Things to stop stressing about as a blogger
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I don’t think a day goes by where I don’t see a blogger in a Facebook group or on Twitter worrying about something to do with their blog that I really don’t think they should be worrying about.
We all seem to put too much pressure on ourselves at times, stressing about things that really don’t matter in the grand scheme of things.
I read a great quote recently that said ‘if it won’t matter in 5 years then spend no more than 5 minutes worrying about it now’. What a great quote!
I’ve even seen people starting to take blogging breaks or closing their blogs altogether because they find it so overwhelming. Perhaps blogging is not for everyone, but if you enjoy it then remember why you started and try to find that passion again, if you want to of course.
It seems to me too many people are getting swept up in the opinions of others or trying to make their blog according to the many guides that are out there, putting unrealistic follower goals on themselves too quickly or expecting to be a blogging success overnight. Blogs take time to develop and grow and I know no one who found their success overnight.
Many of the full-time money making bloggers work ridiculous hours and sacrifice something in order to make a living from blogging.
These sacrifices could be a social life, evenings with their partner, spending as much time with their children and even getting less deep sleep than they used to as they now stay up so late to work on their blog!
Believe me, I do all of these things. Making a full-time wage from blogging, especially whilst raising a young family, might not be for everyone.
I see bloggers saying they miss the old days of just blogging for fun. If that’s what you enjoy, then do it! There's nothing stopping you.
If you don’t enjoy monetising your blog or working with brands, then don’t do it!
There are no set rules for how YOU must run YOUR own blog, so run it how you like.
If you prefer how you used to blog, then no one is stopping you from blogging like that.
Don’t put pressure on yourself to blog a certain way because others are. If it doesn’t make you enjoy your blog anymore, then it’s not worth it.
Below are a few things that might be making you unhappy with your blog that you can stop doing right now, if you want to... I really believe you should have control of your blog which is why I keep saying ‘if YOU want to’.
I don’t want to tell anyone what to do and believe everyone should be able to make their own decisions about what they want to blog about and what makes them happy. These are just some of the things I see bloggers stressing over which I feel really don’t need to be an issue.
Blog how you want to blog and be happy!
Things to stop stressing about as a blogger:
Finding your niche
One of the things I see bloggers debating and stressing over time and time again. If you are an expert in your field and can talk all day long about a certain topic forever more without getting bored, then great! Go for it, define a niche! But if you want to write about several things that interest you, then great, do that too! Why can’t you?
My niche is me and I write about things I am passionate about or enjoy to write about. Two of my favourite blogs I’ve started to read this year are Honest Mum and Slummy Single Mummy who also admit they have no niche! I love their writing style and pop back to read their latest posts often. If it’s something that doesn’t interest me, I move on (no biggie) but I still go back as I enjoy the majority of their posts and their voice.
I’m also very aware of how much I have changed in the past 6 years. 6 years ago I enjoyed eating sweets and puddings and even wrote reviews of some of my favourites on my blog. Since then I’ve deleted these posts as over the past 4 years I’ve overhauled my diet, become a vegetarian again, turned to a vegan plant-based diet, stopped eating refined sugar and embraced a healthier lifestyle with different interests.
My point is, people change.
What you enjoy writing about might change.
My thoughts, opinions and lifestyle are constantly evolving the more I research, with growing older and experiencing new things, so it is only natural my lifestyle blog will evolve with me. I may lose readers along the way, but I may also gain new readers. Or I may have readers who are also going through the same transitions and can connect to my journey.
Or everyone may stop reading my blog altogether one day! I hope this doesn’t happen, but if it did? I love writing so I’d still blog for me and I’d still want to record our family moments and monthly roundups as an online journal for us.
For me a lifestyle blog that is not confined to a niche is perfect for me and I will allow it to evolve as I evolve. Perhaps one day I will niche down, but only because I want to and not because of other people's opinions.
Appealing to everyone
Not everyone is going to agree with your opinion, your lifestyle or how you run your blog/social medias. Most will just move on and not read, but some may feel the need to leave a negative comment. Just delete it and move on yourself.
Try to ignore it.
Some people don’t understand the full story, know your background and some don’t even read the whole post, which I’ve noticed from recent comments left on my own blog, so they are just looking for an argument or are just a troll who leave bad comments anywhere for no purpose.
It’s hard not to take it personally, but the best thing I do is to try and block it out of my mind and remember all the supportive people.
It’s impossible to appeal to everyone and there will always be someone who thinks differently to you on every matter. Just be honest in your own opinion and try to be open to other people’s viewpoints (so long as they aren’t being mean!)
Posting everyday
If you don’t want to post a blog every day or don’t have the time to, then don’t worry about it. Want to blog every Tuesday and Thursday and this works for you? Do it!
Stressing because you want to blog every Monday and Wednesday, but you can’t always commit to this? Then don’t put this pressure on yourself and don’t do it!
Many bloggers like consistency and posting at certain times, but it’s not for everyone. I have so much content and this is my living so I generally post once a day, but if I didn’t? I’m not going to worry about missing a day as I’ve not specifically decided ‘I must post every single day’.
As for the blogs I regularly read and follow? I actually have no idea if they have a schedule or not!
I either sign up to their newsletters and read their new blog posts when they hit my inbox, or I remember their blogs and pop over every now and then. I never think, ooh I must pop over on Tuesday at 12pm to read this blogger’s new blog post, and Saturday over there for that blogger’s new post. I don’t have the time to remember when everyone is posting or if they do have a set schedule.
Perhaps you will have very dedicated fans who do remember your schedule and set a reminder, but I’m sure they would also understand if you couldn’t stick to it! After all, life happens.
Going on holiday
You are allowed a break. Remember that.
So your traffic may stop for a week or so, but does it matter?
It’s not all going to fall apart.
Just pick up where you left off when you return. Enjoy the break!
I’m going to contradict myself now as I am guilty of taking my laptop away with me, but because it is my business and I may work each morning whilst away, if I need to, as I don’t get paid if I don’t work.
There is no holiday pay for me. But I’ll certainly be a lot quieter and I’m sure my website traffic will crash, but I don’t want to worry about this. One or two weeks won’t make a big difference. If it wasn’t my main job then I’d not even worry about my blog at all! I’d just leave my laptop at home and take a week off blogging and my main job, no worries.
Not posting for a week whilst you are away is perfectly fine. No need to scramble around at the last minute trying to write posts or find guest posters. You can leave your blog if you want to. Your loyal readers will be there on your return.
Knowing everything and being perfect
I’ve had conversations in person about this with various people and I do occasionally see people online wanting to start a blog or launch their blog, but they’re worried it’s not right or they don’t know enough.
Just do it I say. You’ll learn as you go along.
The online world is constantly evolving, as are you. I actually cringe at the thought of my first website design, I thought it looked great at the time, but now it’s not me at all and I think it looked awful! I had a pink and purple logo (I don’t even remember ever being a pink type of person) in chunky bubble letters and well, yeah, we’ll just leave that there!
I learn new things every day and tweak my website constantly.
Nothing will ever be perfect.
If you want to start a blog, just go for it, learn and tweak as you go, and enjoy the whole process.
Final word
Basically, blog because you love to blog and make sure you do it in a way that makes you happy. Even if that is by ignoring all my advice above!