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Happy Blogiversary! The #1 Reason for Blogging

February 21 is my second year “blogiversary.” Happy Blogiversary to me! It’s seems like only yesterday that I was writing 5 Reasons I Blog and Why You Should Too blog post last year for my one year blogiversary. I was thinking about writing a post called “5 more reasons I blog” but realized that all the things I was writing down fell under one big reason to start and keep blogging. The number one reason I keep blogging is because it is challenging and I keep learning new things.

Happy Blogiversary

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Blogging is Good for the Brain

Research about how to keep our brains healthy encourages several recommendations, but one is to find and do new activities that challenge and excite you.
“Anything that closely engages your focus and is strongly rewarding, will kick your brain into learning mode and necessarily notch it up.”
– Michael Merzenich, PhD,  neuroscientist at the University of California, San Francisco.

Blogging isn’t necessarily listed in any of the potentially challenging activities, but as any blogger can tell you, blogging is both challenging and exciting. The opportunities for learning and growth are endless.

Limiting the Blog Guru Voices

When I started blogging, I discovered a whole new world. People made side incomes and even full time salaries from blogging?!?! There was so much to learn, but it didn’t phase me – it excited me. I read hundreds of blog articles, signed up for numerous newsletters, and joined multiple blogging Facebook groups to ask questions.

I learned a ton from several successful bloggers through the first year. However, I was finding it difficult to get all the information I needed in one place. I was getting lost in information overload and feeling very scattered.

One of the first free courses I signed up for was Blogging Made Simple by Ruth Soukup. I learned how to create a better pinnable image for my blog posts, how to have F.O.C.U.S in my blog posts, and how to manage my time. After going through her free information, and gaining so much knowledge, I decided to buy her Elite Blog Academy course last year and worked through the material this past year.

It has been so helpful to steadily work my way through a course and not wonder – what’s the next step? That isn’t to say I haven’t been distraction free, but having EBA as a roadmap I come back to has been a life saver!

Goals Reached this Past Year

  • I gave my blog a face lift with Pretty Darn Cute Design and installed it on the Genesis Framework. (I should say my husband did this…thanks honey!) This has reduced my bounce rate to under 10%. My bounce rate used to be over 80% with my old, free design I chose off of WordPress when I first started.
  • I began writing to my email list regularly in order to connect “behind the blog.” I had an email list almost from the beginning, but didn’t write at all to the list. It was mostly an RSS reader where people got my blog posts when I published them in their email.
  • I created more valuable free content for email subscribers.
  • I finally made a media kit (now it just needs to be updated!)
  • I began thinking about what my first product would be, and decided on an eBook. I launched How to Get Started When You Feel Stuck in November of 2016

Happy Blogiversary Benefits

I’ve learned about design, photography, marketing, running a business, writing, and productivity. Blogging has exposed me to some incredible bloggers as well as business people with valuable lessons on life, goals, and dreams. I feel like I am always learning and growing as a person and a blogger.

It's my second year blogiversary! Here's the number 1 reason I keep blogging - and why you should too!

What about you? What exciting and challenging activities are you trying or continuing in 2017? Tell me in the comments!

Comments

  2. Thank you for sharing Angela! I am just getting started on thinking about taking my hobby and making it into something more. Very helpful!

    • Hi Melinda! Thank you – and thank you for being such a cheerleader and faithful reader. I don’t know what the “poll maker” is but it sounds interesting!

  4. Congratulations on your second blogiversary, Angela. Also, thank you for the tweets. I’m happy to be connected with you there. As you know, I am just beginning on my blogging journey. I have spent the past month and a half researching and reading anything blog-related I could get my hands on. I have already learned so much, yet know, I haven’t even scratched the tip of the iceberg. At this point, I am super excited to begin this journey, but also a little overwhelmed. Thankfully, all the bloggers in the personal finance community are incredibly friendly and helpful.

  5. Confession: I bought EBA over a year ago and still haven’t made it past the second lesson. Thank goodness it’s a ‘forever’ course and we get lifetime access! Finishing the course mindfully is one of my big goals for the year. Sounds like you’ve had a fantastic run so far, and I look forward to seeing how things progress for you over the next 2 years as well!

    • Thank you Leslie! I think you’re doing great on your blog for not having finished EBA! I am really glad that it is a forever course as well – with updates and great new bonuses too. Thanks for your encouragement!

  6. I enjoyed this post and brain health is one of the reasons that I started blogging. Thank you for sharing the benefits! Happy Blogiversary! Your blog looks great! I love the “feel ” of it.

    grace and peace,
    pat

    • Thank you Pat! Although I didn’t start out blogging with brain health in mind, it’s certainly the main reason now…plus I love it!

    • Thanks Jodie! Yes, I’m a big proponent of continuing education and blogging has really helped me dive into areas I have never looked into.

  11. I have wanted to take the EBA course, but I’m afraid budget wise I have to put it off until next year.

    Congratulations on your blogiversary.

    Thanks for sharing on #FridayFrivolity.

    • Thank you Audrey! It is a scary investment to make, but well worth the money. There are lots of options when it comes to blogging education though and I’ve learned a lot from free webinars too!

  12. Congratulations on your second anniversary in the blogging world! I am a beginning blogger at stitchingstoriesbysharon.blogspot.com. I have just published six blog posts so far. I have a lot to learn, but I’m enjoying both the writing of my own blog and visiting other blogs.

    • Congratulations on your 6 posts Sharon! Enjoying the writing and connecting with other bloggers are two essential components of blogging. Welcome to blogging!

  14. Happy blog birthday! I think that’s one of the things I love most about blogging too – there are so many different avenues to explore and skills to develop that the challenge is constant. I don’t think you ever stop learning new things when it comes to blogging! Thanks for joining us at #SharingtheBlogLove

  15. What great resources! Happy Blogiversary! I blog for much the same reason as well. I find the community to be engaging and I am always learning something new!

  16. Happy blog birthday! I love that blogging has taught me so much already and has given me a new passion in photography. I learn new things all the time and that is one of the things I love about it. Thank you for joining us at #SharingtheBlogLove