A lot has changed since I hit publish on my very first post back in October of 2012. A LOT. OF. DRASTIC. CHANGES. Welcome back for Part 2 of things I’ve learned over the years!
Do your own thing
Being yourself seems like a no brainer, right? But honestly, over the years it’s become harder and harder to stand out. We all know that the blogging and influencer community has exploded over the last few years, and you constantly have to find new ways to be different. For me, I started noticing that sharing more of my personality, every day looks, and long form posts helped me stand out to those who follow me on social media and read my blog. There are people like Andrea, Jenn, Grace, and Olivia
You still love your career
This is super personal, but it’s something I’ve truly learned over the years. I LOVE having a job in this industry (one that offers 401k plans and healthcare too). The more I do this whole blogging thing, the more I realized I really do love my job. While some days are harder than others, I feel very lucky that I am able to do both of these things. This is a personal challenge for me: I push myself creatively, I show others that it’s
possible
to run a “successful” (who the heck defines success anyway?) website while having a 9-to-5 job, and I teach myself how to wear so many hats.
Embrace the blogging community
Since 2012, I’ve met and followed A LOT of people in this space. It can be seen as a blessing and a curse. But for me, I think it’s a blessing. A total blessing. Honestly, connecting with people from all over the world has changed me in the most positive way. I look back on younger self, and I feel a bit small-minded. But after connecting with others of different races, religions, backgrounds, hometowns, and industries, I’ve become so much more open-minded. The friends I’ve made in the blogging community is truly amazing: We bounce ideas off each other, we support each other, we feel like we’ve known each other for years even if we haven’t met in real life. These people just
understand
the industry that is so misunderstood, and I’m happy I have a great support system through it all!
As we head into 2019, I wanted to reflect on some big lessons I’ve learned in my six years of blogging (
see part one here
). I’ve changed just as much as the industry has over the years, and it makes me excited for 2019!
What are some of YOUR biggest lessons learned since the blogging world became an actual industry?