This post is part of the Lessons Learned From My First Year of Blogging Series.
A month after I started blogging, I moved to Spain, and I stayed in Spain for 11 months. It was an adventure filled with sunshine, new friends, amazing food, and a new language.
The first few months in Spain were a bit scary, but nothing crazy. It tends to feel dark, ominous, and problematic whenever you’re exploring in new territory.
I’m always worried about my finances, so I went through a few bumps when it came to that, but it all worked out just fine, and I learned a few things about myself in the process.
The more days that pass, the more I realize that the seemingly negative experiences I have are almost blessings in disguise.
It doesn’t feel like a blessing when it happens, but when you look back, you start to see the humor in it all. After a while you accept that whatever happens, happens.
Blogging, on the other hand, was never a really scary thing for me, because I had money coming in from my websites.
Despite blogging not scary the living daylights out of me, I’ve learned a lot, and grown a lot in the process.
Manifesting Ideas
Making an idea a reality used to take a lot of time. But with the internet, and especially blogging, you can go from idea to implementation extremely fast.
At the same time, it can be a breeding ground for confusion, overwhelm, and frustration.
I’ve always been okay with managing myself. My poker playing background came into play when it came to blogging discipline and managing my emotions, because in poker you can’t let emotions cloud your judgment. It does happen, but it’s expensive when it does.
With blogging, I learned to find out what my readers wanted and give it to them. So far I’ve done that with two separate products, and consulting (when it’s open).
This has been a tremendous advantage when I’m creating money-making websites around other topics, because I used to be afraid of creating my own products, and I had trouble with growing and managing my own e-mail list, but no longer.
There’s a lot of noise on the internet, but there’s also a lot of possibility.
Making New Friends
Like I said in the connection post in this series, I made a lot of new friends in the blogosphere and even a few real life friends because of my blog.
It’s fascinating to dwell on the fact that at any given point during the day, someone can be getting to know me from my writing, and someone else could be buying one of my products, or talking to someone who has come in touch with me.
Making money blogging is sweet, but I have a suspicion that the friends and connections you make by putting your brain on the internet is better than the money.
Don’t get me wrong, I need money to support my rent and food habit, but in the end, we all want remarkable experiences and memorable connections, don’t we?
Understanding the Journey
In 2010, more than any other year, I’ve started to understand that creating a business, any business, takes a lot of time.
We don’t expect a baby to walk, dance, and do tricks when it’s one year old, so why should a business?
Those are the words of Sean D’Souza, someone I very briefly talked to via email. He’s brilliant, so check out his website, Psychotactics.
When I think about how I see new people and bloggers, I realize that that is exactly how most people viewed me when I was starting out.
I’m skeptical of new people. It’s ingrained in our DNA, because we don’t know if someone is reliable or trustworthy if we haven’t seen what they’re capable of.
It takes time to build trust, and it takes time to build a business.
Funnily enough, the same applies for building a website. For the first few years, Google is not going to put much trust on you, but as the years pass, your website grows in links, authority, and trustworthiness.
It might take you one year or longer to get to 500 visitors per day, but after five years, if you’ve stuck with it, you might find yourself with 5,000-10,000 visitors per day.
Patience and persistence is rewarded, so whatever you do, keep with it, and stop jumping around from thing to thing,
The Evolution
As you can see, the tagline is now “earn money online without selling your soul.”
It took me a year to discover what my real niche was. I started out as a personal development blogger, but as I started sharing what I did, and how I made a living, more and more people became interested in that.
All of the questions I get via email and during consultation calls are about how to earn money online without being sleazy.
At first, I was afraid of going into the make money online niche, because it does not have the best of reputations.
But then again, that means that it needs a fresh breath of air, right?
If you start a website or a blog, and you want it to be a passion business, like Wake Up Cloud, and not a niche website, be prepared for it to evolve, and be open to new ideas.
How Has Blogging Affected Your Self-Confidence?
In a previous post in this series Timo asked me if blogging has affected my self-confidence. The answer would have to be yes.
This year I’ve had to learn how to do new things, to be interviewed, and I’ve even made a video. All of those actions were uncomfortable because they were new.
If you’re willing to go outside of your comfort zone, you will grow no matter what you do, and you will be successful.
When you don’t let your fear hold you back, everything moves forward. Not always smoothly, but nonetheless forward.
In Summary: Is Blogging Worth the Effort?
I’ve put a lot of time into blogging. I could have built more money-making websites, but I chose to focus on blogging.
Was it worth it?
Heck yeah it was.
I’m earning more money than I need, and while I will still build new niche websites since it is my passion, I will also keep blogging, because it just seems … well, essential.
If you don’t have a blog, start one.
{ 13 comments }
Hey Henri,
You know what I love most about this post? You point out the fact that this past year is part of your JOURNEY, and as a result, you’ve experienced and EVOLUTION.
I hope everyone picks up on those two things and holds fast to them. I think bloggers, entrepreneurs, freelancers, and anyone pursuing their passion must realize that everything you do in your business is a journey that will evolve.
Instead of feeling frustrated by not “having it all together,” people should recognize that this is a good thing! Because as you’ve alluded, when you evolve you learn how to serve your people better and better.
You’ve got to enjoy the journey and embrace the evolution to get where ever your going.
Exactly!
Although emotionally you may feel down because you aren’t where you want to be, it definitely helps to realize that we are constantly moving and things are continuously changing.
Stay awesome, Marlee!
Hi Henri,
I am only truly addicted to two blogs and this is one of them. Every time I read it, I walk away feeling encouraged and focused. I am in the planning process of doing my first blog and your writing has helped me to exchange unrealistic goals, with an encouraging action plan.
Thanks again,
Sam
Hey Samantha,
Wow. Thanks for the kind words. That is a good addiction to have, and if you ever have any questions surrounding blogging, feel free to shoot me an email anytime!
I think blogging can be a HUGE confidence builder. As bloggers we get to publish our thoughts, ideas, and perspectives without having to asking for anyone’s permission. When I get comments, it solidifies the feeling that what I’m writing matters.
Great series!
Every time I read a blog with content such as yours it reminds me that I have to focus more, and never give up. I enjoy the subject matter I blog about, it has relevant information in regards to an ability to earn an income I just have to see just a little more success for me to gather the momentum that sweep before it, the obstacles that are still standing in my way.
Congratulations on your first blog aniversary!
In essence, I think that blogging is a journey if you keep at it and don’t quit.
The self-confidence part is definitely the exciting one (as well as the whole personal growing part), since you have to do lot’s of things that you are not going to feel very comfortable at. But, if you still do them, you are going to get something special, which is going to help you in every part of your life – self-confidence.
I know that there are lot’s of things I’m going to experience this year related to blogging and I’m looking forward to experience them – at the same time I’m looking forward to be stronger after this year has passed by.
At the end to pure purpose of blogging is to connect, sharen inspire and enjoy time with other people
When I first wanted to start my blog, I was focusing in the money but now I see it an opportunity to know and why not to meet some great people, share my experiences with them and also say what I want to say.
I took time to understand this advice “write with the readers in your mind” and now when I’ve understood it I’m more happy
Thank You for this article Henri, and I hope it will be an eye opener to many new bloggers out there.
I hope the best for your future projects
Anass Farah
Henri,
I didn’t think I would subscribe to yet another ‘make money online’ blog, but I’m so glad I did… your posts feel very genuine, generous and inspiring. For a newbie blogger who has pondered affiliate marketing and pro blogging for years but has instead spent all her time writing articles and blog posts for other people, I’m finally gaining the courage to dive in and do it for myself. Thanks for being a contribution
Hey Jasmine,
I am glad you subscribed, too!
I hesitated for a long time in going into the whole ‘make money online’ niche because of the same reasons you hesitate to subscribe to ‘yet another one’, but I figured the whole niche is in need of a breathe of fresh air, right?
If you have any questions about blogging, feel free to contact me anytime!
Hello Henri,
Your blog is a breath of fresh air. That’s not say that you have all the answers, but you are at least on the right path. It seems important that one doesn’t lose his true essence and succumb to the trappings of success and then wonder why life isn’t more joyous and less depressing. Wish you the best.
Riley
Thanks Riley!
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