Taking the risk
I’ve been home with my almost 3 year old since he was born. Being a stay at home mom wasn’t something I had envisioned for myself. I grew up wired to go to school, eventually go to college to get a degree in a field of my choice, get a career and have a family I barely get to see. Many of us grew up with both parents working hard to make money to live. Barely getting to spend much time with them due to demanding careers. I was headed in the same direction. My son was born and it changed everything. I saw how much time I was going to miss out on with him so I started looking for a solution. Now, the truth is, starting a personal blog for the world to see is scary. There is no guarantee that it will be successful but on the flip side there can be great benefit.
There are many directions you can go with starting a personal blog. Whether you are hoping to create a business from it or just a space to connect with others. There can be endless potential in creating your own blog, you just have to decide what your goals are and why you’re starting it. I would love to generate an income from this blog eventually. Learning to support others while also making some money to help support my family. For now, I am just getting my ducks in a row and learning the process, but I keep my big picture goals in mind always.
The scary truth in starting a blog
To be honest, there were a million reasons for not taking the risk. Never taking a chance on anything will only hold you back. My husband is very entrepreneurial minded and is always looking for ways to get ahead. Not all of us are born that way but that doesn’t mean we can’t learn to be. The traditional system doesn’t always set people up to get ahead. Most of society gets caught in the ever lasting loop only to barely keep their heads above the surface while trying to earn a living. Ask yourself the question, are you truly living your life or just trying to get by? This is a harsh reality check for many. Though blogging is a joke to many, it can prove to be a sustainable source of income. You just have to prepare, stay consistent, follow all legal policies, and do it for the right reasons.
I was hesitant to start my own blog for along time. One day, I asked myself why not? Those millions of reasons why seemed so irrelevant that day and I decided to take the plunge. I am still learning, I tread lightly because there is a lot of legal avenues you have to be aware of. To which I am also still trying to learn about. I have spent time learning from others how to get started and they all say the same thing, don’t wait, just start and learn as you go. That first step is always the hardest. It holds many back from every moving forward and seeing the potential that can come from the risk.
My reason for taking the risk
Being in a transitional period, I was finishing college and getting into my career while also trying to start a family. Many would have held off on the family while making such a transition into the world but my husband and I were at a point where it made sense. I was working in the animal field while trying to get pregnant and during my pregnancy. My husband being in law enforcement has a demanding schedule, long hours and mentally straining at times. My job consisted of a long commute, long hours, labor intensive and demanding in a different way. Seeing the strain it started to put on myself and my personal life, I left questioning is this really all there is?
I knew as a kid I hated not getting to spend much time with my parents. However, My parents also allowed their careers to make them so miserable that it bled into their parenting. Not wanting the same strained relationship with my kids, I knew I wanted to make changes. So many thinks it’s ridiculous, but if society never takes the plunge to go against the current, we may all be miserable. Life is worth living, not being forced to cater to a boss or company that can replace you that same afternoon. If I can find another source of income that can help supplement our current situation and be home with my kids, why not? Being a stay at home mom is not easy, being a working mom is definitely not easy. Especially for those that are single parents, but finding what works for your family is what’s most important.
Blossom into motherhood
Right now, the point behind blossom into motherhood is to create a space for mothers going through similar struggles. I want others to know they are never alone in the craziness of parenthood. No one has it all figured out. I want this to be space I can share what has helped me in raising my boys, whether it be products, books, social media pages etc. Having resources that you can lean on to help you lighten the load is always a great relief. So far I am just sharing my experiences. You don’t have to relate to what I write about. But if there is anything helpful that someone can take from my blog posts I’ve begun to accomplish part of my goal.
Something I wanted to learn was affiliate marketing. I signed up with Amazon when I initially started my Pinterest page. Unfortunately it didn’t work out because I had no followers and very little page views. That is still true today, however, I am working to build my page views simply by being myself. Eventually, I would like to try again so I can both share products I find useful and generate some income. I am trying my best to take it one step at a time and be PATIENT. That’s the hardest part for me, patience and consistency. You have to keep yourself consistent if you’re ever going to make progress. So right now it’s slow going but I have faith I can build something meaningful.
Research
Research is so important when learning something like this. There is a lot to the legal side of things that I am still learning. Nothing I add to my page is ever meant to be taken as any type of medical advice. Products I suggest that are useful to me personally should be researched before you purchase. Make sure you take the time to dive deeper into something you read no matter who it’s coming from so you can make an informative decision. There is so much to learn about when it comes to blogging and I had no idea. I initially started following the Blog by Sophia Lee. She is so informative and I love all her videos. She also offers courses you can take to be more successful with blogging and Pinterest. I plan to take her courses in the near future.
It’s an investment but you have to be willing to make smart investments in yourself in order to get better. Her YouTube channel is filled with so much information that you can learn a lot from alone. There are so many other blogging courses out there, especially catered to your niche if you are focusing on something specific. I am just getting started so I have just been following Sophia a lot. I am hoping to find more materials that I resonate with to continue building my knowledge because there is so much to learn! One thing she really emphasizes is consistency and SEO. I am hoping to broaden my goals for this blog as well. There are so many potential avenues, you just have to set goals for yourself and stick to it!
Conclusion
There is a great sense of pressure that comes with trying to build a blog. People can be very critical and you have to have a thick skin when it comes to expressing yourself on the internet. Not everyone will like what you write about or like your opinions. The thing is, it’s okay. I have to remind myself of this, we are all adults and have the ability to have an open mind about others perspectives. That’s what makes the world an interesting place. I know we’ve all been told “if everyone were exactly the same the world would be a boring place”. Sometimes starting a blog seems like a silly undertaking. Most people might think it’s a waste of time but honestly it gives me something to pour myself into every week.
Even if no one is reading my posts right now, I know someday I will have people take the time to read what I have to say and some will hopefully resonate with it. There have been times I wanted to give up, but I am just getting started so it would be silly to quit so soon. I love the idea of the potential this can have and want to do my best to create a source of income for myself. If you are on the fence about starting your own blog, take the plunge! You never know what could actually come of it. Just make sure you do your research and address all the legal aspects. Most importantly have fun with it! It’s intimidating for sure but have fun in knowing you’re creating something for yourself. Don’t forget to check out my other posts 🙂