump ship on your blog career.
When it comes to these hits and misses, persistence pays off.
Freedom
The freedom to be able to work on my blog from my porch (which I am doing now on this gorgeous day) or the ability to work on it from anywhere is nothing short of amazing.
If I want to work on my blog at 12am, 8am, 5pm, 9pm or whenever I want, I can make that happen.
The freedom and control I have over my own destiny are everything to me.
This is what I quit corporate America for!
And while I’m not financially “there” yet with my blog, I know someday I will be.
Satisfaction
Knowing I created this website leaves me with a sense of satisfaction, despite its shortcomings.
While my website does not yet look exactly how I want it to look and while there are 100 things I’d love to change, it’s still my pride and joy.
I created this!
Even better, my creation is helping other people.
Getting those first few emails that your article helped someone or that your email made their day better is such a great feeling.
Before You Go
While there are many obvious benefits to running a successful website, there’s so much beneath the surface I’ve learned from my experience thus far.
If you’re interested in starting a blog but you’re unsure, I want to hear from you. How can I help you?
It wasn’t so long ago I was in your shoes too.
Unsure and thinking I wasn’t capable.
But I’m totally capable, and so are you.
Here are the resources I have personally used that I 100% believe will help you the way they helped me:
- Launch Your Blog Biz (course)
- Pinterest Traffic Avalanche (course)
- Bluehost (website hosting)
- Elegant Themes (website themes-I use Divi)
- ConvertKit (email marketing service)
- Tailwind (social media scheduler)
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