Five Tips To Start Your Blogging Journey

"By being yourself, you put something wonderful in the world that was not there before." -- Edwin Elliot

For the past five years, my new year's resolution has been a copy-paste of the previous—to start my own blog. The inability to do so up until now can be attributed to a fair share of procrastination and overwhelming motherhood years, but mainly, a mind shrouded in doubt about the purpose of the blog.

The world saw exceptional blogging growth in the last few years. There are now more than 500 million blogs on the internet. Is there a need for another one?

What story do I have to share that someone else isn't already? Does anyone even read a blog anymore? And then the big one - what will the blog be about?

Motherhood? But my kids are older now, so am I the right person to curate a list of "5 Diaper Bag Essentials That You Need Today." I mean, I am putting up my kids' strollers on FB Marketplace, and diapers are not part of my Target runs anymore. Have I missed the bus on starting a motherhood blog?

Travel? Aren't you supposed to have traveled to 561 countries and visited 2,345 national parks to start a travel blog? My numbers are a little off in that case. They end as soon as they start. Also, is life as picture-perfect as a travel blog makes it look like?

Lifestyle? Am I ready to collaborate with brands that I may not entirely believe in? What is my lifestyle anyway when no two days in the life of a burnt-out mother look the same ever?

Food? But that involves food photography. Not a good idea because there is no insurance coverage for smartphones that accidentally fall into a pot of simmering butter chicken or get smeared with cardamom cake batter while you try to take pictures. For someone notorious for dropping her phone in the river, bathtubs, and the middle of a road, that burbling pot of boiling delicacy is a death trap for her 98th phone. And anyway, isn't there a zillion food bloggers already?

So it's decided. I am never going to start my own blog. Another year another unattained resolution. Sigh.

But in middle of May of 2020, in preparation for a bad hurricane season in Florida, I went on a garage decluttering spree. The 3-day ordeal led me to find a box of board books I read to my kids when they were infants and toddlers. Nostalgia hit smack-dab, and even with blurry eyes, I could notice the corners of the books, once chewed upon by my teething infants, wearing out further. I picked out one to snuggle up and read to them that night.

The bedtime story session was more than revisiting memories of my children's infant and toddler years. It was my much-needed motivation. The book I chose to read was the tear-jerker On The Night You Were Born by the classic children's author Nancy Tillman, and the line on page 4 made me realize that my story is enough. A story worth sharing because there won't be another me.

"You are the one and only ever you." -Nancy Tillman

If you would like to find out what went behind choosing the theme and name of this blog, you can read it here. (https://www.chaichildrenme.com/post/what-s-chai-got-to-do-with-it)

To think of how the blogging sphere has evolved from being something like a personal diary where bloggers share their thoughts, to becoming a way to gain influence, sell products and services and connect with a customer base, starting a blog can be overwhelming.

Getting that push to embark on the blogging journey is mostly overcoming mental blocks related to finding your passion, creating content, and being relevant.

This is not your one-stop guide to starting specialty services or product blog. However, if you are thinking of starting a personal blog where you share your passion (e.g., poetry, short stories, gardening), life experiences (e.g., motherhood, road-tripping across a country on a Harley, one year of living on zero waste), or resources (homeschooling tips, DIY home goods projects, meditation and yoga for anxiety and stress) these following points might help you start your blogging journey.

Your story is unique

Whether you took the plunge to live a life of full-time travel and "world-school" your kids or left your country to start life anew in another one as an ex-pat or immigrant, you have a story that is unique and inspiring because there is no other you. Your blog's voice can manifest your talent, passion, or experiences, thus becoming your theme. Who knows who or how many you end up inspiring.

Find your passion

My blog was created with a vision to bring together three things I am deeply passionate about—raising nature-loving children, traveling, and storytelling. Each one of us has something we are passionate about or has been an advocate of. Food, holistic living, weight loss, environmental activism, traveling, poetry, could be anything. Half the job of starting a personal blog is identifying that passion.

Identifying that passion is often apparent but sometimes concealed within us, waiting to be dugout. All we need to do is some introspecting. Don't ignore encouragement that family members, friends, or even a stranger might have pointed out to you. "Your cakes are always perfectly moist." "You create the best rainy day activities for kids." "How do you guys always find the best hotel prices?" "I was struggling to teach my child this new concept. Your idea was so helpful." Let those positive feedbacks be a reaffirmation as you identify your passion and find your niche.

Your experience matters

You may be the author of 10 books and want to share your experience as a writer on your blog, or you may have published only one. Either way, you have something to share. In the first case, you bring tips, tricks, and advice on a range of topics related to publishing and writing. In the second case, you are making your readers a part of your journey by sharing the ups, downs, significant struggles, or small successes that come along the way of growing your portfolio as a writer. Your readers are a part of your journey either way. To write something relevant for your readers, you do not need to show numerous accolades or big numbers.

Similarly, for a travel blog, exotic locations and breathtaking sceneries are appealing and make for great content. However, a unique experience such as road-tripping across your state, RVing for a year, or backpacking across the Himalayas is as worthy of sharing with others as visiting twenty countries across four continents.

A good story is never stale

Sharing an experience or knowledge is always pertinent even if it might be old. Unless it's a super-specialty blog, say, on the COVID vaccine, starting a blog where you share past experiences are as worthy of being shared as recent ones. If a lesson in life can help and inspire others, and relates to the theme of your blog, time of occurrence need not be of the essence. The perspective with which you present the story makes it relevant. Remember, if your experiences helped teach you something at an earlier stage in life, sharing it on a blog could help others who are currently in that situation.

Technology is on your side

Don't have technology jitters. The tech and artistic side of starting your own blog has become more seamless and intuitive than ever before. Choose from multiple web hosting sites offering plenty of templates and 24x7 tech support. If you are feeling extra creative, opt to design your website from scratch with unbelievable ease and excellent tools available at your fingertips at little or no cost.

The time is ripe to set out and share your story. The world of blogging is not as intimidating as one might assume. Your time and effort to build a virtual gallery that showcases your knowledge, passion, and desire to inspire others will exist forever and beyond.

Do you have a blog? Are you thinking of starting one? Please tell me about it in the comments below.