5 Things I've Learned in my First Year of Blogging
It’s official today marks the one year anniversary of my first blog post on Katestake.com! Before launching the blog last September I had thought about blogging for a while; but had never taken the plunge partially because the domain I wanted wasn’t available and partially because I was intimidated. So last summer when the domain katestake.com did become available; I’m so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone; grabbed onto that moment of micro bravery and took action. In a way it’s been scary to put myself out there but I’m happy I’ve done it and will continue to do so. Thank you for sharing in this experience and read along for my TAKE on five things I’ve learned in my year of blogging.
I’m a pretty private person so starting a blog was a leap of faith…I did it because I wanted a creative outlet and I wanted to share my ideas. I’ve been slowly learning to put myself out there. I’m always the one behind the camera both on the blog and in my private life. I need to start being present (in photos) if not for me; certainly for my kids. I want them to remember that they had a magical childhood and I was right by their side enjoying it with them. It’s not just about the photos though…personal posts about sensitive topics are the hardest for me to write but often resonate with readers the most.
Blogging is a lot of work! Holy cow, people put a lot of time and effort into their blogs. I now understand how blogging can be a full time job. I once read that to grow your readers a blogger should post 4-5 times a week. Ummm… I’ve posted 42 times in the last year; which doesn’t even net out to 1 post a week! Eep! While, I don’t think my life as a wife and working mom of three will ever allow me to post 4-5 times a week I do want to set a goal to post at least 60 times in the next 12 months. I have loads more to share and when I sit down to write it’s actually cathartic…clearly, I should do more of it!
Spending time working on my blog or on my Instagram account is OK! Sure, sometimes this means that the dishes are left in the sink, the kids beds aren’t made or that clothes are left in the dryer; but its OK! This is my creative outlet and I’ve learned that it’s important to give myself permission to do things that make me feel well; like myself. Being a mom, means giving up a lot to raise these tiny little people and I’ve finally learned that I’m a better mom to them when I can do a few things for myself too!
Finding your voice and being authentic is important. Content on my blog showcases ideas I have and do/would execute in my private life regardless of having a blog. I want to keep it that way. It’s important to me that I never highlight a brand, idea, product, a recipe, or book that I don’t fully stand behind. Of course, if I find a new recipe, or discover a new children’s book I will continue to share it because life is all about learning from others, right?
I’m still a complete novice with so much to learn but hope to make blog updates in the coming year. Things like, gasp; a search bar, subscription service or maybe even better content organization would be awesome interface enhancements. If you have followed along from the beginning or just read one post…thank you! No matter how small or large my group of readers are...I’m grateful and I hope that y’all find some value in the content I share.