1 Year Blog-iversary: 10 Things I Learned

Hi Friends! It’s kind of an exciting day to be able to celebrate one year of TheMomInStyle! So many things I thought I knew and there are so many things to continue to learn! I am grateful to have found my path and my voice, I have wrote a bit about this topic once before, since I get a TON of questions about it! I thought I would be fun to tell you 10 things I learned over the past year!

1. BLOGGING IS HARD WORK: Before I started the blog, I had NO CLUE how much work it was going to be. I literally just made a decision and went with it. I didn’t research blogging, or even read another persons blgo for that matter! Finding your voice, photography, Instagram stories, posting photos at the right time, understanding your community, networking, Pinterest, editing and taking photos …guys, I can go on. Sorry to disappoint, but my days are not spent hanging with a gaggle of girls, I grind hard (most of the time by myself) to create and provide quality content for this community. It’s not hard to start. But its DANG hard to stay in it.

2. LEARNING IS NONSTOP: With all the things I am responsible for in a day, I didn’t learn the functions of every app or publish my website all beforehand. Little known fact, I built my own blog. No, I don’t know anything about building a website! I just googled until it did. It’s a learn as you go and testing process. Podcasts, Google, and a few KIND Bloggers and friends have been great at answering questions when I get stumped. One thing to remember was that I needed to go at a pace that was right for me, and eventually it all worked out.

3. UNDERSTAND HOW TO USE SOCIAL MEDIA: From the basics functions of the app , understanding your insights, even HOW to do a story! Its very important to know how to utilize (Facebook and Instagram specifically) in a way that communicates the aesthetic of how you want to be seen in the world. From fonts used, photos taken, caption writing— So so important in building a brand.

4. THE COMPARISON TRAP IS REAL: I LOVE watching Instagram Stories– It’s like one of my favorite ways to wind down and see what’s up with the girls. BUT as a Blogger, I can EASILY watch someone else’s story (who is doing a great job, is beautiful etc.) and immediately feel like MY OWN plans for the next day or what I just put out in the world aren’t enough. The comparison game is a real thing, and when it comes to my work– even more so. Not to say that I shouldn’t watch it, but I am VERY vigilant when I start to see my CONSUMPTION of other creativity override my OWN plans for creating equally great content.

5. I AM NEVER DONE WITH MY TO- DO LIST: Girrrrlllllll. No matter how many hours I just sat at my computer, or how much time I was out and about creating content– There is always more to do! (My husband will attest to this) Learning a new app, making a new graphic, responding to messages, need new content for next week, etc. The list I have is never fully checked off! Get used to it!

6. YOU’RE NOT GOING TO MAKE MONEY IMMEDIATELY: Blogging is not a “get rich quick scheme”. REAL work and time is put into creating and REAL money is paid out –for example to host a website or to purchase a new outfit– and it’s not going to pay you back right away. Be prepared to put in the work, stay up late, get up early- create something worth reading and looking at! Take the time to curate your brand, and create community! If you do, there is certainly money to be made, just not right away.

7. NETWORKING IS IMPORTANT: This was something I really didn’t understand when I started my blog. When you are a blogger there really are no rules. This is a space where you can be creative as you want, take projects if you want, or not! Since when I started my blog, I don’t think I had EVER messaged another Blogger much less known one in real life. So that was super scary. But it can be lonely, and feel like an island. It’s not like I work in an office with coworkers to bounce ideas off of with, or talk about things happening! Networking is just as important Online and Offline, it has been a great resource of support, kindness and understanding. If you don’t know where to start, find other ladies that have similar size communities-DM them and meet or coffee you can learn together!

8. CONTENT IS KEY: It wasn’t long before I figured out that I was REAL bad at selfies… You know the kind with the perfect polished lips, great stackable bracelets and dainty necklaces?… Yep, I am REALLY bad at those. I can’t get everything in the picture and it always turns our TERRIBLE. OH and editing photos, I’m really bad at that too. Pay attention to your strengths and weaknesses- (videos/photographs/writing etc.) use what you know until you get better, research the heck out of it (google) or find a class!. What you put out to the world is a representation of yourself and blogging is no different. Your visuals are SO important so spend the time to get better!

9. NOT EVERYONE WILL ACCEPT WHAT YOU DO: This is a tough one for me, because naturally, I ALWAYS want others to love what I do, what I cook, what I wear on and on! Nobody likes to experience criticism or not being accepted. (This goes for anyone in your online or personal community) Especially for me, this is my passion, I have something to say, I have a story and I know my value in this space. But when I began this journey, it made me second guess myself and I had a really hard time. Remember you can’t control others, but you can control your own response. If this is you, and you know this is your calling, keep your head down and keep going.

10. IT WILL BE REWARDING BEYOND MEASURE: Proof that Hard work Pays Off. The amount of messages I receive daily, comments on my photos and reactions to content in my stories are all ways to measure “How I’m doing”. I love when I hear back from my community, its helps me plan for what’s up next and helps me see what is important to them. It is BEYOND rewarding to know that what I do, from the try on hauls, sharing in our trials that we face and the strides we take to live optimally makes a difference! It really is AMAZING to see, that my sharing pieces of my heart helps to inspire someone else!

BONUS: If you are looking to start a blog are are not sure where to start or what to write about, here’s a couple things to think about—- Reflect on your life: What you are the most passionate about? What topics could you write about or talk about everyday? What do your friends and family seek your advice about?

There you have it, 10 things I learned this year. Thank you so much for coming along with me on this journey and reading this post especially! I am so excited to see what 2019 brings!

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Bag Created by Holly & Tanager

Photos By Natasha Anne Photography