One Year of Blogging: What I've Learned

And to think this all started as a school project....If you asked me a year ago if I'd ever be a blogger, I 100% would have said NO! Not that I thought there was anything wrong with bloggers, but I just didn't have any idea what I would write about. And I thought, who cares what I have to say, right? Then I sat down in my social media marketing course during my last semester of college and was faced with a somewhat daunting assignment; write one blog a week for the next 15 weeks about any topic you'd like.

Here's a couple reasons why that scared the crap out of me. 1. Like I said before, who cares what I have to say? I mean, obviously my professor was going to read this and care about it in terms of my grade, but like who is ever going to read this thing? 2. What the HELL was i going to write about? I have a lot of passions, hockey, film, marketing, dance, and a ton others, so how was I going to narrow it to just one? Obviously I needed to pick something that I knew I could write 15 blogs on, and since we were mid hockey season, my boyfriend played hockey, I had interned for the Rivermen, AND my dream job is to work for the Chicago Blackhawks, I think the decision was made for me. 3. How was I going to be vulnerable during this project? I know writing about hockey might not seem like a vulnerable topic, but I think putting anything out on the internet for the world to see, is always vulnerable. Even if you feel 100% confident and great about it, that doesn't stop negative comments of anyone and everyone on the web....But ultimately I knew that I really enjoyed writing and I am never scared of a challenge (also this was an assignment, so ya know, I didn't really have a choice), I decided to tackle this head on!

For the next 15 weeks I wrote about hockey; My favorite teams, Clayton playing hockey, my experience with the Rivermen, and more. It became really fun, really fast. I started writing multiple posts a week, which I ended up saving for future content after the assignment was over. I even created all the social media accounts for my blog during my time in school. As you can see, the project really took off and inspired me to keep going. Those 15 weeks turned into a year of blogging...that's crazy! Let me tell you, I've learned a ton and I decided to share that knowledge with you today! :)

Growth is Hardwork

I read so many blogs about stay at home moms and lifestyle bloggers that just suddenly grew their following in a few months and now made thousands...Yea that's a lot harder than it seems! My friends and family read the blog...and to be honest, some of them don't even read it! You can't just expect to grow a following overnight. I work a full time job and blog on the side, so when I gain a SINGLE follower, I am eternally grateful! It means so much that that one person thought my content was interesting enough to subscribe! Also, if you're interested in subscribing, don't be shy ;) You can go to the front page and enter your info. I promise I won't spam you with crazy emails!

That "Boring" Post Is Still Good Content

Anyone that knows me knows that I am a HUGE fan of Gary Vaynerchuck. If you don't know him, look him up! He will change your life. I watch all his content and listen to his podcast as well. One day I was watching a video and he said something very profound. He said that "everyone's life is boring, so just keep documenting." That's it! I would get so hung up on whether to write a blog about my weekend or post an Instagram of what I was up to, because I thought that people wouldn't care. But then I remembered that I watched 10 YouTube videos the other day of some girl going to Target...yep all she did was shop at Target. And she has a MILLION subscribers! Vlogs and Lifestyle blogs are literally just tidbits of people's lives and for some reason we all continue to watch and be interested in that stuff. I think it's because we are all inherently nosy, but that's just my opinion. Anyway, the point is that you should just keep creating. Write about whatever you want! Someone is going to like it and want to consume your content.

There's Always More to Learn

Just when I think I'm doing the "best" thing for my blog and marketing it perfectly, I see someone else doing something better. Just when I think I've learned how to create the perfect graphics and images for my blog, I see someone else doing it better. The point is, someone is always going to be better and you can always keep learning. I think that's so awesome! I love learning and these skills are things that transfer over to my full time job, which enhances my life twofold. Keep reading, studying, and evolving long past graduation...you won't regret it!

This is a REALLY short list of things I've learned. I could probably write a short novel about what blogging has taught me! I'm excited to continue this journey and see where it takes me. Thank you to everyone that has encouraged me and tagged along for the ride!