As of 24th December 2019, I’ve been blogging for six months. Now, I know that it isn’t that long in the grand scheme of things, but for me, that’s pretty good going! Generally, when I venture into something new, I start with good intentions, but it will begin to fizzle out after a short while. So the fact that I have been able to blog (almost) weekly for six months is an achievement that I am proud of.
Why I started
I can still remember sitting down to write my first ever post. I’d been following Stacey Solomon on Instagram, and some of her posts about post-natal health just struck a chord with me. So I got my iPad (my old laptop was super slow), and I started writing.
I’d always kept my mental health issues very quiet, only sharing the details with close friends and family. But why? Because I was ashamed? Because I was worried about what people would think about me? Well, fuck it, they’re stupid reasons. I just felt like I needed to get everything out of my head, off my chest, out in the open etc. And maybe my opening up will help someone else.
Daz came home from work, and I remember being so nervous about showing him what I had written. Not because of what I had written but because I had actually written something. I’ve never had much confidence in myself. I’m forever thinking that what I’ve done is crap or not good enough. But Daz was impressed with what I had written, and he encouraged me to hit that publish button! I’m so grateful that he did!
I naturally am pretty shy (unless I have a few wines in me!). So not just opening up about my mental health but actually sharing my thoughts and writing with everyone is quite a big thing for me.
And the response I got from my first post was overwhelming. I just couldn’t believe it! People were so kind and supportive, and it really boosted my confidence.
Not so easy…..
Now I didn’t expect blogging to be easy, but I did think that it was a case of sitting down, writing whatever you want, and people reading it. Oh, what a delusional fool I was.
I am fortunate to have a fantastic friend called Lucy, who blogs over at Real Parent and Real Wedding (She is amazing, you should definitely follow her!). She has given me such invaluable blogging advice that I don’t know how I’m ever going to thank her and pay her back! Thanks, Lucy!!
Generally, I love sitting down each week and writing a new post. When I first started, I had so much that I wanted to talk about, and it all just flowed. Sometimes though, I really struggle. Either I didn’t know what to write about, or I just can’t find the right words. But I don’t want just to give up.
Numbers
I’ll admit that I have become a little obsessed with the numbers recently. How many views, visitors, likes, and comments have I got? There have been times when my posts haven’t had the views or likes that I wanted, and I thought about giving up. I wondered if people were actually reading my posts, are they enjoying them? I became a bit obsessed with how I could grow my blog and the number of followers.
So, I had to take a step back and think. Why did I start blogging in the first place? To help people, yes, but also for me. I needed to get it all out. Since starting this blog, I have been in such a good place with my mental health. And what about all the people that follow me already? The support that I have had from everyone is just incredible.
So, I just want to thank you so much to everyone for your support and kind words over the last six months. I hope you have enjoyed reading my blog as much as I enjoy writing it!
Thank you!
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