According to problogger.com, “In order to be yourself you have to take risks, to accept that you are not perfect, and to be courageous enough to say what you really think.” [1] Everyone has a story to tell, it’s a matter of how you tell your story that matters most. There are many advocates, life coaches, and writing professionals out there to help you, and I’ve signed up for a few of those programs. How do you know when youre ready? First establish yourself professionally, tie up the loose ends in your life, finish that Dissertation, finish your Manuscript, or simply write a List of Blog Post Ideas before you get started. The better idea you have of where you are going with this, the better off you’ll be. Its hard to get help when you don’t know where to start, start somewhere. Vickyflipfloptravels.com says that, “One of the hardest things about being creative in any way is putting yourself out there.” [2] She encourages others to blog, by explaining that: “Blogging is a way to create your own narrative. To say what you want to say and be who you want to be without anyone else editing you or dictating.” And that’s exactly how I got started, writing quotes on Twitter, then eventually moved to Tumblr, and now WordPress. Writing on Facebook, seems to be a challenge, everyone wondering why you are writing so much, and usually to their worry, your blogging in your newsfeed. That’s why I started writing, off of Facebook, not to worry friends and family, and still be able to be myself. Not all will be in acceptance of you from the start, your content matters, and while you may find others online, who enjoy your writing, your writing will not please all unless you are able to stay positive. Always keep in mind, others have problems too, and youre not the only one, so think instead how to say something that will help to inspire others to function better in life. Emergingedtech.com, explains that “The benefits of blogging are tremendous, especially for young people. They can develop much improved writing skills which will stick with them forever, their thinking muscles will be in continuous development, and they will also develop a better understanding of the world that surrounds them.” [3] For me, blogging gave me a new found purpose in life, not only was I able to follow my dream, writing, but it was also a way for me to express how I was feeling, when I was not feeling well, in a positive way. I finally grew to love and value myself, without having a boyfriend or a job. That’s huge, loving yourself in spite of your troubles, and loving yourself in spite of having it all. That’s why I chose to blog.

References:

[1] https://problogger.com/how-to-build-a-thriving-blog-by-being-yourself/

[2] https://vickyflipfloptravels.com/being-yourself-blogging/

[3] https://www.emergingedtech.com/2018/04/why-your-students-should-blog-6-powerful-benefits/