Five Important Lessons I’ve Learned Through Blogging from Life Without Pink

A new guest post series from some of my favourite bloggers talking about blogging and their life.  This week we have Tina from Life Without Pink:

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On February 19, 2010, I sat down to write my first post. I’m not a writer by nature but I love connecting with people so I decided to give it a try.

I was nervous. Would people read what I wrote? Would I have anything interesting to say? I’ve never kept the same hobby more than a month, so would this be any different?

Despite the odds I dove in, started writing and never looked back.

Over the last year and half,  I’ve learned a lot through blogging. It has really helped me grow as a person, and connect me with amazing people.

Is it work? Absolutely, but blogging is what you make out of it. For me, I wanted to create a community of readers and develop a personal brand. But maybe for others, it’s just a fun side project that allows you to be creative and engage with others.

Here are five important lessons I’ve learned through blogging:

#1. Find Your Voice. I admit this can be a tough one. When I first started blogging, I wasn’t sure the direction I was headed. It took me awhile to finally feel comfortable with my own voice. But as soon as I did it helped build my confidence and allowed me to grow as a blogger. Everyone has a different voice and perspective on life; you just need to find what feels comfortable to you.

#2. Blogging Is NOTHING Like High School! Ok yes you have the ‘popular’ bloggers but unlike high school, these ladies will actually talk to you. I’ve reached out to a few of them to ask advice and you know what? They answered me, gave me feedback and offered support. It really meant a lot to me and I always strive to do the same for others. If you are stuck or need guidance, don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Good things can come from reaching out to other bloggers.

#3. Engaging Feels Good. Who doesn’t love comments? It gives you gratification that there is someone else out there reading your posts and connecting with you on a personal level. One of the biggest tips on how to create dialogue with your readers is to ask a question at the end of your post. It gives your readers a prompt to share their story or offer advice. This has really helped me connect with my readers and make stronger relationships.

#4. Blogging Can Be Time Consuming. Before you know it three hours go by, dirty dishes are still in the sink, kids need to be fed and your errand list just got longer. You need to set limits otherwise you will get completely sucked in. Try coming up with a schedule. Before sitting down know what you are going to work on and for how long.

One tip I learned is to set a timer to help you stay on track.

For example; say you have one hour to work. Your schedule could look like this:

15 minutes: Check and respond to email

30 minutes: Work on a post

15 minutes: Tweet and post on Facebook

You feel much more productive when you have a schedule and stick to it.

#5. It’s Ok To Take a Break. Social media is 24/7 and never sleeps. Does that mean you should do the same? Absolutely NOT! I constantly feel like I have to keep up with everyone. Throw real life into the mix and ultimately it can lead to burn out. I’ve been there before and had to take a break for a few days. You know what? It actually felt good and refreshing. It’s ok to step away; the Internet is not going anywhere.

I believe if you don’t live your life, then what would you blog about?

Are there any important lessons you have learned through blogging?

Tina is a wife, social media consultant and mom of two very active little boys.  She is the voice behind, Life Without Pink, a blog that discusses the real moments of motherhood and how she survives in her testosterone filled world! When not writing, tweeting or socializing online, Tina can be found trying a new recipe of the week, watching bad reality TV or playing Super Heroes with her two boys.