After writing the other day about my recent struggles with blogging, I thought I’d flip things around and be a bit more positive.
Instead of thinking about the challenges that come with keeping a blog running, I wanted to consider the benefits.
I don’t run this blog professionally; I’m not making a living from it. There are no big name brands beating down my door asking me to work with them.
But that doesn’t mean I haven’t gained enormously from this little online space.
Making connections
Since I started blogging, I’ve met so many amazing and inspiring people, whether virtually or in real life. The blog world is full of great people (at least in the part I’ve encountered), and they’re eager to chat, to build each other up and share stories and experiences.
Attending blogger events can be a lot of fun and can provide the opportunity to go somewhere or try something that you never would have done otherwise (rock n roll bingo anyone?)
Developing skills
If you’re going to blog regularly, you need to master a range of skills, from coding to photography and copywriting.
You might not be brilliant at them all to begin with, but over time your skills improve and you find new things that you’re interested in and want to develop. I’ve always enjoyed writing, but it was only when I began blogging that I got really interested in photography and wanted to explore that in more depth.
Building confidence
Blogging can be like jumping off a cliff over and over again. Each time you hit publish on a post, you’re putting a little bit of yourself out into the world and you never know who is going to see it or what response you’re going to get.
At first, it’s easy to spend ages agonising over every article, trying to make them perfect. But does perfection even exist when it comes to the online world? It changes so quickly that what works one day is quickly out-of-date. There’s always someone doing something better and more innovative.
But blogging teaches you to be brave. You have control of this corner of the internet and it’s up to you what you fill it with.
Trying new things
I admit, sometimes I’ll go somewhere or do something just to get a blog post out of it. Maybe that’s not the best approach to life, but actually, I end up having a fantastic time and making lots of memories that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.
Blogging pushes me to step outside my comfort zone and do some of the things I’ve always wanted, but never got round to.
And blogging has brought me some very specific things too:
- It’s three years now since I attended The Blogcademy, a weekend blogging workshop in London where I met so many colourful and creative bloggers. Despite the time that has passed and the blogs that have waned, the community still exists and I love keeping up with some of the girls and seeing the things they’ve created.
- After getting the chance to review a hotel, I had a brilliant weekend in Liverpool with my husband where we caught up with friends, ate Brazilian and explored Albert Dock.
- I’ve been to some fun blogger events in London, which gave me the chance to step out of my comfort zone and travel down on my own.
- I’ve read and reviewed loads of books – good and bad – including plenty that I wouldn’t have encountered otherwise.
Do you blog? What do you love the most about it?