Why I Started (and Continue) Blogging

I have had my blog for two years now. I still can't believe it's been that long. Two years ago I decided to get online and start writing, and two years later I'm still here, still writing. Let me start by saying, I never got into blogging to make money, and I haven't made any money off blogging. I started blogging because I felt like I had something to offer the world. I felt like I had something to say. I blog about everything that matters to me, books, my kids, being a mom, being a wife, my lifestyle choices, whatever I feel like writing. Here are some top reasons why I started blogging and still keep at it.


1. I Have Something to Share

I am a mother, a college educated woman, my family is not traditional, I move a lot because staying in one place can seem claustrophobic, I married young, I stay at home with my kids, I have dreams and ambitions like everyone else on this planet. And like everyone else, I feel like I have something to share. My blog is a perfect platform for sharing my life experiences, for sharing advice and offering encouragement to others. I feel like I should use my experiences to help others, if possible. I like to share my parenting woes, because I know I hardly ever do it right. I read other Mom Blogs and think, "Wow. They're really killing it." I try not to come off as anything but authentic. Because I'm not killing it at parenting. I am holding on for dear life, loving and hating my kids simultaneously, and trying to be the best I can be for them. That's what I want to share with people.

I feel like everyone has something to share with others. Everyone's life experiences can be used as encouragement and support; it just depends on whether we want to share them with others.


2. Why I Decided Not to Monetize

This one was kind of hard for me. I didn't want to make my blog a business because I thought that it might change the way I felt about writing. Writing is a creative outlet. And if I treated my blog like a job that I had to write for, that I had to get so many views a week, that I had to be a success, that I might burn out and end up hating this thing that I've built. I still love it, even though it doesn't make me any money.

I don't have to answer to anyone if I miss a post or don't have any fantastic ideas this month. I don't have subscribers wondering if I am still around. And most importantly (for me), I'm not locked into a specific type of blog. My blog is not a lifestyle blog, a cooking one or even a parenting one. It's anything and everything. Other successful bloggers will tell you if you want to make money blogging, you need to brand your blog. Pick a niche and stick with it; this guarantees success. I think it's limiting. And I love having the freedom to write about whatever it is that interests me. And I love finding out what interests my readers.


3. Provide a Service

I talked a little about this in my post last week, but I always want to provide something for my readers. I strive to give them encouragement, information, advice, what I think about books I've read, how I feel about different parenting styles because I want to give them something they didn't have when then clicked on my link. My services may be small and not always helpful for everyone, but I still give it my best shot.



Overall, I am glad I started blogging. It's helped me realize I like to write and I have pursued other outlets in writing. It helps me manage my time, so the time I spend with my kids has higher quality. And I love the idea that I may have helped someone, anyone, with an area of their life. This post was a little more on the personal side, but it's just another reason why I love it.

Do you think you have something to share, as well? Leap. Start writing. See where it takes you. You may just surprise yourself.