I’m a millennial, thus it’s not surprising to hear that I enjoy social media and consuming online content. However, this isn’t something that’s interested me now since it’s more trendy. For years I thought and dreamt about starting my own blog, Youtube channel, etc. With Youtube, I quietly made a channel and would upload maybe two videos every year. And it wasn’t util late summer 2018 when I started this blog.
Something finally clicked in. I finally did what I wanted to do for so long. I did it for me. And sure, neither are my main sources of income (yet) but it’s a great creative outlet that I’m proud of. If you are thinking about starting a blog, but are nervous or just need some more motivation to: keep reading.
First Things First, Forget What People Will Think
I hate to admit that I care way too much about what others think. Although it’s gotten a lot better as I’ve gotten older, I still worry about it way too much. When I originally thought about starting a Youtube channel in middle/high school I stopped myself due to this. I kept thinking about what my family would say, my brothers would make fun of it, my dad would criticize it. The thought of people at school finding it made me freak out before even creating an account!
I likely don’t have to tell you why this is such a horrible mindset to have. First, people probably aren’t thinking about you as much as you think. If they are and decide to be negative, that speaks on their character more than it speaks to what you’re doing. Even when starting a public Instagram account primarily dedicated to my fitness I was mortified when people I knew began to find it.
But you know what happened? They like my pictures, view my stories, comment on my posts, etc. All in all, they’re very supportive. While I still cringe sometimes knowing they read my things I also realize that I was worried for nothing. I’m not posting anything I’m ashamed of. I doubt they really give my Instagram account a second thought. And those people from school I was so worried about seeing a Youtube channel, I don’t even remember half of their names.
What’s important in this process is YOU. Not what the outside noise will say/think.
Say “No” to the Pressure
It’s easy to get caught up with all the different bloggers you read about making 6 figures, getting thousands of page views a day and who have managed to quit their jobs to pursue blogging full-time. I’m not saying these things aren’t possible or they aren’t good goals to have. But at the beginning don’t focus on numbers. If you’re like me, the main motivation to start a blog was to have fun and have a creative outlet. When you’re too focused on the numbers, particularly in the beginning, it can take the enjoyment out of blogging.
You can be business savvy, have a plan and definitely set goals to grow and be able to monetize. But don’t let that take over for you. I’m sure the bloggers who do this as a career miss the early days when their blogging was more carefree. Remember, if this turns into a job, it’s a job. You may love it, but it will be work. So work hard, but play hard as well.
Just Start
Don’t worry about it being perfect. Do not consume your mind with stats. Have fun. Enjoy this hobby or passion project, whatever you want to call it. So many times we convince ourselves not to do something before we even start. Who knows if I’ll turn to this into a serious side hustle? Before I made even a dollar with this website I was enjoying putting in the time and research. THAT’S what got me started and that’s what will continue to help me be consistent with the blog.
If making a thousand or two dollars my first three months was my goal (I’ve seen posts of such success stories) I would have been a mad woman trying to get everything perfect. The fun aspect of producing my own content would have been lost, or at least greatly diminished. Perhaps you’re different from me and such goals light a fire and is fun to you. Know yourself and know how much you can take on to commit to this while still enjoying it.
Don’t post four times a week because you read that’s best for growth if doing so is giving you constant headaches. It’s okay to push yourself. But you don’t want this to turn into a “job” you hate.
Keep Yourself Organized
I know that I said to make sure you have fun and now I’m talking about putting yourself on a schedule. Perhaps it’s the organizer in me but I find it very relaxing to have things laid out. Months into having this blog I really started to plan my content. I would write up some posts, figure out when I’d post them, came up with a bi/-monthly series and more. This made me feel like this wasn’t just mere entertainment like watching Youtube videos. I became excited knowing when I would release new content, how I’d share it on Pinterest and more.
Thus, I’d suggest you to do the same. Keep yourself and your blog organized. This will help the motivation for sticking with it, at least it did for me. I also kept a reminder on my wall to post to my blog on my chosen day. Once you start becoming organized and making this into a routine, it’ll be easier to stick with it. Plus, if you’re writing content you enjoy, it hopefully won’t become too stressful.
The End
Those are my quick suggestions and tips that will hopefully motivate YOU to finally start that blog you wanted. Sure, there might be millions of blogs that already exist. But there aren’t millions of YOU. If it’s something you can’t stop thinking about, view that as a sign and give in.
Pinterest – Youtube – Instagram
