Well, that was fun… and kinda scary!
First of all. Thank you to all my friends and family who have been so supportive during this scary, but exciting new venture of starting a blog. It’s definitely easier said than done to take something you’re passionate about, turn it into a tangible thing, and present it to the world, knowing you’ll face review and criticism. I learned quickly that your support system is everything! A friend from college who started her own gig earlier this year has been a real inspiration and power driver for me. While I don’t have a concrete “mentor” right now, I have been overwhelmed by the free advice that I have received from former bosses, tech founders, CEO’s, and social savvy friends, who are willing to share what they’ve learned in their start-up journey.
Starting a Blog isn’t all rainbows and butterflies.
I wish it could be! I’d quit my job tomorrow to do this full-time, but unfortunately good feelings and fun don’t pay the bills (maybe one day).
Before starting my own blog site I thought, “hey that looks pretty easy!” It’s definitely not rocket science, but many might be surprised to learn that a lot of time and energy goes into each and every blog post and social media push, not to mention all the time you spend on the actual website itself… design, functionality and building new audiences. It really is all very fun to me, and that’s why I spend extra hours outside my 8-5 job working on it. Setting and reaching goals have become a part of my daily routine. I’m starting to replace my bad habits of procrastination with PREPARATION.
My 10th-grade math teacher, Mr. Hardin, would be so proud. He would recite the same spiel before each geometry test and it would always make my gut churn even more, but it stuck with me. He would say:
“Well…I would wish you luck, but we all know that luck has nothing to do with it. You see, it’s all about preparation and your lack of preparation, is only preparation for failure… “
Apply that in any facet you’d like. It’s totally true!
Patience is hard. That’s why they call it a virtue.
Wait, I didn’t go viral overnight? Crap…
I just got married last year so the Bachelorette overnight fame won’t be an option for me. So, how else am I going to get one of my recipes re-posted on Williams-Sonoma’s Instagram or partner-up with Blue Apron? My plan is to just keep creating great content that my readers love and continue to grow organically. But most of all LEARN.
If you’re thinking about starting your own blog or have more in-depth questions you want to be answered about blogging/websites, feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll answer!
Xoxo,
Meredith
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