Today marks 500 blog posts since I started blogging what seems like only a few years ago. I honestly didn’t think I would make it this far. There were many times, even now, that I contemplated quitting. Blogging is so different now that social media is the kingpin for many content creators. But there’s something about the written word that always helps me unscramble my thoughts. Even when I decide to take a break, I always end up writing a ton of drafts waiting to be published. It’s why I currently have 405 drafts right now. I love a good reflection, something that I always hated doing growing up, so of course, I’m reflecting on the lessons I’ve learned in 500 blog posts.
PHOTOS BY: DORESE JENAE PORTRAITS
I REALLY ENJOY WRITING
As I alluded to earlier, my blog has been a place to write out my thoughts and feelings about frivolous things and important things. It’s always been difficult for me to express myself verbally because my thoughts always move faster than my mouth. When my mouth finally catches up, my brain has moved on to other things. So, I always found writing to be a great way to slow down my brain and dump my feelings.
Am I the best writer? No, but I think that makes my writing that much more authentic. You’ll always find typos in my writing because sometimes I’m so passionate about the topic that I get excited and forget to read over it before publishing. I also realized that I’m funny. There have been a few times where I’ve gone back, months later, to reread what I wrote and crack up. Y’all may not think I’m funny, but it doesn’t matter because I crack up at my writing.
BLOGGING IS HARDER THAN IT LOOKS
One thing that 500 blog posts have told me is it’s harder than it looks. You only see the finished product for whatever I post here on the blog or anywhere else on the internet. You don’t see the coordination, the many hats that I have to wear (editor, writer, creative director, stylist, occasional photographer, marketer, financier, accountant, etc.) for the finished product to look so effortless. Because of all the work, it’s easy for me to get caught up in only sharing the picturesque content I worked so hard to create on the blog (it’s part of why I started sharing bloopers to keep me humbled lol).
SEO IS REALLY IMPORTANT
I learned a little late into the 500 blog posts about how important SEO, or search engine optimization, is for getting eyes on this blog. Working on optimizing my website and having relevant content makes it easier for people to find me. And it helps me continue to fund this blog. The more you click and buy from the links I share, it helps me pay the people that help me in the making of each blog post.
Whenever I decide to hang it up for good, having my blog here is a reminder for me to remember how far I’ve come in my life, and it leaves a footprint for others to learn more about who I am. Thank you all for continuing on this journey with me as I pursue 500 more blog posts.
