Three years ago blogging changed my life.
Today marks my 3 year anniversary of blogging. Three years ago today I wrote my first post, having no idea about blogging or about where this first step would take me. I started my blog simply to record our family memories. I wanted our daughter to have a rich a vibrant history of video and photographs from her childhood; a blog seemed like a great way to do this. I had no idea what I was doing, having only read a couple of blog posts before, but I knew I wished I had captured all of my daughters life. So I used my diary and personal Facebook status’ to backdate posts to the day I found out I was pregnant, a whole year previously.
When I started I didn’t for one second think anyone would read my blog. It was just for us and I happily typed away about three times a week documenting little moments in our lives, that I never wanted to forget.
It wasn’t long before things started to change, I started being offered work with brands and I begun learning everything I could about this new unexpected world of blogging. I was on maternity leave, being treated poorly by my employers and the thought of returning to work made me feel ill. I never thought blogging would turn into a viable career option.
To my surprise people liked what they read and they came back. Something that I still can’t get my head around if I am honest. I diversified into writing about blogging, as well as our family, and my audience grew further. I begun climbing the rankings and, possibly as a consequence, started to be offered more frequent brand work.
Most unexpectedly of all I started to make ‘real’ friends from this online world, something I didn’t think would ever happen. These friends shared a drive, passion and an interest in blogging, so any physical distance melted away. Not just ‘real’ friends, but blogging has given me the best of friends.
With my bestie Amy from Mr & Mrs T Plus Three.
Within 18 months I was earning more money than I had done in my previous job. I still couldn’t really believe that this was happening to me, but it was and I was (and still am) so very grateful.
In three years my blog has taken me from feeling like a shell of my former self. A women with a 5 month old baby, let down by friends and suffering from PND. To a woman making her own way and calling the shots in my own business. Not working for people who ultimately let me down, but working for myself and for my own family. Being able to spend time with my daughter and still do a job I love.
Blogging has given us so much. The opportunities have been totally wonderful, countless holidays, press trips abroad, wonderful events, amazing products. I have won an award, reached the Bibs Finals twice and now have the means to being more financially secure than I have ever been previously. I have spoken at a conference and have even been paid to do a commercial photoshoot. On a base level, my blog still gives me somewhere to escape to when the daily stresses leave me needing to retreat for a while.
On a press trip to Monaco/Cannes.
Three years ago blogging changed my life. Thank you blogging. Thank you so much.